Round 14
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 2 l. New Zealand Warriors 12

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

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

Price and Vatuvei inspire Warriors to excellent win over Sharks
Sat June 16, 2007
Source: www.warriors.co.nz

Winger Manu Vatuvei's 77th-minute try and another stunning display by captain Steve Price sealed an impressive - and vital - NRL victory for the Vodafone Warriors over Cronulla at Toyota Park tonight (Saturday).

The result stopped a run of six successive losses and provided the Vodafone Warriors with just their second away win of the season. The first win on the road - against South Sydney on April 29 - was the last time the club had savoured triumph. Unlike that occasion, the Vodafone Warriors were never behind in this contest, a match they went into with a reshuffled combination.

They'd lost vice-captain Ruben Wiki with a rib injury - Evarn Tuimavave started in his place - while head coach Ivan Cleary also opted for a new-look combination in the centres. Tony Martin was left out and Lance Hohaia was moved out to play for the Vodafone Auckland Lions in the New South Wales Premier League. That saw Cleary move Simon Mannering out of the second row again to start at left centre while the experienced Todd Byrne was promoted from the premier league side to run at right centre. Mannering's move in turn earned former Kiwi international Louis Anderson a first-grade recall.

It was obvious from the time the Vodafone Warriors arrived in Sydney on Friday that the weather was going to have a critical influence on the game. With Toyota Park buffeted by storm-like conditions - a fierce wind and at-times torrential rain - the visitors played with the weather in the first half.

A measured approach enabled them to set the tone early on, field position and the weight of possession ensuring they scored early. Hooker George Gatis put standoff Witt into a huge hole for his fourth try since joining the club this year. He had no difficulty with the conversion, giving his side a 6-0 lead after just 12 minutes.

There was an expectation the lead would increase but instead Cronulla repelled the Vodafone Warriors and, in time, put some heat on at the other end. Notably, though, the Vodafone Warriors resisted on their own line yielding only a Luke Covell penalty to leave the halftime score at 6-2.

Many believed the margin wouldn't be enough, not when Cronulla would have the benefit of the conditions in the second half. Instead the Vodafone Warriors produced arguably the best 40 minutes of their season. Rather than being forced to defend regularly, they set the trend by spending long periods at Cronulla's end of the field.

Twice they might have scored tries. Halfback Grant Rovelli crossed but had the try ruled out by the video referee on an obstruction call against Micheal Luck. Witt had a chance to score himself but instead flung out a wide pass to an unmarked Patrick Ah Van on the right touch. It looked to be a try for all money but Ah Van couldn't snare the ball.

So it stayed 6-2 for one agonising minute after another, Cronulla applying some pressure but finding fullback Wade McKinnon imperious at the back as he defused several kicks. Wingers Vatuvei and Ah Van also contributed.

Then, with just three minutes left, Nathan Fien went on the short side on the last tackle, poking in a deft grubber which Vatuvei scooped up for a fantastic try. Under pressure after his performance against Parramatta last month, Vatuvei rebounded with a powerful and confident display against Melbourne last Sunday. He went better still in demanding conditions tonight, taking kicks, running them back potently and scoring the try that counted for so much, his fourth this season and the 23rd of his career. He has supplied some wonderful tries for the club but this one just might turn out to be the most important so far.

If the try effectively sealed the result, Witt made sure. Lining up the conversion wide out on the left and kicking into the wind, he judged it expertly to round off a great comeback performance by the team.

There were wonderful contributions from so many players but Price was simply extraordinary. Coming off Queensland's exhausting series-clinching State of Origin win on Wednesday night, he went to places surely no one else has before, at least not since serious statistics have been kept on matches. These figures may be modified after re-checking, but provisional stats had the 33-year-old making a phenomenal 32 runs and gaining a mind-boggling 311 metres.

The Vodafone Warriors had six players gaining 100 metres or more - McKinnon second best with 194 - while Cronulla had only three. Overall the Vodafone Warriors gained 1629 metres - Cronulla just 1214 - and, despite playing into the wind, they made almost 300 metres more than the home side in the second half alone.

They also made the only line breaks of the night - three in total - and missed only 17 tackles to Cronulla's 34.

The one count they didn't win was the penalties, the home side being awarded those 10-5.

The Vodafone Warriors now have 12 points, just two outside the top eight. With five wins and eight losses, they now return home to face Penrith at Mt Smart Stadium next Friday night.

Match details:

At Toyota Park, Cronulla:
Cronulla Sharks 2 (Luke Covell penalty).
Vodafone Warriors 12 (Michael Witt, Manu Vatuvei tries; Michael Witt 2 conversions).
Halftime: 6-2 Vodafone Warriors.
Referee: Gavin Badger.
Crowd: 4202.

Report source: www.warriors.co.nz


Price's return only change in Warriors squad for Sharks clash
Tue June 12, 2007
Source: www.warriors.co.nz

Captain Steve Price's return is the only team change for the Vodafone Warriors' NRL encounter with the Cronulla Sharks in Sydney on Saturday night.

Price (33) makes his 22nd State of Origin appearance for Queensland against New South Wales at Telstra Stadium tomorrow night.

After missing last Sunday's record low-scoring 2-4 loss to Melbourne, Price is set to stay on in Sydney after the Origin match before joining his Vodafone Warriors team-mates when they arrive there on Friday.

"Naturally we're hoping Steve comes through Origin untroubled and ready to back up against the Sharks," said head coach Ivan Cleary.

Price is set to be reunited in the front row with vice-captain Ruben Wiki, who led the side in Price's absence against Melbourne, topping the team's tackle count with 37 tackles ? and not one miss ? as well as gaining 112 metres from 15 runs.

The match will mark a memorable milestone for hooker George Gatis who is set to make his 50th first-grade appearance. It has been a long wait, coming almost six years after his NRL debut for North Queensland.
With Price returning to the side, Cleary has named a five-man bench of Nathan Fien, Wairangi Koopu, Epalahame Lauaki, Sam Rapira and Evarn Tuimavave with one to be omitted.

The Vodafone Warriors go into the second half of their campaign with a record that's identical to their effort at the same stage last season - four wins and eight losses. Last year they came home with eight wins from their last 12 matches.

NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS v CRONULLA SHARKS
Toyota Park, Cronulla
5.30pm, Saturday, June 16

Vodafone Warriors

1 Wade McKinnon
2 Patrick Ah Van
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

14 Nathan Fien
15 Wairangi Koopu
16 Epalahame Lauaki
17 Sam Rapira
18 Evarn Tuimavave
(one to be omitted)

Coach: Ivan Cleary

News sent by: www.warriors.co.nz

Advanced Search