NRL: Pricey pointers build up prop's armoury

Jeremy Latimore and Steve Price have not been scoffing popcorn and sweets but they have been watching videos together.

Far from a leisure activity, it is part of a bid to improve Latimore's performances with his new club. The 23-year-old played seven games for the Eels last year before being recruited by the Warriors.

The 2005 Junior Kangaroo expected to play only a handful of games in his first season in Auckland but the dire injury situation has seen him play 11 out of 14, starting three. He has had most game time in the past two weeks, playing 38 and 41 minutes respectively.

Latimore is someone coach Ivan Cleary has relied on to be fit. He even led some of the pre-season endurance tests, quite an achievement for a 1.91m, 109kg front rower. At training this week, he was constantly on the move, relentless in his pursuit of the football.

Price adds finesse and know-how in their weekly video sessions.

"He's a great attacking front rower and his input has been invaluable," Latimore says. "He's given me pointers like pulling wider from the ruck to run. That pushes defences out further and helps open up the game. It's allowed me to create more second phase ball."

Latimore has also been made more conscious of his technique when carrying the ball in the tackle.

"I don't get my left arm free enough while I hold the ball in my right. I need to do that to create more space so the offloads come more freely."

Last week's win over the Roosters in the Christchurch rain saw him up his workload in defence with 31 tackles, almost 50 per cent more than any other game this season.

"I'm a mud runner," Latimore says modestly. "But I have been doing a bit of extra work on my tackling in the gym with the trainers."

Price's retirement last week means Latimore is guaranteed more game time provided his fitness holds, especially as fellow props Sam Rapira and Jacob Lillyman are still injured.

"Jezza's a big lump of a lad, he trains hard and is holding his spot," Price says. "He gets feedback off me every week. I'm no super-consultant but I can pass on what's worked."

Price has told Latimore to avoid thinking he's tired during games and instead focus on what the team needs next.

"It's about making the extra effort to chase a kicker, dive on a loose ball or get back for a hit-up on tackle two after you've just made three tackles. It's not about clocking up 15 hit-ups at the end of a game. That might not be what we need as a team.

"Jezza doesn't always need to offload. Running wider can already force opposition defences into areas they don't like. You've got to create doubt in the defence's mind; that can mean passing early.

"We need to work on being a threat in the middle of the park as much as on the edges with the likes of Manu [Vatuvei] finishing. If you are creating such pressure, it also makes it easier for attacking players like your halves and fullback.

"[Sixth-placed] Brisbane has turned around its season [winning six of the last seven games] because their forwards are now a real threat and Darren Lockyer can play better from five-eighth," says Price.

Latimore has been spurred on by the Warriors' decision last month to extend his contract to the end of next year.

"At the start of the year my form was solid but not great. It was a good kick up the butt when Ivan sent me back to the Auckland Vulcans for a couple of weeks.

"It was such a relief when I was told I could stay. It's tough handling the pressure of not knowing," he said. "You're always looking at your phone, waiting to hear. Once that was off my shoulders, it allowed me to concentrate more."

Cleary agrees that the job security has shored up Latimore's contribution.

"It's human nature that young guys spend time worrying about that sort of stuff.

"One benefit of our injury situation and Pricey retiring is that players can have a crack at a position for a reasonable length of time.

"Recently Jeremy's had a lot more minutes and he can feel more confident about his spot in the team."