Rugby league: Stephen Kearney names unchanged side for Manly

Warriors players looking dejected after their loss to the Tigers. Photo / Photosport

As is his tendency, Warriors coach Stephen Kearney has resisted the urge to find scapegoats for the ugly 34-6 loss to the Tigers last Sunday.

He has named an unchanged 17 to face Manly in Christchurch on Saturday, in what already looms as pivotal match in the course of the Warriors season.

Issac Luke will start — with Nathaniel Roache not considered due to the ongoing effects of the calf strain suffered last Saturday at the captain's run — while Karl Lawton has been brought onto an extended bench.

At least half a dozen Warriors players had very poor games at Campbelltown, but Kearney was never going to wield the axe.

It didn't help his options that the reserve grade team were also well beaten, but Kearney's loyalty has become his trademark since he arrived at Mt Smart.

"If you are looking for me to blame someone, you are not going to get it," Kearney told the Herald. "The performance is a result of a collective, it's everyone. I will put my hand up there myself...do I have to take some responsibility for the performance?"

However, Kearney admitted there were mental and physical shortcomings last Sunday that needed to be addressed.

"We were looking to try to find an easy way to get the job done and there is no easy way in this competition," said Kearney. "We couldn't build any pressure because we couldn't hold onto the ball and there was a touch of attitude missing..so we made it really hard for ourselves."

The right edge defence will be a focus at training this week, as the Tigers continually made inroads down that flank and crossed for several simple tries. Wing David Fusitu'a was caught out badly twice as he drifted inside, but the organsation and communication was lacking as a unit.

"We have to have a good look at it," said Kearney. "[There were] a couple of occasions where from a technical sense we need to fix. [We'll] have a close look at that this week. It's the same mentality as last week, trying to improve. It's always about improvement, in the good and the bad."

"Any defeat is tough to take but you deal with them all the same," said Kearney. "You review the process, where did we go wrong, what can we do better, how do we improve and you prepare accordingly for next week. It's doesn't change. There is no magic formula"

It's far too early in the season for any panic, but the Warriors have to profit from the next two games in New Zealand (against the winless Sea Eagles, then the Titans in Auckland).

That's because the following six weeks look extremely challenging, with away games against the Rabbitohs, Storm and Panthers, and the Knights and Dragons coming to Mt Smart.

Warriors team to face the Sea Eagles:

1 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (C)
2 David Fusitu'a
3 Peta Hiku
4 Solomone Kata
5 Ken Maumalo
6 Adam Keighran
7 Blake Green
8 Agnatius Paasi
9 Issac Luke
10 Bunty Afoa
11 Adam Blair
12 Tohu Harris
13 Lachlan Burr

Interchange:

14 Jazz Tevaga
15 Sam Lisone
16 Leeson Ah Mau
17 Isaiah Papali'i
18 Gerard Beale
20 Ligi Sao
21 Karl Lawton
22 Chanel Harris-Tavita
(Four to be omitted)