NRL: Confident Warriors chase top spot

Steve Price. Photo / Getty Images

The Bulldogs are certain to lose two points for having an extra man on the field when they scored the winning try against Penrith and that means the Warriors-Broncos match at Mt Smart on Saturday is a play-off for the early leadership of the NRL.

Expectation is high that the team will produce another victory - and that expectation might be reasonable, given that they have won six of their last eight contests with the Brisbane club in Auckland.

They have not been beaten at Mt Smart since June last season, when they were downed 20-14 by eventual premiers Manly, and never before have they started a season with three pre-season wins and two victories in the opening rounds.

The Broncos have a one-point win over North Queensland and a two-point win over the Storm so far this year, both secured on their home ground at Suncorp Stadium.

The Warriors, with a win at home over Parramatta and one away over champions Manly last Sunday, are favourites for victory, a rare position for them to be in. Not getting ahead of themselves will be a new challenge this season, their usual game one of catch-up.

"We'll need to be a lot better than we were at times against Manly," coach Ivan Cleary said yesterday. "While we came back to win the match, there were periods when we weren't playing as well as we needed."

The 26-24 result over the Sea Eagles has driven ticket sales and a big crowd is assured on Saturday night as the public clamours for more, especially from Stacey Jones.

The halfback again comes off the bench this week. Tackling machine Micheal Luck is back at lock after a week off due to concussion.

Ruled out are wing Manu Vatuvei, who has a knee injury the extent of which is yet to be fully assessed, and bench prop Leeson Ah Mau, who suffered a dislocated shoulder. Aidan Kirk is on the right wing.

The confidence in the depth in the halves at the club was signalled yesterday when they agreed to release Michael Witt to a New Zealand Rugby Union contract with the Highlanders.

Joel Moon looks likely to hold the five-eighth spot while Fien and Jones jostle for halfback. Behind them are Aaron Heremaia, 26, back after a spell with the Leigh Centurions in Super League, plus 20-year-old Liam Foran, with three games for the Storm, and under-20s players Jody Henry, Isaac John and Shaun Johnson.

The Broncos have lost an edge this weekend with the suspension of test centre Justin Hodges for one game.

He was charged with a grapple tackle on Storm captain Cameron Smith in the 56th minute of the 12-10 win over Melbourne at Suncorp Stadium last weekend. Steve Michaels plays centre and youngster Jharal Yow Yeh pushes out to the wing.

Their prop Nick Kenny has a hamstring injury and must pass a fitness test. Bench backrower Lagi Setu suffered a sternum injury against Melbourne and remains in doubt. PJ Marsh is unavailable with a hamstring injury so the bench hooker is Andrew McCullough, just 19 and with only three NRL games behind him.

Also named on a seven-man interchange is utility back Michael De Vere, 32.

Souths will lose fullback Nathan Merritt for their game against Newcastle this weekend after he was charged with leading into a tackle with his feet. Penrith's Gavin Cooper and Willie Isa from the Storm also face a week out after being charged with making unnecessary contact with the head or neck.

The Bulldogs have said they will appeal against the loss of two points from their win over Penrith last weekend. But there have been five similar previous incidents and in each case the NRL's penalty stood.

The Dogs hooker Michael Ennis was on the ground being treated by a trainer in the 78th minute.

The captain, Andrew Ryan, who had just been interchanged off, was signalled back on by the trainer because Ennis could not carry on but Ryan did not go through the proper process with officials. He was in the backline when Ben Roberts scored the try that, when converted, gave them a two-point win.

Warriors
Wade McKinnon, Denan Kemp, Brent Tate, Jerome Ropati, Aiden Kirk, Joel Moon, Nathan Fien, Sam Rapira, Ian Henderson, Steve Price (capt), Simon Mannering, Jacob Lillyman, Micheal Luck.

Interchange: Stacey Jones, Russell Packer, Jesse Royal, Ukuma Ta'ai

Broncos
Karmichael Hunt, Antonio Winterstein, Steve Michaels, Israel Folau, Jharal Yow Yeh, Darren Lockyer (capt), Peter Wallace, Nick Kenny, Aaron Gorrell, Joel Clinton, Sam Thaiday, Ben Te'o, Corey Parker.

Interchange: Andrew McCullough, Lagi Setu, David Taylor, Alex Glenn, Ashton Sims, Josh McGuire, Michael DeVere (three to be omitted)