League: Distracted Dogs open the door

Warriors skipper Steve Price has a great motivation for wanting to go well against his old team, the Bulldogs, in Sydney tomorrow.

He has lost to them three times since switching clubs, and this is his first game in front of Dogs fans.

The home team has had to deal with several distractions this week.

So if the Warriors can get into the game early and score first points, as they are making a habit of doing, the Bulldogs' lack of focus may be exploited.

Among the issues facing the Bulldogs are star Sonny Bill Williams' court appearance to defend charges arising from speed camera tickets. He was to have appeared this week, but was excused after his grandmother died.

As well, Willie Mason and Mark O'Meley are recovering from New South Wales' shock loss to Queensland in State of Origin III, Roy Asotasi signed this week with Souths in the biggest deal for an NRL prop, and wing Matt Utai was suspended for five weeks on a high tackle charge.

Dogs coach Steve Folkes says three other players have only a 50/50 chance of being fit enough to play.

Halfback Brett Sherwin, goal-kicking wing Hazem El Masri and interchange prop Chris Armit will have to pass fitness tests.

Folkes knows the danger of letting the Warriors get their confidence up.

"The last two weeks the opposition hasn't scored in the first half, and that's a record we want to hold on to," he said. "It just depends on what kind of mood the Warriors are in."

Williams is named in mid-field again this week, and Cameron Phelps is pushed to the wing to cover for Utai.

It is the seventh time from the 12 games he has played this season that he's been in the centres.

The Bulldogs have won the last four encounters between the two sides, all played in New Zealand.

Price flew back to New Zealand after the Origin game, and has had two training sessions with the Warriors.

NZ Warriors v Bulldogs
Stadium Australia, 4.30pm tomorrow

NZ Warriors

Brent Webb
Patrick Ah Van
Tony Martin
Simon Mannering
Manu Vatuvei
Jerome Ropati
Grant Rovelli
Ruben Wiki
Nathan Fien
Steve Price (c)
Awen Guttenbeil
Louis Anderson
Sione Faumuina
Interchange: Lance Hohaia, Evarn Tuimavave, Micheal Luck, Wairangi Koopu, Sam Rapira 18th man.

Bulldogs

Luke Patten
Hazem El Masri
S.B. Williams
Willie Tonga
Cameron Phelps
D. Holdsworth
Brent Sherwin
Mark O'Meley
Tony Grimaldi
Roy Asotasi
Willie Mason
Andrew Ryan (c)
Reni Maitua
Interchange: Brad Morrin, Nate Myles, Chris Armit, Dallas McIlwain.