I’m happy Mannering is stepping up — Pulu
‘Awesome to have Simon back on left edge’ Warriors expecting big crowds as the hype ramps up
Warriors back-rower Leivaha Pulu says he’ll happily make way for Simon Mannering as the former skipper continues to work his way back to full fitness ahead of tomorrow’s clash against Brisbane.
Intrigue surrounds the make-up of the Warriors forward pack to face the Broncos at Mt Smart Stadium, with Mannering again named on the bench after overcoming a shoulder injury to get through close to an hour of work in last week’s win over the North Queensland Cowboys.
Mannering’s initial replacement, Isaiah Papali’i, has also been included among the extended reserves after making a swift recovery from a knee injury suffered in the round two win over the Titans.
Pulu performed strongly while filling in for Papali’i and has grown in confidence over the past four games, but the hard-running Gold Coast recruit says he’s prepared to play a reduced role once Mannering is ready to reclaim his starting spot on the left edge.
“It’s all right, I’ll still be going out there to do my job for the team,” Pulu said. “Simon came back on to the left edge and it’s awesome to have him back. He brings another presence, he’s been around for that long and I’m still learning from him as well.
“I don’t know what’s in Mooks’ [coach Stephen Kearney’s] plans. I’m happy to put the team before myself and if that means I have to fit in wherever I can, so be it.”
Kearney has plenty of options around his forwards, with Mannering equally at home on the edge or at lock, while Adam Blair is able to fill both middle roles of lock or prop, with Jazz Tevaga providing a point of difference off the bench as cover for both the back-row and hooker. The Warriors are preparing to host another bumper crowd for tomorrow’s home game against Brisbane and expect a near sell-out for the following week’s top of the table clash against St George Illawarra.
Last weekend, the club drew a sellout crowd of 25,600 to Mt Smart Stadium for the NRL doubleheader that saw Wests Tigers upset Melbourne, before the Warriors claimed their fifth straight win with a 22-12 victory over North Queensland.
Warriors CEO Cameron George said ticket sales for the Broncos match were on course to exceed 20,000 once more, while fans were already getting excited in anticipation of the showdown between the unbeaten Warriors and Dragons on April 20.
Front-row enforcer James Gavet is expected to miss another couple of weeks with a hamstring injury, but the side has covered his absence well over the last two weeks.
Kearney may make a late change and start with Mannering this week, but Pulu says he’s just focused on improving his own play regardless of whether his job description changes.
“I’m happy with the direction I’m going but I can keep improving,” he said.
“Tackle technique, there’s times in the game where I get a bit sloppy, and just being a voice on the field.
“As you get fatigued you go into your shell and so I need to have a louder voice and be more of a leader in that situation.”
The second-placed Warriors are full of momentum having started their campaign with five-straight wins, while the 12th-ranked Broncos suffered their third loss in last Saturday’s 15-10 defeat to Newcastle.
Questions are being asked of Brisbane’s underperforming halves, Kodi Nikorima and Anthony Milford, with talk strong that big money recruit Jack Bird could make the switch from centre to five-eighth to ignite their attack.
But Pulu believes there’s no risk of the Warriors getting too comfortable, with the players desperate to extend their winning run.
“We know they’re going to come out firing and the Broncos have always been a classy outfit,” he said of coach Wayne Bennett’s troops.
“We’ve got a lot to improve on and it’s still a learning curve for us.
“The players understand that. We know our faults and we’re still growing as a team and as a club, and as the weeks go by we’re just getting hungrier for more.
“But we’re keeping our feet on the ground and just looking to better ourselves every week.” Tomorrow’s match is the first of four home games at Mt Smart in the next five weeks, with the Warriors playing their traditional Anzac Day clash against the Storm in Melbourne in round eight, before returning home to host back-to-back games against Wests Tigers and the Sydney Roosters.
“We’re confident we’ll get another big crowd,” George told Radio Sport.
“There’s a lot of interest. We’d dearly love to sell the place out again but certainly we should have 20,000-plus and our ticket sales are indicating that we’ll certainly get that.
“The team are really focused on putting in another good performance against what will be a desperate Brisbane Broncos.
“The St George game is selling equally as good as the Broncos game and that’s a great indication 10 days out from the game.”
The Dragons, who host Cronulla at WIN Stadium tonight, occupy top spot on the premiership ladder and sit level on 10 points with the second-placed Warriors.
Fans on both sides hope both the joint-venture club and Warriors continue their winning runs to set-up a clash to decide which of them will become outright competition leaders and who will lose their unbeaten tag.
“It’s going to be a bumper of a game,” George said.
“Regardless of the results this weekend it will still be a top of the table clash. They’re on fire St George, they’re very impressive at the moment, like our boys are.
“So it will be the biggest clash we’ve seen here in some time at Mt Smart if both teams go into that game undefeated.”
The Warriors sudden rise in popularity has irked some of the clubs long-time members and supporters, who are feeling miffed by the Johnnycome-lately fans who have jumped aboard the increasingly crowded bandwagon.
George was sympathetic to the club’s diehard supporters who have stuck by their team through the dark times of the past six years, but wants all fans to know their support is greatly appreciated.
“Everyone’s welcome. Our fans are passionate and committed to the cause and they have been through a really tough time.
“And just because they’ve won a few games no one should get ahead of ourselves.
“We’re in it together and we should be proud and welcome new fans and old fans back to the table and back to Mt Smart and have a big reunion, that’s what I say.”