Green staying positive
Five-eighth Blake Green believes the Warriors can take plenty of positives out of the heartbreaking 18-15 NRL loss to Cronulla ahead of a testing run of games that could determine their season.
The Warriors were bitterly disappointed after the Sharks stole a match-winning try off a forward pass at the death — the last of several crucial calls among a lopsided 10-5 penalty count that went against the home side at Mt Smart Stadium.
The result saw the Warriors drop one spot to fifth ahead of two away games against top eight sides Penrith and Brisbane, before they return home to face reigning premiers Melbourne on July 22.
The Warriors let slip an early 12-0 lead as the visitors took control of the game to draw level just before halftime, but the hosts changed their tactics after the break and despite having no luck with the referees almost managed to pull off a hardfought victory.
Green admitted the defeat was hard to stomach but emphasised his team-mates should take confidence from their second half effort that saw them snatch a 15-14 lead with seven minutes remaining.
“We had some good field position early and scored some points but then couldn’t get out of our own end and were dominated for the last 25 minutes of the first half,” said Green.
“But we changed our style of play in the second half and dominated field position for long periods. We got to move the footy a bit more and we just made a few subtle changes.
“The lesson we can take out of that is it takes a good footy team to recognise that and change things at halftime and we did it without getting any luck or penalties go our way.
“And what I spoke to the team about is it just shows that we don’t have to rely on getting calls and have things go our way with penalties to generate some momentum in the game — we turned it ourselves there.
“Obviously it would have been a good reinforced lesson if we had won the game but we can still take something out of it.”
The 31-year-old playmaker struggled to understand some of the refereeing calls and could be heard questioning referee Adam Gee’s noadvantage ruling which gifted the Sharks an attacking scrum, in the lead-up to wing Edrick Lee running in the first of his two four-pointers in the 23rd minute.
Green got a hand to the ball as it was passed to Cronulla’s Chad Townsend but the No 7 almost scored before desperate defence saw him bundled into touch and unable to ground the ball in-goal.
“There were just a few things I didn’t agree with,” he said.
Warriors coach Stephen Kearney remained upbeat about his side’s performance against one of the toughest teams in the NRL and is counting on his players delivering another strong showing on Friday at the foot of the Blue Mountains.
The Warriors are also sweating on the results of scans on injured forwards Tohu Harris (medial knee ligament) and front rower Bunty Afoa (dislocated elbow).
Meanwhile, Melbourne have confirmed the mid-season signing of front rower Albert Vete.
The lesson we can take out of that is it takes a good footy team to change things at halftime and we did it without getting any luck.
Warriors five-eighth Blake Green