NRL: McKinnon set to fire in lair of the Dragons

Warriors fullback Wade McKinnon is confident he can still find the open-play breaks that made his name a threat over the past two seasons. Photo / Getty Images

Dragons v Warriors
Wollongong Stadium, tomorrow 4pm.

Warriors fullback Wade McKinnon is confident he can still find the open-play breaks that made his name a threat over the past two seasons when he resumes tomorrow against the Dragons after a break enforced by a hamstring strain.

With the benefit of both playing five games then watching two, McKinnon said the two-ref system had made the game faster, primarily because there were fewer rest periods while the referee sought guidance from the video ref.

He sees no difference in the opportunities available on kick-return, just that there are fewer of them now that kickers are more happy with a dead-in-goal punt that keeps the opposition on its heels whereas the aim previously was to avoid that and force a goal-line drop-out or the defending fullback to run.

McKinnon's return and the absence of prop Sam Rapira with a chest bruising injury are the only two changes to the side who had a creditable 14-all draw with the Storm in Melbourne, a victory of sorts given only four teams have won there in the past three years - including the Warriors in 2008.

Wollongong is an equally difficult place to win, with few Warriors supporters likely to be in the stands at the south-of-Sydney steel city backing their attack. And the Dragons have a miserly defence so far this season, letting in just 17 tries to the Warriors' 28.

Lock Micheal Luck is ready for more tackling, a week after making an NRL-record 74 against the Storm. "I'm fine, not sore at all. I didn't really think it was all that much work, I was probably first man in to about 20 of those," Luck said modestly.

He was more proud of the way the team won the arm and ground wrestle with the NRL's best at it.

"Craig Bellamy and Cameron Smith are experts at that ruck play, slowing the ball down, they're very smart. They've adjusted their game to the two refs and so did we. I thought we beat them at their own game, multiple tacklers and then peeling off one at a time - it gives the line time to set. We came up against the best and we bettered them."

The aim this week is for a faster start, after coming from behind over all four of their

last games including the overtime efforts to beat the Roosters and draw in Melbourne.

"We've been lacking field position early, that's all it is and that's how the Storm got their early points," Luck said. The attitude and mind-set were better this season so they were confident they could win away from home. "It's run, tackle, pass no matter whether it's here [Mt Smart] or any other field."

Luck's most anticipated moment this weekend: "I can't wait to see Manu against Wendell," he said of the clash of the 112kg wingers Vatuvei and Sailor.

Coach Ivan Cleary rates the Dragons as probably the most consistent team in the comp. His side was not mentally or physically fatigued after two extra-time games, Cleary said, and travel was no longer a problem for the squad. The bad start with consecutive losses in Australia last year was a symptom of other problems.

"Everyone is buoyed by last week's performance, both teams played well." Cleary was "reasonably happy" with the form overall after better performances in the second half against the Roosters and all through the 90 minutes of the Storm game.

Lance Hohaia stays on the bench and Lewis Brown is the drop-off. The Dragons are expected to ditch Mathew Head from theirs. Sailor is the only change to the side who beat the Roosters 29-0 the week after they lost to Stacey Jones' field goal at Mt Smart.

There was relief at the Warriors gym yesterday after prop Evarn Tuimavave said the latest of three MRI scans on his neck showed that the bulging disc he suffered in pre-season training had shrunk and he would not need surgery. Tuimavave is expected to be available for selection after the bye of round nine.

DRAGONS v WARRIORS:

Dragons

Darius Boyd
Brett Morris
Beau Scott
Matt Cooper
Wendell Sailor
Jamie Soward
Ben Hornby (c)
Justin Poore
Dean Young
Michael Weyman
Matt Prior
Ben Creagh
Jeremy Smith

Interchange: Dan Hunt, Neville Costigan, Jason Nightingale, Jarrod Saffy, Mathew Head.

Warriors

Wade McKinnon
Denan Kemp
Simon Mannering
Jerome Ropati
Manu Vatuvei
Joel Moon
Stacey Jones
Jesse Royal
Ian Henderson
Steve Price (c)
Ben Matulino
Jacob Lillyman
Micheal Luck

Interchange: Nathan Fien, Russell Packer, Lewis Brown, Patrick Ah Van, Lance Hohaia, Aidan Kirk.