NRL: Bring on the bombs - Vatuvei

Manu Vatuvei is expeting to be jumping for plenty of high balls against the Sea Eagles on Sunday. Photo / Getty Images

Manly has predictably said it will target Warriors' winger Manu Vatuvei with a barrage of high balls but Vatuvei merely shrugs his shoulders and invites them to bomb away.

Vatuvei brought back memories of his meltdown against Parramatta in 2007 when he spilled a number of balls in the 40-10 defeat to the Broncos on September 10. He made five errors that night and his game was the nadir of an altogether inept team performance.

But the 25-year-old isn't worried if Manly targets him on Sunday. After all, he followed that game with a man-of-the match performance against the Wests Tigers, has averaged 1.33 errors a game all season and that game against the Broncos was his first since recovering from a damaged wrist.

Vatuvei is a vastly different player to the one who disintegrated against the Eels four years ago. He has spent a lot of work under the high ball and is actually one of the best exponents at timing his leap, particularly on attack. The Warriors score a lot of tries kicking to his wing and base a lot of their last-option plays around Vatuvei. He's not a natural catcher but he's by no means as bad as many believe him to be.

"I just take it as another challenge,'' Vatuvei said in response to Manly's intentions. "I have been kicked to in the past two weeks and I've been up for the challenge. Whatever they kick towards me, I'll try to take.

"I made a few mistakes [against the Broncos] but it wasn't as bad as'07. I just put that aside. I had a look at the video and it wasn't as bad as I thought. It gave me a bit of confidence and it motivated me to go out and perform for the boys.''

There are few more devastating players than Vatuvei in full flight. He hasn't been as prolific as in previous seasons _ he's scored 11 tries in 18 games this season compared to 20 in 19 last year _ but teams have put plenty of defenders on him to try to nullify his effectiveness. This has created opportunities for others around him and he will be a key player on Sunday.

The Warriors have good leapers on both sides of the field in Vatuvei and right-centre Krisnan Inu, who scored the match-winning try against the Wests Tigers, and they can be expected to send plenty of bombs Manly's way through James Maloney and Shaun Johnson.

Vatuvei looked particularly relaxed at the grand final breakfast, as he hid behind a replica NRL trophy, and it's important for him to remain that way.

"I am excited and nervous [this week],'' he said. "I first came to the club in 2001 and the boys made the grand final in 2002. I've always had a dream after that to make the grand final and hopefully experience what they did. I've got my chance and I'll do my best to make it happen.

"Hopefully it's not the last time I play in a grand final. I've been in big games like this in things like the World Cup. It will be a similar feeling but different because it's the first time I've made it to the grand final.''

It will round off a week of firsts after Vatuvei's daughter celebrated her first birthday on Monday. Now he just needs a first premiership ring to go with it.