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Home / Sport / League / Warriors

League: Warriors to change game plan

By Peter Jessup
18 May, 2007 05:00 PM3 mins to read

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Ivan Cleary

Ivan Cleary

KEY POINTS:

Ivan Cleary can take credit for accepting responsibility for the Warriors' last two losses because he imposed a too-structured game plan.

The coach said the team were not playing as freely as they could and the attack had faltered.

Perhaps that was partially to do with the time of year, 10 rounds in and the grind starting to get to everyone.

But the fact was the team had gone into "survival mode" when ahead against the Sharks and Knights. "We're going back to be making sure we go out there to play," Cleary said.

"We were relying too much on structure and maybe that's my fault. We thought that if we took care of the basics everything else would take care of itself and maybe we've learned a lesson from that."

Cleary has made a brave change, swapping halfback Grant Rovelli - whose play he knows from their time together at the Sydney Roosters - for Michael Witt, who is yet to be tried in that position at the Warriors. However, he still has faith in Rovelli.

There are simple ways to a Warriors win against the Wests Tigers, a team whose style of play the New Zealand hosts like.

The kicking game needs to improve so they play more of the match in the opposition half. It also needs to be more varied to produce more doubt in the defenders' minds - too often the kicking style has been repetitive and predictable.

Hopefully, the change to Witt at halfback will also provide more spark in the backline. Rovelli appeared to have lost confidence and his way.

Simon Mannering is a potent attacker in mid-field but has had little ball lately. Outside him, Manu Vatuvei has had less.

He has the bulk to break multiple tackles when at speed and, if the ball doesn't come his way, he should go looking for it. Witt will play the left side of the field and should provide more opportunities.

The Warriors need to move their attack into gear earlier. They have been catching the ball flat-footed, with defenders waiting to take them.

To create line breaks, they need more adventure in the off-loads from the forwards and better support play at speed from the backs.

Returning fullback Wade McKinnon should provide the latter at least.

McKinnon said he had been frustrated watching the two losses while suspended.

"The Tigers will throw the ball around and ask questions of us so our defence has to be good."

McKinnon is confident the Warriors' attack will return to the success of early games.

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