Warriors defence has Storm on notice

MELBOURNE Storm coach Craig Bellamy can’t recall an NZ Warriors side defending as well as the current NRL lineup.

As his team prepares to host the Warriors in its annual Anzac Day clash at AAMI Park tonight, Bellamy says his side will have to be at its attacking best to get the win.

The Warriors are joint competition leaders after their bruising defensive display set up a win last round over fellow frontrunners St George Illawarra, who were previously unbeaten.

Despite a strong recent record against their opponents, Bellamy said he’d never seen them defend better and the Aucklanders would present a huge challenge.

“Obviously the Warriors have had a great start to the season and are top of the competition,” Bellamy said.

“I don’t watch all their games but I can’t remember the last time a Warriors side defended like that – they were outstanding last week.”

After struggling early in the season, the Storm appear to have rediscovered their attacking mojo in the past two rounds.

While that has coincided with a change in halfbacks, with Ryley Jacks replacing Brodie Croft, Bellamy said it was more to do with their vastly improved completion rate.

“Before the last two weeks we scored one try in two games but in the last two weeks we’ve scored 40 points and then 34 so there’s a huge improvement there with our attack,” he said.

“The simple part of that was that we hung on to the ball a lot better.”

Warriors coach Stephen Kearney said they needed to replicate their defensive display against the Storm to underline their credentials as a title force.

“Absolutely – they’ve really turned up the heat in the last couple of weeks in the way they’re attacking,” he said.

The Warriors will be without Kiwi Test halfback Shaun Johnson, who is still struggling with a hamstring injury, but Kearney has full faith in his replacement Mason Lino, who starred in the Dragons win.