NRL: Warriors expect battle up front

Warriors coach Ivan Cleary

Getting on top of North Queensland's forwards will be the best way of stopping Johnathan Thurston dominating their National Rugby League (NRL) clash in Auckland on Sunday, the New Zealand Warriors say.

The Cowboys' halfback was in sparkling form as he helped the Kangaroos beat the Kiwis last Friday, then starred in the Cowboys' 24-20 NRL win over St George-Illawarra a day later.

But the Warriors say Thurston will find it much harder if their forwards can nullify their Cowboys' counterparts.

" The thing about Thurston is that he's going to play well, you pretty much guarantee that. What we've got to try to do is limit his opportunities and limit his time," coach Ivan Cleary said.

"The best way that's done is stopping the guys that give him that space, so there's probably more focus on that rather than Thurston himself.

"They've got a big, good forward pack that played really well last week. It's where all games really are probably won or lost, that's where it starts anyway, so this week's no different."

Among those given the task of winning the battle in the middle of the park is Sam Rapira, who returns after injury.

The Warriors go into the game at Mt Smart Stadium in 10th position on nine points, one point above the Cowboys.

The home team's last three matches all had no more than one point in them and resulted in a win, a draw and a loss.

They are still only two points away from sixth, and five from the table-topping Bulldogs but Cleary said they needed victories.

" I think in all fairness we probably should be higher but we're not," he said.

"I think over the course of the season if you play well enough consistently then the table will sort itself out, but definitely we need a win pretty soon."

Rapira said the team wasn't panicking and just felt they needed to be more accurate.

" There's been a few close games where we haven't got the two points, but we're not far off.

"It's just little things that we've been lacking so that's all we've been concentrating on this week, the little things like catching and passing.

"The boys have been training well and looking forward to the games this weekend."

Cold, damp weather has been predicted by some forecasters for Sunday, conditions which won't help running rugby league, but could assist the Warriors against a team from the much warmer climate of Townsville.

"That could be a bit of an advantage and we need to see it that way," centre Jerome Ropati said.

"We've just come off a bye and the weather's changed this week, but all of the guys have played in this sort of weather over the past couple of years, so it'll still be in the back of our minds."

The match will be of special significance to Ropati, who plays his 100th match for the club at the relatively tender age of 24.

"It has crept up quite quickly, but when I think of the number of years I've been in this club it's taken me an age to get to it," he said.

"It's good and I appreciate the club having a bit of faith in me and keeping me and I just hope I get a chance to play another 100 games.

"But thinking about games and targeting the amount of games you play doesn't help a football player.

"I think you take it game by game and year by year and see how it goes from there."

WHAT: Warriors vs Cowboys
WHERE: Mt Smart Stadium
WHEN: 2pm Sunday 17 May

- NZPA