Warriors forwards to step up
If the Warriors are to beat Melbourne tonight the forwards have to step up - and don’t they know it.
A team is only as good as its pack - it’s the oldest cliche´ in the book, but never was that more evident than during the seasonopening win over Newcastle.
After absorbing most of the early pressure, the Warriors’ big men got on a roll at the back end of the first half allowing the exciting backline to run rampant with four unanswered tries.
They couldn’t maintain the rage after the break, though, as the young Knights forwards took the ascendancy, making easy metres in the middle of the park to spark a thrilling but ultimately unsuccessful comeback.
Of course, losing defensive lynchpins Simon Mannering and Issac Luke to injury did not help their cause. But up against a slick Storm outfit, led by Cameron Smith and Cooper Cronk who have made careers out of capitalising on retreating defensive lines, winning the ruck is of paramount importance to minimise those threats.
‘‘Watching the tape there’s areas where we felt we let them get their tails up,’’ prop Albert Vete said. ‘‘We felt we were responsible for those tries, letting the play-theball get too quick.
‘‘What a chance we have this week to go up against Melbourne to fix it.
‘‘We’re going to squeeze in and stay tight, make sure we’re getting our bodies in front and making sure we win the ruck. For us, that’s going to take away one of their key players, Cameron Smith, and when we’re on attack it’s going to help us generate quick ball for our little hooker.’’
Melbourne crossed the Tasman minus forwards leader Jesse Bromwich after the New Zealand captain dislocated a thumb against Canterbury, while Kiwis backrower Tohu Harris is sidelined with a foot injury.
But the Storm pride themselves on players fulfilling a role no matter who is in the jersey. And in giants props Jordan Mclean and Nelson Asofa-solomona they have no shortage of size.
Throw in the weather factor, with thunderstorms forecast in Auckland, and Melbourne’s adeptness at the wrestle, Vete is bracing for a torrid battle in the middle.
‘‘I know they’ve got some young forwards that are willing to step up and do the job for them,’’ he added. ‘‘It doesn’t change my mindset going into this game and we want to play as a forward pack.’’
With Ben Matulino recovering from knee surgery and experienced prop Jacob Lillyman named on the bench, Vete has again been handed a starting spot alongside Charlie Gubb.
The 24-year-old is relishing the extra responsibility and is determined to set the tone early against the Storm.
‘‘As a forward pack we want to be dominant from the get-go’’ he said. ‘‘We felt like on the weekend we were a bit slow out of the blocks against the Knights and they got the run with the ball.
‘‘But it shows how quickly it can change, we scored 20 points in 15 minutes so we’ve just got to ride that wave and make sure we come back at them.’’