Foran injury fears may be unfounded
The initial prognosis on Kieran Foran's injury is positive. It was natural to fear the worst when the five eighth limped off in the 63rd minute, after twisting his leg awkwardly in a tackle and feeling a twinge in his quadricep. But shortly after the match Warriors assistant coach Steve McNamara allayed fears of a long period off the field for the 27-year-old. "It looked pretty bad when he was leaving the field and we were all concerned with him," McNamara told Radio Sport. "But fortunately it looks like it is a quad strain - probably a slight quad tear - and nothing too serious. Thankfully for us and for Foz I think he is going to be alright going forward for the rest of the year."
Bench impact bonus
For one of the few times this season the Warriors got real value from their interchange men, who helped to turn the course of the match in the first half. Sam Lisone and Albert Vete added momentum midway through the first spell, which coincided with their three-try burst in a matter of minutes. Bunty Afoa was also impressive, and showed his value; the 20-year-old could become a regular fixture in the 17 over the coming months. Lisone can be hot and cold but brought energy and sparked some offloads, while Vete continued his strong form since his return to first grade. And Ata Hingano provided a welcome cameo, setting up a try for Ken Maumalo (which appeared to be incorrectly rubbed out for a forward pass) and scoring his first NRL try at the death.
