Rugby League: Warriors beat Raiders 26-18

By PETER JESSUP

The fans thought it was comical, the players physical - but the sideways movement the Warriors used against Canberra somehow got them a 26-18 win.

The surprises started before kick-off, with prop Jerry Seuseu rested for two matches because of mental fatigue and centre Clinton Toopi returning early from injury.

When the Warriors named their reshuffled side an hour before kick-off as is required under NRL rules the Raiders took the team sheet into their bunker and dissected it, re-organised their game plan and made adjustments accordingly.

NRL match official Ken Loza waited patiently outside their dressing room for the Raiders' starting lineup, the club having flown 19 players over, but they didn't respond to requests to hand it over. That will result in a report to the league. Clubs can be fined for not supplying team sheets to officials and media within the required notice.

Nothing was ordinary at Ericsson Stadium today.

Warriors captain Monty Betham had to ask referee Shayne Hayne to enforce the kick-off rules as the second half started with them 18-12 down. Canberra had upset Betham with short variations not taken from the mark.

The Warriors made huge breaks and butchered tries as players ignored the cry from 18,375 fans directing them to the unmarked back-up.

Twice the home team couldn't count to six and got caught with the ball. But on one of those occasions Motu Tony took the line on and a nothing kick bounced off the defenders and Toopi scored.

It was a day when things went right for the Warriors. But much of that was down to the effort put in on the kick-chase and defence. The best measure of their tackling was the fact the Raiders were kept scoreless in the second 40 minutes.

Logan Swann was rewarded for his best attacking game in a while with two tries in the first half, and there was no let-up in his defence.

Tony was clever and tested the line repeatedly, and scored a great individual try after the break. Stacey Jones played a big hand in steering things. Karl Te Mata made an impact in taking on some of Seuseu's workload and Iafeta Palea'aesina sparked the side with good ground gains every time he took the ball up. But it was far from clinical.

After Toopi's try ended the scoring, there were still 13 minutes to play and the Raiders still had a chance, given the way the Warriors had played out the last 10 minutes last weekend to gift the game to the Eels at Parramatta.

The ball still went wide, fast and loose. Toopi should have scored again but was smartly shepherded to the sideline and then cut down by Clinton Schifcofske. But a tired Raiders side threw their last-chance pass over the sideline.

Kiwi second rower Ruben Wiki said they knew the Warriors would throw the ball about but they couldn't stop it.

Raiders coach Matthew Elliot conceded the better team won. "We played for long periods without the ball. The Warriors played great footy, especially in the second half."

His Warriors opposite, Daniel Anderson, could afford a smile because he was seated in the stand with regulars Seuseu, P.J. Marsh, Awen Guttenbeil, Ali Lauiti'iti, John Carlaw, Lance Hohaia and Justin Murphy, who can all be expected to press for spots in coming weeks.

Anderson said he took a punt on resting Seuseu. The club's leading prop will have next weekend against Souths in Sydney off too and return against the Cowboys in Townsville.

Anderson said it was easy to motivate the team to get up for sides in the top three.

It's lifting them for sides they are expected to beat that may determine their placing on the ladder.

* Sione Faumuina was placed on report for a high tackle on Raider Alan Tongue.

Scores:

Warriors 26 (Logan Swann 2, Richard Villasanti, Motu Tony, Clinton Toopi tries; Stacey Jones 3 goals)

Raiders 18 (Joel Monaghan 2, Ruben Wiki tries; Clinton Schifcofske 3 goals). Halftime: 12-18.

Referee: Shayne Hayne.

Crowd: 18,375.

- NZPA

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