NRL: Price won't change ways

The Warriors will find the Dragons' defence hard to penetrate. Photo / Getty Images

Steve Price is bemused that referees have named him one of the NRL's most difficult captains to work with but says he won't change his ways.

The Warriors skipper, twice Dally M Captain of the Year, was named along with Manly's Matt Orford as the most difficult captain in Rugby League Week's referees' poll, published last week.

"I was disappointed because I didn't think I would be viewed like that but if I am, well, I can't change the way I am," Price said. "I'm out there to represent the boys and club, and if I don't think we're getting the rub of the green, I'm going to talk to referees and point that out.

"I don't know why they picked me. They have to pick someone. I remember when Steve Clark was refereeing [between 1992 and 2007] and he was asked who the toughest captain he had refereed was and he said 'Steve Price'. Everyone was shocked and asked why? He said it was because I knew all the rules and didn't forget about anything. Maybe it's that.

"There are a lot of younger, inexperienced referees in the game now. Maybe it's because I've been around for a while now. Whether I'm intimidating, I don't know."

He is upset that referees seem to want to minimise dialogue.

"We're always shooed off. When you can get to them it's often during a stoppage and that might be after a try and by that time it's too late. I know it slows the game down, but when they want to talk to you they will stop the game and it could be at a crucial time over something ridiculous.

"I have seen some really bad situations this year when referees speak not only to captains but also players. When you're wanting respect, it's a two-way street."

Gold Coast skipper Scott Prince was rated the best captain in the referees' survey, with Brisbane's Justin Hodges the biggest sledger. Interestingly, Melbourne's Brett Finch, son of NRL referees boss Robert Finch and a recent Warriors target, was voted the biggest "sook" and worst behaved player. Melbourne were also the team judged to show the least respect, according to referees, touch judges and video referees.

However, it will take more than good referee relations to beat the Dragons at Mt Smart today. Under supercoach Wayne Bennett, the Dragons have been harder to penetrate than a Swiss bank, conceding a paltry 13.5 points a match. They have the best defence in the business and will hardly feel nervous about tackling a side that has the second-worst attack in 2009.

The Warriors have been largely impotent this season. They average just 16.1 points a game but only three times have they surpassed 20 points.

They might have been buoyed by posting 30 points last weekend, but Price preached caution. "It was against the Roosters who have been struggling."

The Dragons haven't been. They sit comfortably on top of the table with 13 wins this season, including their past four, and are favourites to win their first title since St George merged with Illawarra in 1999.

Bennett has been credited for much of the turnaround at Wollongong and has adopted a similar game plan to the one that won him six premierships in 21 years with Brisbane.

He built dynasties around defence and building pressure, but also had the playmakers to be able to wrestle control of the match and it's often overlooked that the Dragons have the third-deadliest attack in the NRL.

Their combined total of 411 points is just five behind the Bulldogs and Cowboys.

Bennett's new Darren Lockyer is Jamie Soward, who is the competition's leading points scorer with 171. Soward has also had 19 try assists, the equal most in the NRL.

They are the sorts of numbers the Warriors can only dream about, especially as they peer up the ladder from their lowly position of 12th and with their season on the line, again, today.

Against the Roosters they chanced their arm more than they have for most of the season, and it brought six tries. It will be the only way they will win this afternoon. Their defence has been decent this season but the Dragons have threats across the park.