By PETER JESSUP
Roosters 30 Warriors 24
England-bound prop Jerry Seuseu is not a big talker but he sparked a big defensive effort against the front-running Roosters when he addressed the Warriors about playing for pride before they took the field at Ericsson Stadium yesterday.
Their effort was way better than the 58-6 hiding from the Roosters in round 12 that saw the departure of Daniel Anderson from the coaching job, but the visitors looked only half-interested yesterday.
The Roosters never looked like losing, the Warriors never looked like winning and the problem that existed in round 12 remains - there is little spark in the attack and the team look short on ideas when it gets to the opposition red zone.
Most concerningly, there is little spark in Stacey Jones and you have to wonder who will be the Kiwi halfback for the October 16 test against Australia.
Few Warriors look likely test candidates - perhaps Monty Betham because he is reliable and there is no other candidate at hooker, and Clinton Toopi in the hope he will step up in the black jersey. Vinnie Anderson, Lance Hohaia and Francis Meli are long-shots.
Jason Cayless will be one starting prop for the Kiwis. He was one of the few Roosters to shine yesterday, Craig Wing was smart and Brad Fittler turned on two acts of shear class to set up tries at crucial times as the Sydney side reversed an early 12-0 lead to the home side.
The Warriors closed to within golden-point extra time when Jerome Ropati scored two minutes from time. All of a sudden they looked like a team that actually wanted to win, and had some belief that was possible. If they had brought that last two minutes' enthusiasm to the rest of the game they could have beaten a slow and off-colour Roosters outfit.
The visitors' coach, Ricky Stuart, was clearly unhappy with the effort from his men, refusing to suggest even one player he was happy with
"I'm happy with the two points", he said of a contest that left his side behind the Bulldogs on points differential.
The Dogs play the Warriors in Auckland next Sunday and Stuart might have been hoping for an upset to gift his team the minor premiership. But the Warriors will be more concerned about avoiding the wooden spoon.
Souths' 34-34 draw with the Broncos - their second after extra time this season (the first was against North Queensland) - brought them level to the Warriors on 16 competition points, but the Rabbitohs are behind on points differential -317 to -222. They play Canberra away next weekend and it's hard to see either of the last-placed sides winning.
Yesterday, the Warriors employed some run-arounds and stood a player deep behind the backline to get them out of trouble and defeat the Roosters' rushing defence, which worked in the first half. But Stuart wasn't happy with his side's defensive approach.
"We didn't defend as a unit and that happens when your head's not on the game." They were looking towards the finals and that was not the right attitude to take, he said.
Warriors coach Tony Kemp rued a missed opportunity when Tony Martin lost the ball with the try line open but was pleased with the debuts of Kane Ferris, who was on only briefly, and Paul Atkins, who took his first two hit-ups straight into Roosters hardman Adrian Morley. "I can't fault their courage," Kemp said.
Cooper Vuna, who is still at Otahuhu College, also played.
Captain Monty Betham, who has one more match in the post, thanked Seuseu for his build-up talk and had his own heart-to-heart with the forwards during the week to reiterate they wanted to own the middle of the field. They did that for much of the game.
They delivered some big hits, not least one from Awen Guttenbeil on Morley after the Rooster had flattened Vuna. It felt like old times again, Betham said. They really enjoyed that type of football.
But too much emphasis on confrontation still seems to be a problem: they want to run over rather than around opponents and there is too much reliance on power and not enough on skill. And the aggression is sometimes misplaced, aimed at hurting players rather than scoring.
A Jones grubber was seized by Guttenbeil for the first points after six minutes, the second rower continuing on to his best game for several weeks. Wairangi Koopu then made a break to put prop Karl Temata over at 16 minutes.
The Roosters replied when bullocking Anthony Tupou ran at the little men. When Fittler set Craig Wing up to score under the bar and the scores were levelled at 12-12 there was a feeling of inevitability about the game. That was confirmed when Martin muffed his chance, then Iafeta Paleaaesina went high and late on Brett Finch on the last tackle, earning a report to the judiciary commissioner. Shane Walker slotted the penalty to take the Roosters to a 14-12 halftime lead.
Michael Crocker wrestled his way over Paleaaesina to score at 48 minutes, Vuna kept the Warriors in it when he ran onto a clever grubber from Hohaia.
The Warriors toughed out the middle stage of the second half, the young replacements providing a breather and Evarn Tuimavave some impact. Fittler finished them off when he broke the line and found Crocker, who had support and turned the ball in to Morley for a 20m run to the tryline.
Ropati scored and Jones converted from the sideline to make four-from-four goals and breathe life briefly into the hopes of those in the 8019 crowd who not yet walked.
Rugby League: Seuseu inspires Warriors defensive effort
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