NRL: Warriors need more depth with final kicks

Roosters' fullback Sam Perrett said 'We have a standard to maintain now [after the World Cup win]. We'd like to make a habit of it.' Photo / Mark Mitchell

Warriors v Roosters
Mt Smart Stadium, 2pm tomorrow

The Warriors need a better long kicking game if they are to beat the Roosters at Mt Smart Stadium tomorrow.

They have been beaten in this area in each of their five matches so far, meaning they have to carry the ball for more metres, getting more fatigued in the process.

Under the new two-referee system with increased speed out of the ruck, teams have been content to kick the ball dead in-goal to keep their opponents pegged in their own territory.

It gives them time to rest and to organise their defence, whereas previously they aimed to keep the ball alive and earn the second-best result to a try, a goal-line drop-out.

Five-eighth Joel Moon has the boot to achieve the right result and needs to employ that more frequently than the high bombs he has been dropping.

The aerial battle will be crucial. Kicks from tries is a key part of the Roosters' attack, one they practise with the aid of the Sydney Swans AFL side. The best bet for the Warriors is to shut down the space allowed to halfback Mitchell Pearce and five-eighth Braith Anasta, who also has a long kick.

The home team desperately want a win to maintain home ground advantage after consecutive losses to Brisbane and Souths at Mt Smart. "Whether you're winning or losing it's never as good or as bad as you think," their coach Ivan Cleary said this week, citing the close competition and regular upsets.

The only one of their three losses where they were comprehensively beaten was against the Broncos. They controlled the game against Souths and were beaten by brilliant defence, against Newcastle they lost concentration at critical times and the bounce of the ball went against them, Cleary said.

"We still feel like we're a good team, we're not too far away from things."

The Roosters come with a loss-win-loss-win-loss record in 2009. The score all-up between the teams is Warriors 12 wins, Roosters 10 with one draw. At Mt Smart it is Warriors 7/4 but last season the Roosters won 38-12 in Auckland.

Injury has enforced one Roosters' backline change this week with centre Mitchell Aubusson dropping out with a back problem and the Fijian flyer Sisa Waqa is in doubt with a wrist sprain. If he withdraws the Kiwis centre Iosaia Soliola may come from the bench to start and the newcomer is likely to be Auckland-born Sonny Tuigamala, nephew of Inga, reputed to be the fastest man in the NRL.

The Roosters' significant New Zealand contingent know they will be playing for test spots as well as a club victory tomorrow. "The last two years we haven't had the call from the coach until the last week or so," said fullback Sam Perrett, a regular test player since 2007 and yet to hear from Stephen Kearney. He and fellow former Aucklanders wing Shaun-Kenny Dowall and Soliola plus Setiamata Sa from Christchurch have spoken about their Kiwis' prospects and all are committed to try to make the team.

"Absolutely," Perrett said. "We have a standard to maintain now [after the World Cup win]. We'd like to make a habit of it."

Another up-and-comer is former Warriors forward Frank-Paul Nuuausala, 22, who left the club with the reputation as a talented ball-player but a lazy trainer. He's given up the KFC, forced a regular spot as prop and is now nicknamed "Frank-Paul the Wrecking Ball".

Perrett has been at fullback since game one when Anthony Minichiello broke his ankle in a season-ending injury, after filling in for "Mini" through most of 2008 while he recovered from a back problem. Otherwise he's at wing or centre, a versatility that is a plus for the Kiwis. He enjoys all three positions, perhaps fullback most because you get to run with the ball more and centre least because of the extra defensive workload.

"I try and bring the ball back [on kick-return] as far as possible to ease the load for the forwards. At centre, I got a real appreciation for how tough the defensive work is. When you have to make three and sometimes four tackles in a row you think of the work the forwards do, how tough guys like Lopini Paea are to keep backing up."

Perrett said he still found plenty of opportunities to run from the back, despite the increased speed and stamina of tacklers and the higher speed of the game under two refs.

The Roosters-Kiwis connection looks set to continue long term. The under-20s curtainraiser tomorrow features five players of New Zealand background: right centre Anthony Gelling and hooker Sam Brunton (Howick Hornets), left centre Mark Talanoa, plus prop Mose Masoe and interchange player Isaac Maliota (Mangere East).

The Warriors feeder side Auckland Vulcans play Newtown Jets at Walter Massey Park in Mangere today.

WARRIORS v ROOSTERS:

Warriors

Patrick Ah Van
Denan Kemp
Aidan Kirk
Jerome Ropati
Manu Vatuvei
Joel Moon
Stacey Jones
Sam Rapira
Ian Henderson
Steve Price (c)
Simon Mannering
Jacob Lillyman
Micheal Luck

Interchange (from): Nathan Fien, Russell Packer, Jesse Royal, Ben Matulino, Aaron Heremaia.

Roosters

Sam Perrett
Sisa Waqa
Ben Jones
Setaimata Sa
S. Kenny-Dowall
Braith Anasta (c)
Mitchell Pearce
Mark O'Meley
James Aubusson
F.P. Nuuausala
Nate Myles
Craig Fitzgibbon
Shane Shackleton

Interchange: Lopini Paea, Willie Mason, Sia Soliola, Jake Friend.