Kearney wary of threat from rivals' in- form quartet
WARRIORS coach Stephen Kearney has highlighted St George Illawarra’s attacking threat and believes the NRL leaders have the form spine of the competition.
The Dragons boast the quartet of fullback Matt Dufty, hooker Cameron McInnes, and star halves Ben Hunt and Gareth Widdop, whom the Warriors will have to try to shackle in Auckland tonight.
“They’re putting real pressure on opposition teams with the way they attack,” Kearney said of the unbeaten Dragons.
“Young Dufty, McInnes, Ben and Gareth – they’re probably the form spine of the competition. And they have some guys in between them that all do fantastic jobs.”
The Dragons, who top the table with a two- point lead over three teams including the Warriors, have averaged 32 points a game in the first six rounds.
In skipper Widdop, who will be making his 100th appearance for the club, they have the competition’s leader in try assists and line- break assists.
At the back, Dufty’s speed and step have brought him six tries, a figure bettered only by the eight of Warriors winger David Fusitu’a.
For Kearney, the best way to defend against the 22- yearold Dufty, who heads the NRL in line breaks, was to avoid giving him the ball. Failing that, stay switched on.
“We’ve seen what he’s capable of,” Kearney said.
In last night’s game the Sydney Roosters beat the Bulldogs 6- 0 at ANZ Stadium Stadium, with Latrell Mitchell scoring the game’s lone try.