NRL: Warriors face tough task to beat the best

Dragons coach Wayne Bennett. Photo / Getty Images

The Warriors have a problem to solve - how to patch up their defence while attempting to get past the NRL's best defensive unit: the Dragons.

Coming off a 50-point leak against the Tigers, they meet the best defensive and most disciplined team in the competition under the guidance of coach Wayne Bennett.

The Dragons are alone at the top of the table on 18 points and are backed by a formidable record when they lack possession. St George- Illawarra have conceded the fewest points (10.2) and tries (1.8) per game across the whole competition.

They are second to the Storm in conceding line and tackle breaks but are prepared to allow the opposition to gain a few metres and offload, provided the tackles are eventually made.

That sort of discipline and patience is matched by the lowest error rate of any team this year - less than 10 per game.

As an example, the Dragons restricted Eels fullback Jarryd Hayne to just four tackle breaks and no line breaks or assists in last week's 30-0 win.

"If the opposition get a sniff, they tend to be good at shutting it down," says Warriors coach Ivan Cleary.

"That's pretty much their game: choking the life out of teams and reducing their opportunities.

"If you're not making mistakes, it's easier to defend. That's their method under the 'oracle of coaching' Wayne Bennett and they're good at it."

Fullback Lance Hohaia says the Warriors are not helped by Bennett's presence, given he coached a number of the team as part of the World Cup-winning Kiwis.

"He is incredible defensively and their completion rate is high with a minimal number of errors."

Manu Vatuvei, who returns from his ankle injury for his 100th game, agrees: "Wayne's presence boosts everyone because they know his achievements in the game. He knows everything about league."

If there is a Dragons weakness, it is that they might not seize attacking opportunities as readily as some.

However, the Warriors will be vulnerable after such a feeble performance on the edges last week.

Dragons fullback Darius Boyd has led the way on attack. He has the most line break assists, second-most tackle breaks and third most running metres in the competition.

Cleary has noted their edges need to be alert this week, with the likes of Boyd, Brett Morris, Beau Scott, Jason Nightingale and returning New South Wales centre Matt Cooper to keep them busy.

"We were exposed badly out there [against the Tigers] so we've had to go back and do a bit of homework."

That is surely an understatement from Cleary, who must have been morose seeing nine tries conceded.

Fortunately this week, they get back their most prolific tackler in lock Michael Luck, who averages 41 a game.

The Warriors have been slow starters this season. That is going to be hard to change, with the Dragons conceding just 28 points in the first quarter of their 12 games. St George-Illawarra have led at halftime on eight occasions and have nine wins for the season, plus they have won seven of their last eight meetings with the Warriors.

A bye next week is another incentive for the Warriors to push to their limits.

WARRIORS v DRAGONS
Mt Smart Stadium, 2pm today.
Referees: Ashley Klein & Bernard Sutton

WARRIORS
Lance Hohaia
Kevin Locke
Brent Tate
Jerome Ropati
Manu Vatuvei
Isaac John
James Maloney
Jesse Royal
Aaron Heremaia
Russell Packer
Simon Mannering (c)
Ukuma Ta'ai
Micheal Luck

Warriors interchange:
Ian Henderson, Ben Matulino, Jeremy Latimore, Lewis Brown, Sione Lousi.

DRAGONS
Darius Boyd
Brett Morris
Beau Scott
Matt Cooper
Jason Nightingale
Jamie Soward
Ben Hornby (c)
Matt Prior
Luke Priddis
Michael Weyman
Neville Costigan
Ben Creagh
Dean Young

Dragons interchange:
Jon Green, Jarrod Saffy, Trent Merrin, Michael Greenfield, Kyle Stanley.