Rugby League: Fatigue factor strikes young Warriors

By Peter Jessup

The Warriors will have their talent scouts around Auckland rugby league grounds again this weekend to seek further troops to throw in at the deep end as a fatigue factor shows among the young players.

Coach Mark Graham is pleased with the effort he has had from the likes of Carl Doherty, Cliff Beverley, Wairangi Koopu, Joe Galuvao and Ali Lauitiiti but is concerned at the huge demands they face.

Lauitiiti has already had time on the sideline and came back last week to prove he is better for it. Graham is resting Koopu this weekend because he felt the 19-year-old had hit a brick wall and risked losing confidence if he turned in a bad performance.

"It's a hard ask for these guys to come up and turn it on week-in, week-out," Graham said.

The bodily knocks took a huge toll and that bruising compounded. He expected others among the teenaged and early 20s newcomers might need a break, so the talent-spotters would be out this weekend to look for replacements.

Graham's problem is underlined by the fact that only three players - Stacey Jones, Logan Swann and Odell Manuel - have played each of the past 11 games and are again playing at Ericsson Stadium tomorrow.

The problem will persist perhaps for another six weeks until regular first-graders Gene Ngamu, Lee Oudenryn, Awen Guttenbeil and skipper Matthew Ridge are available for selection again.

Graham expects a big Parra- matta pack to try to run over the top of his side and has asked internationals Swann, Joe Vagana and Terry Hermansson for special effort on defence and in making metres.

"I want them to come out and take charge in the middle of the ruck and I expect that the battle of the packs will decide the outcome," he said.

The team had worked on most things this week as they aim to restore some pride lost in the 6-28 hiding at the Eels' home ground three weeks ago.

Ridge has been working individually with Doherty, and Graham is appreciative of his skipper's ability to hand on his knowledge and pleased also that Ridge was learning as a half-pie coach.

The National Rugby League released its statistical breakdown of the competition up to round 12 yesterday, with two interesting figures for Auckland.

They sit in 12th place in terms of home-crowd numbers, with Newcastle on top at 20,236 and the Warriors one of seven sides hovering between 12,000 and 13,000. Below them sit Balmain on 9800, Manly 9100, Norths 6600, and Wests 5964.

And if proof was needed that things have turned around from last season, the ramp up the ladder in terms of completion of sets of six gives it.

Last season the Warriors were near the bottom. Now they sit in fifth spot behind Canterbury, who have 67.7 per cent, then Newcastle, Penrith and Sydney City with 63.54 per cent.

Prop Joe Vagana is the only individual to feature in a top-10, at sixth spot for offloads with 30, 10 behind leader Jason Lowrie. The club is continuing negotiations with Vagana but he has other offers.

Auckland Warriors: Carl Doherty, Odell Manuel, Joe Galuvao, Nigel Vagana, Sean Hoppe, Shane Endacott, Stacey Jones (captain), Logan Swann, Tony Tuimavave, Ali Lauitiiti, Terry Hermansson, Robert Mears, Joe Vagana; interchange Cliff Beverley, Tony tatupu, Clinton Toopi, Brady Malam.

Parramatta Eels: Chris Quinn, Clinton Schifcofske, David Kidwell, Nathan Barnes, Luke Burt, Jason Bell, David Penna, Jason Smith, Jarrod McCracken (captain), Michael Hodgson, Michael Vella, Dean Schifilliti, Mark Tookey; interchange John Smith, Nathan Hindmarsh, Dallas Weston, Nathan Cayless.

* Newcastle Knights captain Paul Harragon yesterday announced his retirement, citing a chronic knee injury as his reason.He will continue to work for the Knights in a yet-to-be decided role.

The former test front rower and Australian captain has been plagued by injuries over the past couple of seasons and the knee injury has forced him to miss much of this season.