It's all about who stays injury free from here, we have been missing Key players in big games and winning....our depth has been excellent....but man when we did the five day turn around and rolled out a Warriors B side against Melbourne in Fluke rare form....nasty.
I didn't know how we would bounce back to be honest because of Luke and question Mark's over Tohu....Simon was being micro managed on the edge instead of throwing him in the rugged middle...and looking rusty.
I was hoping Lawton had finished his six week ISP in lieu of missing preseason program....but then Jaz got injured and Lawton had to come in anyway....he would have been close....since he had done the six weeks Corvo....had started from the bench in reggie's for short minutes....and then been pushed up to around 70 minutes starter.
Lawton was training with the top side before he got hurt and the talk from training was one of excitement from his team mates.
Luke's early departure from the field had a silver lining...Lawton leap frogged the usual Utility brief (10 minutes or less) blooding into FG....which gave him the twenty he needed to go all Hohaia super sub....bang..bang nearly three Trys - before the tired opposition picked him up on radar.
Lawton was always going to be the 14. Hooker, center, Stand off, backrow are his positions....but he has come to the Warriors to get a permanent hooking shot, which is wise long term, utility is a career killer.
Jaz has done a job for us....he is the fourth string hooker behind Roach....we have been thin there after Luke....big gap....till Lawton did his Warriors orientation
Our defence with our veteran players available and familiar combinations like Kata and Ken is infinitely better than ANZAC day.
With our top side I would not be surprised by a seventy percent win record going forward.
Without Luke SJ Kata or Beale....Pulu.....Gavet....Sao....these NRL vets doing the talking on the try line. ...I would understand if we only achieved a fifty percent win record till they are fit.
SK has progressed Simon to bench middle forward....more astute coaching there....brought up Lawton....is planning on ISP Prep for Beale's entry to Fg....and he has bloodied Vuna for depth option in the 30 man squad....so we do have depth and competition for spots coming on line again for the second leg of the race.
If we get lucky and that first rumor of SJ being gone is early panic only....then we could rightly stay in the conversation for the minor premiership....especially after the Dragons bought Melbourne a top of table reality ( good job play a full strength side and you're mortal).
