Rugby League: Warriors' coach dishes out rewards, punishment after loss

By PETER JESSUP

Sione Faumuina will get a start for the Warriors against Canberra at Ericsson Stadium on Sunday, replacing Mark Tookey who has been relegated to the bench.

The changes reflect effort and return in the loss against Parramatta last weekend.

Of Faumuina, coach Daniel Anderson said: "You can only knock on the door so long ... He has been pretty effective for us for several weeks now, and deserves a start."

Of Tookey, Anderson said: "He hasn't performed up to the standard he set last year. Maybe he's been a little bit comfortable in his position."

Anderson blamed the Warriors' inconsistency this season on players' not maintaining their individual standards.

"It's the same for Tooks as it was for John Carlaw and Lance Hohaia [replaced the previous week].

"They set the bar for their performance last season. They haven't matched it, and that's why the team can't compete at the same level."

Tavita Latu comes in for P.J. Marsh, who must wear a neck brace all week and is unable to train.

That move was expected, as Marsh would have been in Queensland's State of Origin camp if fit.

Latu, 21, is smart from dummy-half. The Warriors have worked on his ball security since his first game, against Cronulla two weeks ago.

He did enough then prompt the club to step up his contract from that of development player, and this week he signed to the end of next year.



This Canberra game is a must-win - more so than was last weekend's game. As the season continues, the Warriors must beat the other top-eight teams they face to gain the two points and deny them to others.

Anderson said they needed to become more desperate.

"We've been sitting on our heels a bit - too many people waiting for someone else to do something instead of getting in and doing what they're best at. That's why Sione is in this weekend - he's been giving us what he's best at."

After coming on in the first minute when Marsh hit his head on the turf, Faumuina played the next 79, dispelling any concern at his ability to step up from interchange player.

The coach was worried that his players had an underlying feeling that all would come right once Ali Lauiti'iti returned from injury.

"Ali can't do anything that Sione didn't do last weekend and we can't afford to think he's going to change everything," he said.





The NRL has threatened to boost fines for clubs to protect its match officials from abuse from coaches.

Cronulla is appealing against an A$15,000 fine imposed on coach Chris Anderson, who has apologised for using abusive language in after-match comments to rookie referee Rod Lawrence.

NRL chief executive David Gallop said the league would go up to A$50,000 if it had to.

New Zealand Warriors: Brent Webb, Henry Fa'afili, Vinnie Anderson, Vince Mellars, Francis Meli, Motu Tony, Stacey Jones, Jerry Seuseu, Tavita Latu, Richard Villasanti, Logan Swann, Sione Faumuina, Monty Betham (c); interchange, Iafeta Palea'aesina, Wairangi Koopu, Karl Te Mata, Mark Tookey.

Canberra Raiders (likely): Clinton Schifcofske, Michael Robertson, Joel Monaghan, Jamaal Lolesi, Adam Mogg, Mark McLinden, Brad Drew, Ryan O'Hara, Simon Woolford (c), Luke Davico, Ruben Wiki, Ian Hindmarsh, Jason Croker; interchange Tyran Smith, Terry Martin, Michael Hodgson, Sean Rutgerson.

NRL points table and fixtures