NRL: Better defence key to playoffs

Bill Tupou. Photo / Brett Phibbs

With finals football now squarely on the agenda, the Warriors will be working on their defence. It's like dealing with a melting ice cream cone; it's easier to lick it around the edges than plough straight through the middle.

St George provided ample evidence of that last week, consistently testing the Warriors out wide. All four Dragons tries came on or around the edges, a key concern for Warriors coach Ivan Cleary leading into the finals series.

Often the wide players are called into action only as a result of some slip in the middle of the park where the opposition gain momentum through a line break and unleash attacking weapons out wide.

Last week, a quartet of former or current test players in Mark Gasnier, Matt Cooper, Brett Morris and Jason Nightingale did exactly that.

Of those currently in the Warriors selection mix, Tupou has the worst ratio for missing tackles. For every 2.8 he makes, he misses one.

He's followed on the edges by Manu Vatuvei with 3.5:1, Krisnan Inu 3.8:1 and Joel Moon 4.5:1. Halves James Maloney 4.6:1 and Shaun Johnson 3.0:1 have struggled at times.

In contrast, Shaun Berrigan makes 10 tackles to every one missed when he plays in the centres. Kevin Locke has a ratio of just 4.1:1 but has made some spectacular try-saving tackles, sometimes keeping the Warriors in games single-handedly with his determination to haul in an opponent.

Cleary says many tries could have been stopped: "I understand it's not easy; you make split second decisions and the Dragons' outside backs were as good as anyone. Bill [Tupou] made a hash of a grubber kick he should have stopped [for the Darius Boyd try].

"Then Jason Nightingale's try should have been handled better on the left edge. It's too hard to pinpoint everything but in summary, our communication needs to improve out wide. If you haven't got that, you've got next to no chance.

"You need to be able to read the game. It's one thing to make tackles but you've got to have a fair idea of where the ball is going, too. The only plus is you realise quickly what needs to strengthen and how intense you need to be against these good sides."

Captain Simon Mannering is back in the second row for now but has the best tackling record in the centres this season, making 10.7 for every one missed.

"If I had the answers, I'd be the best centre in the competition," Mannering laughs. "It really depends on how good the guys inside and out of you are. It starts with guys getting up off the line to pressure a ball carrier to pass earlier than he wants to or throw a bad pass. It's rarely about individuals one-on-one. Defensive decisions out wide are also more likely to be try-saving or try-causing [than in the middle of the park]."