NRL: Possession the key to winning - Luck

Micheal Luck. Photo / Getty Images

Returning lock Micheal Luck backs the New Zealand Warriors against any NRL side if they get an even share of possession.

Luck has recovered earlier than expected from a dislocated kneecap and will line up against bottom-of-the-table Gold Coast in Auckland tomorrow night.

Initially projected to be out for up to eight weeks, the workaholic defender has missed just two fixtures, against North Queensland and Melbourne, with last weekend's bye providing additional recovery time.

Both matches ended in defeat to take the Warriors' losing streak to four and drop them to ninth on the table, and both featured big tackle counts against them.

Luck said poor ball security, especially early in their sets, had been a key reason for the amount of defence the Warriors had had to do.

"You always put yourself under pressure when you do that," he said.

"If we get an even tackle count, I rate us a better-than-average chance in every game and that's what we have to get back to doing."

Against Melbourne, the Warriors pulled off 367 tackles, 82 more than their opponents.

Despite expending so much energy, they restricted the Storm to just one line break, and the competition leaders had to go to the air for all three of their tries in a 16-8 win.

The effort was a turnaround from their 30-10 loss to the Cowboys, when they has to do just as much tackling, but leaked seven tries, five in the last 22 minutes.

"Defensively, we were really, really good against Melbourne - if we cover up the kicks, we win the game 8-0," Luck said.

"I don't think they looked like breaking our defensive structure. That was a step in the right direction as opposed to the previous weekend."

While Gold Coast are at the foot of the table, Luck believed their position was misleading.

They had the creativity of Scott Prince at halfback and backrowers Greg Bird, Mark Minichiello and Anthony Laffranchi provided plenty of punch on the edges.

"I like watching the Titans play," Luck said.

"They create a lot of opportunities. They're just not finishing them."

Luck is one of two senior players coming off the Warriors' casualty list, with Kiwi prop Sam Rapira scheduled to return off the bench after dislocating a thumb in the Anzac test two months ago.

Their availability is a boost to the Warriors, who are in action for the first time since the announcement that coach Ivan Cleary will be heading to Penrith at the end of the season.

Both sides are coming off a bye and both have players backing up from the State of Origin decider in Brisbane last night.

The Titans have two in Ashley Harrison and Bird, who were the opposing No 13s at Suncorp Stadium.

Bird, one of New South Wales' tryscorers, has been named on the interchange.

Prop Jacob Lillyman, who came off the bench to be part of Queensland's victory, is in the Warriors' starting 13.

The match will mark a personal milestone for Gold Coast centre Clinton Toopi.

A former Kiwi who played 129 times for Warriors, the 31-year-old Toopi will notch up his 150th NRL appearance.

- NZPA