Blake Green says the Warriors need to improve their starts to both halves and be more selective with their offloads. Photo / Getty Images.
Blake Green says the Warriors need to improve their starts to both halves and be more selective with their offloads. Photo / Getty Images.
New five-eighth Blake Green admits the Warriors exciting ad-lib style is contagious but he'd prefer they played more directly after the erratic 20-8 NRL win over the Titans.
The 31-year-old followed up last week's impressive showing against Souths with another strong performance as he guided the Warriors aroundthe park in the four-tries-to-one win at Mt Smart Stadium.
The former Manly playmaker is comfortable with the style the side is looking to play, but was unhappy with their starts to both halves and feels there are times when they need to be more selective with their offloads.
"We're really happy with the result," said Green. "It's hard to win any game these days the competition is so even, but we had a poor start to the game and we were played a bit erratic compared to how calm and controlled we were last week.
"We really just need to focus on running the ball hard and getting through our sets and kicking the ball long and that builds a foundation for your game.
"We started with a couple of offloads in our first set and we were skipping around all over the place and that was us for the next 20 minutes.
"If you start the game strong by running hard and kicking to the corner and you do that in the first two or three sets, it just sets the tone for how you're going to play and sets a standard for ourselves and we probably didn't do that."
The Warriors expansive play saw them go wide late in sets and shift the ball from one sideline to the other, with Green's inside ball on a fifth-tackle play sending captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck bursting through to score their second try under the posts.
Green's inside ball sent captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck in for the Warriors second try. Photo / Photosport.
Green admits getting caught up in the razzle-dazzle himself at times, but said they will look to tighten things up ahead of their next assignment against the Raiders in Canberra next Saturday.
After starting their campaign with back-to-back wins for just the third time since the club's inception in 1995, they will create history if they can keep their momentum and make it three-in-a-row at GIO Stadium.
"We were probably exciting to watch this week but it was a little bit like touch footy at some stages," he said.
"It was really exciting. I threw a couple of offloads myself and got a few. It's contagious once you're out there, which is fine.
"I'm happy we didn't finish the game and say 'we were a bit erratic and all over the place and got beaten'. We still found a way to get the job done.
"I felt like we were in control and I didn't feel we were at risk of losing the game and I felt really comfortable out there but we need to fix a few things."
Rookie Warriors back-rower Isaiah Papali'i will miss a few games with a medial knee injury.
Meanwhile, rookie second-rower Isaiah Papali'i is set to miss a few games after suffering a medial knee injury in the early stages when he was dragged down in a tackle by fill-in Titans halfback Bryce Cartwright and back-rower Kevin Proctor.
The 19-year-old was on crutches and had his right leg in a brace after the match, but was already focusing on working his way back to full fitness.
"It's not too bad," said Papali'i.
"It's disappointing but I'll just work hard on my recovery and try and get back as soon as I can.
"I'm just pleased they got the win. Watching on afterwards I was just happy for the boys."
