Rugby League: McCracken fired up for Warriors

By PETER JESSUP

Jarrod McCracken may have had a close call with the rugby league judiciary last week, but don't expect him to tone down his game as he leads the new Wests Tigers against the visiting Auckland Warriors at Leichhardt Oval tonight.

Tigers coach Wayne Pearce has not raised the aggression issue with his skipper because he found nothing wrong with the tackling technique or intention that attracted two citings against McCracken, one for striking and the other for dropping his knees, after last weekend's Brisbane game.

The last thing Pearce wants is for his skipper to slow down.

Critics of McCracken "must have been watching a different game to me," said Pearce.

"He played very, very physically but no, I won't be telling him to tone down, there's no need."

McCracken spoke to the team after he was cleared of the charges, telling them not to let the incident rile or unsettle them. Pearce was moved to laud McCracken's professionalism and noted afterwards that the team's morale had lifted visibly once the players knew he would be on field tonight.

The Warriors will face another heavy forward onslaught at Leichhardt. The Tigers pack is stacked with players who like to offload in the tackle.

There is McCracken's fellow-Kiwi Jason Lowrie, who topped the NRL statistics in that department last season, while his Tigers propping partner, Shane Walker, has a reputation for the same thing.

Former Warrior and Kiwi backrower Tyran Smith, another with a dangerous hand-on but who found the ground too often when he was in Warriors colours, has cemented his start with strong pre-season showings and is also to be watched.

There is also plenty of interest in the midfield battle, with the Tigers well served with Terry Hill (102kg) and John Hopoate (108kg).

There was some doubt over Hopoate after he suffered an arm injury in training last week, but Pearce said yesterday that he would be allowed until the last minute to satisfy him that the damaged tricep muscle would not bother him.

The Tigers are expecting a gate of around 12,000 tonight, well in excess of the Balmain average last season.

Warriors lock Scott Coxon will start the match after satisfying coaching staff that a sore toe will not put him off his game. Coxon was originally thought to have broken the toe midway through the Warriors' opener against the Melbourne Storm, but when bruising subsided sufficiently to allow x-rays, no fracture was found.

Former Glenora and Burleigh Bears half Ben Lythe looks likely to get a run. He was elevated from travelling reserve to a bench spot as one of two replacement players teams are allowed to compensate for early-season heat when David Myles shifted up to replace the concussed Ivan Cleary.

It was 38 deg C in Sydney on Friday, but that cooled significantly with heavy rain over the weekend and a temperature of 21 deg C is predicted for today. Kickoff is at 9.30 pm.

Meanwhile, the Warriors have suggested changing the name of the Tasman Trophy for which they compete with the Melbourne Storm to the Michael Moore Memorial, following the death of the Storm's football manager last week.

Auckland Warriors: Lee Oudenryn, Odell Manuel, David Myles, Nigel Vagana, Scott Pethybridge, John Simon (c), Robert Mears, Joe Vagana, Jason Death, Jerry Seuseu, Tony Tuimavave, Logan Swann, Scott Coxon; interchange Cliff Beverley, Monty Betham, Mark Tookey, Matt Spence, Talite Liavaa, Ben Lythe.

Wests Tigers: Joel Caine, John Carlaw, Owen Craigie, Terry Hill, John Hopoate, Kevin McGuinness, Craig Field, Shane Walker, Darren Senter, Jason Lowrie, Mark Stimson, Jarrod McCracken (c), Tyran Smith; interchange. Adam Nable, Steve Georgalis, Mark O'Neill, John Skandalis, Ken McGuinness, Luke O'Donnell.