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Defence is key to first title: old boys
Glenn Jackson | September 22, 2008
http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/news/defence-is-key-to-first-title/2008/09/21/1221935451689.html
THE New Zealand Warriors have been rated better premiership prospects than the 2002 model by two of the stars who helped the club to its maiden grand final that year.
Stacey Jones and Jerry Seu Seu - who played crucial roles in helping the side to the decider, where they fell 30-8 to the Sydney Roosters - said yesterday the current Warriors' defensive superiority made them better equipped to win the club its first premiership.
"If they are a better defensive team than we had, it does make them better equipped," said Jones, the Warriors' former halfback. "Our team back then had a bit more flamboyance. Guys could throw it around a bit more. But that doesn't win premierships. Defence is when you're desperate, and this team's got that."
After beating the Roosters 30-13 in Auckland on Friday, the Warriors face Manly in the second preliminary final, at the SFS this Saturday. A win will give them the chance to at least equal their 2002 feat.
"Just looking back, Kevin Campion was the only bloke that made a lot of tackles [in 2002]," Jones said. "These guys now have [Ian] Henderson, [Micheal] Luck, [Simon] Mannering all guys who do a lot of work.
"Defensively they're so strong. They make it tough for teams to get over the try line. I don't know what they've changed, but Melbourne only got two tries at home; [for] the Roosters' two tries, the only way they were able to break the line was through kicks. Any team that is good defensively is going to be a threat."
Asked yesterday about the side's prospects compared with the 2002 squad, coach Ivan Cleary, the fullback in that season's grand final, said: "This team, defensively, is better, and there's probably a bit more balance. But there was a lot of strike power in that side - we played a bit differently then."
Seu Seu increased the expectations surrounding the Warriors, arguing Saturday night's clash was a proxy grand final. "If they can win this week, they'll probably win the comp," the former front-rower said. "The biggest hurdle is Manly."
Asked about the comparisons with the 2002 line-up, he said: "By the way they've been going, and talking to some of them, they're more cohesive. They gel better in defence than we did in 2002. They play for each other a lot more. We had more strike power back in 2002, but they've shown a lot of resilience. They're also playing with a lot of courage and a lot of commitment. I really do think they are better off than we were in 2002."
Cleary would not say yesterday whether he planned to promote Wade McKinnon into the starting side, even though Lance Hohaia has already publicly stated he is willing to accept a demotion to the bench for the good of the team. The fullback is available for selection after serving a three-match suspension for spitting at a linesman.
Seu Seu wants Cleary to start McKinnon off the interchange. "Lance is going that well," he said. "He's a strike force in himself. I wouldn't be surprised if Ivan threw [McKinnon] straight in there, but I'm just worried about his timing. Little things like that don't sound like much, but in semi-finals it can be huge."
Jones admitted McKinnon had to be wary of being targeted by his opposition and officials. "He gives the team a competitive edge, but he'll have to think about what he did," Jones said. "He can't put the team in that situation again because he'll be under the microscope."
Glenn Jackson | September 22, 2008
http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/news/defence-is-key-to-first-title/2008/09/21/1221935451689.html
THE New Zealand Warriors have been rated better premiership prospects than the 2002 model by two of the stars who helped the club to its maiden grand final that year.
Stacey Jones and Jerry Seu Seu - who played crucial roles in helping the side to the decider, where they fell 30-8 to the Sydney Roosters - said yesterday the current Warriors' defensive superiority made them better equipped to win the club its first premiership.
"If they are a better defensive team than we had, it does make them better equipped," said Jones, the Warriors' former halfback. "Our team back then had a bit more flamboyance. Guys could throw it around a bit more. But that doesn't win premierships. Defence is when you're desperate, and this team's got that."
After beating the Roosters 30-13 in Auckland on Friday, the Warriors face Manly in the second preliminary final, at the SFS this Saturday. A win will give them the chance to at least equal their 2002 feat.
"Just looking back, Kevin Campion was the only bloke that made a lot of tackles [in 2002]," Jones said. "These guys now have [Ian] Henderson, [Micheal] Luck, [Simon] Mannering all guys who do a lot of work.
"Defensively they're so strong. They make it tough for teams to get over the try line. I don't know what they've changed, but Melbourne only got two tries at home; [for] the Roosters' two tries, the only way they were able to break the line was through kicks. Any team that is good defensively is going to be a threat."
Asked yesterday about the side's prospects compared with the 2002 squad, coach Ivan Cleary, the fullback in that season's grand final, said: "This team, defensively, is better, and there's probably a bit more balance. But there was a lot of strike power in that side - we played a bit differently then."
Seu Seu increased the expectations surrounding the Warriors, arguing Saturday night's clash was a proxy grand final. "If they can win this week, they'll probably win the comp," the former front-rower said. "The biggest hurdle is Manly."
Asked about the comparisons with the 2002 line-up, he said: "By the way they've been going, and talking to some of them, they're more cohesive. They gel better in defence than we did in 2002. They play for each other a lot more. We had more strike power back in 2002, but they've shown a lot of resilience. They're also playing with a lot of courage and a lot of commitment. I really do think they are better off than we were in 2002."
Cleary would not say yesterday whether he planned to promote Wade McKinnon into the starting side, even though Lance Hohaia has already publicly stated he is willing to accept a demotion to the bench for the good of the team. The fullback is available for selection after serving a three-match suspension for spitting at a linesman.
Seu Seu wants Cleary to start McKinnon off the interchange. "Lance is going that well," he said. "He's a strike force in himself. I wouldn't be surprised if Ivan threw [McKinnon] straight in there, but I'm just worried about his timing. Little things like that don't sound like much, but in semi-finals it can be huge."
Jones admitted McKinnon had to be wary of being targeted by his opposition and officials. "He gives the team a competitive edge, but he'll have to think about what he did," Jones said. "He can't put the team in that situation again because he'll be under the microscope."
