NRL: Defence key again for Warriors

Brent Tate in action. Photo / Dean Purcell

Defence has been the name of the game for the Warriors over their five-match winning run and that is unlikely to change against South Sydney tomorrow.

Having repelled pretty much everything the free-scoring Panthers and Storm could throw at them over the past fortnight, the Warriors are confident they have found a formula that can lead them into the playoffs.

While some of his players might be hankering for a dry track and the chance to play some more expansive footy, coach Ivan Cleary will be perfectly happy if conditions and his team dish up more of the same.

"Souths have been one of the most potent attacking teams in the competition so we know our defence is going to be tested," Cleary said. "But we are probably in a pretty good position to take that test on.

"In terms of our attack, we are pretty comfortable and confident we have got a bit more in us. The bottom line is that we are enjoying winning. We wouldn't mind doing it again."

While Cleary might be happy with another dour performance and two priceless points, Warriors-Rabbitohs games seldom pan out like that.

The round 11 clash in May was a classic, with the Warriors recovering from 18-10 down late in the first half to post a nail-biting 26-24 victory.

Both sides have undergone some key personnel changes since that last encounter. Key winger Manu Vatuvei, who was absent with a hamstring injury, is back in harness for the Warriors while Sam Rapira, who went down in that game with a knee injury, is still out of action.

Souths are boosted by giant forward Dave Taylor, who was on Origin duty for the previous encounter, but are without livewire hooker Issac Luke, who tormented the Warriors, setting up two tries and running for a team-high 142m.

Following a blunder-strewn effort last week when he controlled the Roosters v Bulldogs match, there is sure to be much interest in the performance of referee Gavin Badger.

Cleary, who has railed at the state of refereeing this season, produced a deadpan "no" when asked if he had seen any improvement during last week's victory over Melbourne.

He did at least produce a smile about drawing the under-fire Badger, saying: "He's going to get much better this week. We're expecting him to bounce back. Let's hope so."

The Warriors have been far from the only club dismayed by the state of officiating this season.

After largely keeping his counsel over a spate of crucial calls that have gone against his side, Souths coach John Lang has finally snapped.

"It appears that by treating people with respect and not whingeing and getting your players to treat referees with respect, I don't think it's a very successful tactic," Lang said.

"Coaches abuse referees, bag them, insinuate they're dishonest, all these sorts of things ... and it seems to be a tactic that works, to be perfectly honest."

The Rabbitohs are feeling the pressure after close losses to the Roosters and Dragons dropped them out of the eight. The Warriors, meanwhile, have been riding high. A win tomorrow would match the club's second-longest win streak of six matches, set in the inaugural season of 1995.

The omens are positive enough. Souths are the Warriors' most favoured opponent, with the New Zealanders having won 15 of the 21 matches between the clubs.

RABBITOHS v WARRIORS
ANZ Stadium, 4pm tomorrow

RABBITOHS
Rhys Wesser
Nathan Merritt
Colin Best
Beau Champion
Fetuli Talanoa
John Sutton
Chris Sandow
Sam Burgess
Beau Falloon
Roy Asotasi (c)
Michael Crocker
David Taylor
Ben Lowe
Interchange: Garret Crossman, Eddy Pettybourne, Dave Tyrrell, Jason Clark.

WARRIORS
Lance Hohaia
Kevin Locke
Brent Tate
Jerome Ropati
Manu Vatuvei
James Maloney
Brett Seymour
Jesse Royal
Aaron Heremaia
Russell Packer
S Mannering (c)
Lewis Brown
Micheal Luck
Interchange: Ian Henderson, Ben Matulino, Jeremy Latimore, Ukuma Ta'Ai, Jacob Lillyman (one to be omitted).

Referees: Gavin Badger, Tony De Las Heras.