NRL: Harrison eyes revival against Warriors

Bronson Harrison and his Raiders' teammates are looking to make up for Monday's thrashing at the hands of the Storm. Photo / Getty Images

Kiwis forward Bronson Harrison insists it's the best rugby league move he ever made.

Shame about the results. While Harrison is in the form of his career in his first year in Canberra, his Raiders are on a four-match losing streak as they host the New Zealand Warriors on Sunday after a performance their coach David Furner described as "bordering on embarrassing".

The 6-46 defeat to new National Rugby League (NRL) premiership favourites Melbourne on Monday saw the Raiders' season plumb new depths under first-season coach Furner.

They've lost seven out of nine, including three of four at Canberra Stadium which was last year one of the NRL's most feared venues. Only Sydney strugglers the Roosters and Sharks sit below them on the points table.

It makes the Warriors' recent wobbles not seem so bad.

Harrison said it was a brutal morning after their eight tries-to-one defeat in Melbourne, where their forwards struggled for momentum and key playmaker Terry Campese hardly fired a shot.

"We're still pretty upbeat but we can't ignore what happened last week," he said.

"The first thing we had to do was get it off our chests. We all sat down and everyone put their hands up, including me, and admitted we made some pretty bad mistakes. It got everyone focused and we're ready for our next game."

Harrison said the defeat was a simple lesson; if you make elementary errors against a star-studded team you'll get punished. The Warriors can relate after being overrun 12-34 by the Johnathan Thurston-inspired Cowboys last weekend.

It hasn't dimmed Harrison's enthusiasm for his shift south from Concord to Canberra, in search of a regular starting spot after a five-year stint with Wests Tigers.

His career took off with a late callup for the injured Iosia Soliola at last year's World Cup, then he played a starring role in the Kiwis' pool match against England in Newcastle in just his second test.

He continued on this month with a strong first half for the Kiwis in their heavy Anzac test defeat.

The Auckland-born 23-year-old slotted into the Raiders' second row but the Cowboys and Sharks have been their only scalps to date in 2009.

"I've been really enjoying it here. I've been playing more time on the field and I've been in better form than past years.

"Everyone wants to play more time. I just wanted to find my feet somewhere else and not just be a fill-in player like I was at the Tigers.

"I've been happy with how I'm going, but a few more wins would make me happier."

Harrison said the Raiders were always confident on their home track and felt it would still be a daunting assignment for the Warriors.

"There aren't many teams that like coming here".

The Warriors are always the team he looks forward to playing, against a lineup of his New Zealand mates.

He paused when asked whether there was anyone he'd particularly like to flatten in the opening minute.

"I'll take any hit I can get," he said.

"Maybe Simon Mannering, he was my roommate during the World Cup. But he's a great defender so he might come looking for me first."

- NZPA