Rugby League: Bond of speed spurs the Warriors

By PETER JESSUP

Speed will be the key word when the Warriors meet the Sharks at Shark Park in Sydney tonight, and for once the New Zealand side can measure up in that regard.

Between them, the Warriors outside backs have scored 16 tries in the past four games - Clinton Toopi (5), Henry Fa'afili (4), Francis Meli (4) and Justin Murphy (3).

Coach Daniel Anderson has given them freedom to roam and it worked in the 52-8 demolition of Penrith on Easter Monday.

Meli has been popping up on Fa'afili's wing, and running in the forwards late in the game when his size and speed off the ruck can be devastating against tired opposition.

"There's a bond going on for sure," Meli said yesterday of the out-back scoring. And Fa'afili reckons it could get better. "There's always room for improvement," said Fa'afili.

The outside backs, aged 20 or 21, could count their NRL games before this season on their fingers.

All break five seconds over 40m and this season they have suddenly shown that they can handle, flick-pass even, without dropping the ball.

They have cut across to their opposites' side of the field, cut down attackers after giving them a start and can take the high ball.

Anderson has benefited from the knowledge that the players have of each other after all bar Murphy come through age-group teams, club sides then the Bartercard Cup.

Meli and Fa'afili were raised in Samoa before coming to Auckland.

Meli shone at league for Avondale Wolves, went to Avondale College then St Paul's, played top level for Marist and was elevated to the Warriors by Mark Graham in 1999 after playing for the Brothers in the Bartercard series.

He struggled on debut in 1999 and last season was in a losing team.

Fa'afili went to Manurewa High, was a Manurewa junior, played at Fox level in the Auckland champs, aged 17, scored 22 tries at that level next season, played Bartercard in 1998 and the next year. He was also called up by Graham mid-season last year.

Toopi came through the Otahuhu club, was also lifted by Graham for a start in 1999 and a few games last year. After some loose work he has hit his straps this season.

Murphy was a Bronco junior, then at Canterbury where he had his first start last year.

When he dropped a bomb 12m out from his posts against Penrith, Fa'afili came in to cover the next one.

Anderson said he had not sent out a message for that to happen and that often when he did send a message, the team were already doing what he wanted.

Toopi said it was part of the new feeling they had - rotating to cover for fatigue and sharing the workload.

With the steadying old hands of Ivan Cleary and Richie Blackmore there to give advice and temper the temptation to throw wild balls and try to work the impossible, the enthusiasm and talent of the outside backs had blossomed into a real winner for the Warriors.

Anderson said more of that was to come in the shape of Motu Tony, who comes onto the bench for the Sharks game after Blackmore was ruled out yesterday with a foot injury.

Tony, from Mt Roskill and educated at De La Salle then a Marist junior, also came through the Brothers under Bartercard coach Bernie Perenara, father of ex-Warrior and now Storm lock Henry.

Tony would play "at fullback, a bit of five-eighth, maybe wing," said Anderson.

So in any given week Toopi could be at centre, wing and fullback, Cleary at centre and fullback, Murphy at wing and fullback, Meli in the second row, Nat Wood at five-eighth and hooker.

Tony had been told to "showcase his attacking flair," said Anderson. "He's been embarrassing blokes in training and we haven't seen that from him in the game yet."

Bill Harrigan has been assigned only his third Warriors game after whistling the Broncos match at Ericsson earlier this season.

He promises a good 10 metres, which will give the speedsters the desired room to move.

Statistics


* Henry Fa'afili: age 20, 175cm, 89kg, 22 games, 10 tries, 9g and 6t in 2001

* Francis Meli: age 21, 187cm, 92kg, 14 games, 9 tries, 9g 7t in 2001

* Clinton Toopi: age 21, 185cm, 90kg, 13 games, 8 tries, 5g and 6t in 2001

* Justin Murphy: age 21, 175cm, 86kg, 4 games, 3 tries, 3g and 2t in 2001

* Motu Tony: age 20, 180cm, 85kg, 3 games and 1 try in 2001.

New Zealand Warriors: Ivan Cleary, Henry Fa'afili, Clinton Toopi, Ivan Cleary, Francis Meli, Nathan Wood, Stacey Jones (c), Jerry SeuSeu, Jason Death, Justin Morgan, Logan Swann, Awen Guttenbeil, Kevin Campion (c); interchange Monty Betham, Richard Villasanti, Ali Lauiti'iti, Motu Tony.

Sydney Sharks: David Peachey (c), Preston Campbell, Colin Best, Russell Richardson, Ronald Prince, Adam Dykes, Jason Ferris, Jason Stevens, Dean Treister, Martin Lang, Nathan Long, Sean Ryan, Paul Mellor; interchange Chris Beattie, Andrew Pierce, Luke Stuart, Shannon Donato.