Round 1
New Zealand Warriors 34 d. Parramatta Eels 18

2007 NRL Telstra Premiership Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

Location: Aus_NZ > National > First Grade Competition: NRL Telstra Premiership

Warriors put opening round blues to rest with big win over Eels
Sun March 18, 2007
Source: www.warriors.co.nz

A near-perfect first half performance catapulted the Vodafone Warriors to just the second opening-round home win in the club's history on Saturday night.

With winger Michael Crockett scoring two tries in his first NRL appearance for his new club, the Vodafone Warriors powered to an impressive 34-18 triumph over the Eels at Mt Smart Stadium.

They were in sublime touch in the opening 40 minutes, no try better - or certainly more rapturously received - than new fullback Wade McKinnon's spectacular eighth minute try.

Hooker George Gatis blasted out of dummy half inside his own half, linked with halfback Grant Rovelli who drew the cover to send McKinnon racing to the line against his former club.

By halftime the Vodafone Warriors had the crowd of 13,587 spellbound after uncorking further tries to captain Steve Price, Crockett and second rower Simon Mannering to race to an extraordinary 24-0 lead at the break.

Some slick work by returning Vodafone Warrior Logan Swann - playing his first NRL match for the club in three and a half years - and Gatis put Price across for yet another try. After failing to score once in his first season with the club in 2005 this was his sixth four-pointer in his last 16 matches, quite a strike rate for a prop.

The first of Crockett's pair in the 25th minute was also sweetly constructed with Swann again involved' He fed standoff Michael Witt whose wide pass to the right gave Crockett a passage down the touchline to the corner for his eighth try in just his ninth NRL appearance.

And it was McKinnon who played a starring role in the lead-up to the final try of the half by Mannering. McKinnon had instantly connected with Vodafone Warriors fans with his superb 60-metre try in the 36-6 trial win against the Bulldogs two weeks earlier.

His try against the Eels enhanced his reputation still further. But it was a dazzling run he made down the East Stand side of the ground that had fans absolutely erupting as he swerved, stepped and wriggled his way out of several would-be tackles. At one stage he was down on his knees but still regained his feet to keep going.

It was a surge that had Parramatta back-pedalling on defence and, almost inevitably, the Vodafone Warriors found ample space out on the Eels' left side a couple of plays later to put Mannering across.

What happened in the opening 40 minutes generated an understandable air of elation among the crowd as the home side left the field at the break.

Such emotions were soon checked in the second half, though, as the Eels recovered with two soft tries in the first 10 minutes of the second half, one to Daniel Wagon and the other to captain Nathan Cayless.

With both converted the margin was suddenly reduced to 12-24 and, helped by a run of five straight penalties from referee Gavin Badger, Parramatta was beginning to make most of the play with plenty of time left.

The Vodafone Warriors needed another neatly constructed try to restore the advantage they had enjoyed for most of the match, replacement hooker Nathan Fien sliding through a nicely judged grubber for centre Lance Hohaia to score, Tony Martin's conversion stretching the margin to 30-12.

It might have been the base for the Vodafone Warriors to put the game out of reach, only Parramatta wasn't prepared to accommodate them. Just five minutes later 2006 Dally M rookie of the year Jarryd Hayne was given a simple run-in for a try and it was game on again, Parramatta coming back within 12 points once more.

Now the home side found its A game again by completing sets, frustrating the Eels and eventually working a 78th minute second try for Crockett. Again the try was provided by a sweetly measured grubber - this time by Gatis - with Crockett speeding onto it to ground the ball just inside the dead ball line. A day after his 24th birthday the Nowra-born speedster had given himself a record of nine tries in as many first-grade matches.

While the quality of the performance certainly pleased coach Ivan Cleary, there was a far more simple source of satisfaction for him.

"Getting the two points," he said when asked what had impressed him most about the effort.

While the Vodafone Warriors executed well on attack in the first half, it was their defensive effort which appealed, several times resisting the Eels as they came at the home side on the back of repeat sets.

"I just liked the way we defended at times," said Cleary.

"We held our line for a long time in the first half and for periods in the second.

"I think they nearly got back into the game in the second half, they got five penalties in a row and they just had a lot of ball and had nothing to lose at that stage."

There was much to like about the display on any number of levels. The team made just eight errors, missed only 15 tackles and prospered on the back of a highly effective and varied kicking game provided by Rovelli, Fien, Gatis and Witt.

There was also an individual milestone for Martin who, with 10 points, lifted his first-grade career points tally pass the 300 mark.

But, as Cleary emphasised, opening the campaign with a win was what mattered most.

This is the Vodafone Warriors' 13th season in the competition but this was only their second first-round win at home, the first seven years ago when they started their 2000 campaign with a 14-6 win against defending champions the Melbourne Storm.

In first-round matches played at home previously they had lost to Brisbane (1995), South Sydney (1998), Canberra (2001), Newcastle (2003), Manly (2005) and Melbourne (2006). There were first-round away losses to Brisbane in 1997 and 2004, a first-round forfeit win in 1996 and a first-round bye in 2002. The only time the club has opened the season away with a win was the 1999 success against the Sydney Roosters.

Now the club awaits next Sunday's visit by 2006 premiers the Brisbane Broncos, smarting from a first-round 16-23 home loss to North Queensland and with both captain Darren Lockyer and back rower Corey Pearson on the injured list. Loose forward Tonie Carroll could also find himself on the NRL's charge sheet on Monday after claims he eye-gouged North Queensland's Sione Faumuina on Friday night.

The Vodafone Warriors have an injury concern of their own, Louis Anderson leaving the field with an ankle complaint which is yet to be fully assessed. Scans tomorrow will determine the extent of the injury.

The victory in the main game capped off a truly memorable night at Mt Smart Stadium. Earlier the Vodafone Auckland Lions caused a huge upset in their debut appearance in the New South Wales Premier League when they out-pointed 2006 grand final winner Parramatta 27-8. Boosted by Vodafone Warriors NRL squad members Todd Byrne, Evarn Tuimavave, Cooper Vuna, Sonny Fai and Corey Lawrie, Auckland conceded a try in the opening minutes but recovered to dominate the match. Vuna scored two of Auckland's five tries while Fai crossed for another.

Match details:

At Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland:

Vodafone Warriors 34 (Michael Crockett 2, Wade McKinnon, Steve Price, Simon Mannering, Lance Hohaia tries; Tony Martin 4 conversions, penalty).
Parramatta Eels 18 (Daniel Wagon, Nathan Cayless, Jarryd Hayne tries; Luke Burt 3 conversions).
Halftime: 24-0 Vodafone Warriors.
Referee: Gavin Badger.
Crowd: 13,587.

Vodafone Auckland Lions 27 (Cooper Vuna 2, Isaac John, Sonny Fai, Steve Buckingham tries; Steve Buckingham 3 conversions, field goal).
Parramatta Eels 8 (Etu Uaisele, McConkie Tauasa tries).
Halftime: 16-4 Auckland.

Report sent by: www.warriors.co.nz


Mannering to partner Swann in Warriors second-row
Tue March 13, 2007
Source: www.warriors.co.nz

Vodafone Warriors coach Ivan Cleary has paired veteran Logan Swann and 2006 debutant Kiwi international Simon Mannering in the second row for Saturday night's season-opening NRL clash against Parramatta at Mt Smart Stadium.

The 20-year-old Mannering was used almost exclusively in the centres by the Vodafone Warriors in his 17 first-grade appearances last year before playing in the back row in each of his five tests for the Kiwis in the Tri-Nations series.

He has been targeted to continue in the centres in the NRL this season but was switched to the second row for the 36-6 trial win against the Bulldogs on March 3 when experienced back rowers Wairangi Koopu, Micheal Luck and Louis Anderson were all out of contention.

That match gave Swann (32) his first outing in a Vodafone Warriors jersey for almost three and half years after his return from three seasons in the English Super League.

On Saturday might, he'll play in front of the Mt Smart Stadium crowd for the first time since farewelling home fans there after the Vodafone Warriors had beaten Wests Tigers in September 2003.

Cleary said, "Simon has the ability to play equally well in the centres or the back row and, in his first game back with the club against the Bulldogs, Logan showed the quality he brings to us with both his experience and ability.

"With Wairangi not ready to play yet and Louis and Lucky having limited footy in the trials, we've gone with Simon and Logan in the second row for this game and Micheal off the back."

It leaves the Vodafone Warriors with strong back row support on the bench from established international Anderson and 2006 Kiwi Epalahame Lauaki.

Another notable feature of the first team of the year sees Lance Hohaia again starting in the centres, where he was used in each of the last four matches of the 2006 season. Earlier he had played in the same position for part of the side's record-breaking 66-0 win against South Sydney.

The selection also gives three of the club's off-season signings - fullback Wade McKinnon, winger Michael Crockett and standoff Michael Witt - their first starts with their new club. McKinnon will become the 132nd player to appear at first grade level for the Vodafone Warriors, Crockett No 133 and Witt No 134. The match will resume a first-grade career which started for Crockett with seven games last year while Witt will be making his 48th first-grade appearance.

Interchange prop Evarn Tuimavave, one of five players named on the bench, is set bring up his 50th match for the club since his debut in 2002.

George Gatis has won the starting dummy-half's job with Nathan Fien coming off the bench.

Cleary said the side would again be looking for consistent performances and a good record at home.

"We certainly improved with our efforts at home last season (winning five of the last six games at Mt Smart Stadium) and we need to build on that.

"It's so important to not only start the season well but to make the most of the support we have at home.

"The performance against the Bulldogs was pleasing after the way we'd played against North Queensland but we have to show we can play consistently well to have a good chance in the competition.

"For us, it's all about trying to improve each week and to be consistent."

Parramatta won each of last year's clashes against the Vodafone Warriors in Hamilton and later in the season in Auckland.

It also did the double in 2005 but the Vodafone Warriors beat the Eels in their Auckland clash in 2004.

The Eels were beaten by the Gold Coast Titans and the Sydney Roosters in their two trials this season.

VODAFONE WARRIORS V PARRAMATTA EELS
Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland
7.30pm, Saturday, March 17, 2007

1 Wade McKinnon
2 Michael Crockett
3 Tony Martin
4 Lance Hohaia
5 Manu Vatuvei
6 Michael Witt
7 Grant Rovelli
8 Ruben Wiki (vc)
9 George Gatis
10 Steve Price (c)
11 Simon Mannering
12 Logan Swann
13 Micheal Luck

Subs:
14 Nathan Fien
15 Evarn Tuimavave
16 Epalahame Lauaki
17 Louis Anderson
18 Sam Rapira
(one to be omitted)

News sent by: www.warriors.co.nz

Tue November 14, 2006
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