KEY POINTS:
There are two points of interest in the lead-up to the Bulldogs-Warriors game in Sydney tonight - will Sonny Bill Williams play and how will the Bulldogs new half Arana Taumata go?
Superstar Williams has been carrying a back injury for the past two weeks and according to his coach, Steve Folkes, he should not have played against Brisbane last weekend.
He turned in a blinder in that game and made a big contribution to the 26-18 upset of the round - Brisbane were paying $1.12, the Dogs $6 - as did teenage sensation Taumata.
Williams has taken no part in contact training this week, relegated to light duties, with his first real run yesterday. He must pass a fitness test today prior to the game at Olympic Stadium. There would seem to be little point in the Dogs risking him since their finals chances are already gone.
Taumata made his NRL debut in round 16 against the Roosters thanks mainly to the long injury list at the Bulldogs and their poor return in the wins column. Given the returns it is odd that the Dogs are yet to offer him an upgrade and he is tipped to shift to Newcastle. He has scored a try in each of his three games so far, showing acceleration, speed and footwork to beat multiple defenders.
The teenager, who is the son of the Maori TV journalist of the same name, was picked up on a scholarship by the Broncos at age 16 but a tenure there and then at the Roosters ended without a contract. He shifted to the Bulldogs and after standout performances in under-20s has shaded the Bulldogs' anointed next half Ben Barba for an NRL place.
He had a horror start against the Roosters, skewing a kick from his first touch. Later his long ball to the wing was intercepted by Kiwi Setaimata Sa who ran 80m to score. But he kept his composure and later when Nick Youngquest pounced on a loose ball he delivered it to Taumata who ran 60m for the try.
Against Souths in game two he stepped defenders in his own 20 zone and made it the 80m to the other end to open the scoring after 12 minutes. Against Brisbane last weekend he backed himself at the eight-minute mark and stepped Joel Clinton, Greg Eastwood and Karmichael Hunt on his way to the line.
The kid clearly has a heap of confidence and that confidence appears to be growing game by game. The Warriors need to mark him carefully around the scrum and in broken play.
And Williams is clearly the other player they have to watch, his freedom to roam the field and inject himself at critical times the most potent weapon the Dogs have got.
"He plays what he sees and that makes him even more dangerous," said Warriors coach Ivan Cleary, noting Williams' chip out of the in-goal last weekend. "He'll play exactly what he sees regardless of the situation." They couldn't stop Williams, they had to contain those around him and so limit the opportunities that came his way.
They would take in some confidence after winning before and after the bye and in using the same team for a change. Training had been intense with plenty of push from those behind the starting 17 looking to move up and that was a big positive, Cleary said.
Both the Bulldogs and Warriors are prepared to have a go from anywhere so the match promises to be entertaining.
Olympic Stadium, 9.30 tonight Brent Crisp
BULLDOGS
Hazem El Masri
Daryl Millard
Tim Winitana
Heka Nanai
Daniel Holdsworth
Arana Taumata
Jarrad Hickey
Corey Hughes
Fred Briggs
Sonny Bill Williams
Andrew Ryan (c)
Reni Maitua
WARRIORS
Lance Hohaia
Malo Solomona
Brent Tate
Sonny Fai
Aidan Kirk
Nathan Fien
Grant Rovelli
Ruben Wiki
Ian Henderson
Steve Price (c)
Simon Mannering
Logan Swann
Micheal Luck Bulldogs: Chris Armit, Lee Te Maari, John Kite, Ben Roberts.
Warriors (from): Jerome Ropati, Evarn Tuimavave, Sam Rapira, Ben Matulino, Michael Witt.
