Warriors aim to reduce penalties
As frustrated as Bunty Afoa and the Warriors are over the high penalty count against them this year, he knows there’s only one solution for tonight’s NRL game against the Roosters.
Referees have been officiating games with a heavy hand this season and it’s almost turned the game into rugby union with the number of penalties being handed out.
The Warriors have been hit hard, with 29 penalties conceded their first three games.
Against the Roosters in Sydney tonight, when Henry Perenara will be the referee, discipline needs to improve, acknowledges Afoa.
‘‘We’ve got to be clearer and clean around the rules,’’ Afoa said.
‘‘The refs aren’t going to change so it comes down to us and what we do. The refs are going to keep blowing the whistle, so we have to sort out how we defend and tackle.’’
The high number of penalties has been the main talking point in the season so far. It seems that at the beginning of every season the NRL says they’re going to clamp down hard on certain things, but once the competition gets into full swing that’s all forgotten and the games are being played as usual.
But at the insistence of NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg, there’s been no letup this year.
‘‘They’ve been harsh and they’ve been hurting the lungs, but what can you do? You’ve just got to play on,’’ Afoa said.
‘‘There are too many penalties, I reckon. It’s early in the season and hopefully there are less of them as the year goes on.’’
Given the dreadful way the Warriors finished last season, with nine straight losses, few would have expected them to win their first three games this year.
But for the first time, they’re playing against a team expected to be in the hunt for the Premiership and this will be the biggest test yet on how good this Warriors team is.
‘‘We’ve had three weeks we’ve had good starts and good performances. But for me, this is a crucial moment for us,’’ Afoa said.
‘‘We need to improve each week and we’ve got a big challenge against the Roosters.
There should be a brutal battle in the middle in this game, with Sio Siua Taukeiaho, Dylan Napa and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves all looking to cause damage.
‘‘Every team is tough and every team is tough in a different way,’’ Afoa said.
‘‘For us this weekend, the Roosters are tough in a physical way. They’re a good side, but we can’t wait to do our thing.
‘‘In the starting pack we’ve got Agnatius Paasi, Jimmy Gavet and Adam Blair and they lay that platform for us.
‘‘Our job on the bench is really clear; we have to come on and bring energy, run hard and tackle hard. That’s been awesome, because we’ve seen our boys start well and then the bench has been doing the job it’s supposed to do.’’