NRL: Warriors take the heat out of Titans clash

If stand-in captain Micheal Luck has his way, the Warriors won't be needing anything to do with his last name when they meet the favoured Titans side tomorrow. Photo / Getty Images

The Warriors have nothing to fear from the heat and sun of a 1pm (local time) kick-off against the Titans tomorrow, says stand-in captain Michael Luck.

The veteran back rower has been unimpressed with the noises of dissatisfaction coming from some sections of the club over the timing of the kick-off and the fact that the Warriors must wear their black jerseys.

The torrid conditions - predicted to be 24C with 76 per cent humidity - would put a premium on ball control, Luck said. Whichever team controls the ball better will win the energy battle and almost certainly the match.

"[The heat] shouldn't be an issue," Luck said.

"You have got to give yourself every chance to be in the game. If you complete your sets and kick and chase and force errors out of them, that is how you win in conditions like that."

The Queensland-born, Townsville-raised Luck should know.

He may be quietly confident his side can carry its impressive trials form into round one but Luck is equally conscious the Warriors haven't always performed well in such trying conditions.

"The last time we played a really hot game was a couple of years ago against the Cowboys in the semifinal up there. We were blown away that day."

After trailing 18-12 at halftime the Warriors crumbled to lose 49-12.

"We kept throwing the ball around too much, dropping it on early tackles. You've got to have an even workload in these games. We've got to make the [Titans] do as much work as we do, and if we do that we have every chance."

With the Titans adding former Origin and Kangaroos star Greg Bird to a side already stacked with talent, the Warriors certainly have more than the weather to worry about.

Recent history suggests they will struggle. The Titans dropped just one regular match at home last season, and won the last three meetings between the sides comfortably.

The injury-enforced absence of veteran forwards Mannering, Steve Price, Jacob Lillyman and Ian Henderson has left the Warriors pack looking light on experience. Luck believes the enthusiasm of the likes of Russell Packer and newcomer Sione Lousi will help cancel out the experience deficit.

"Those guys don't come in with any baggage and don't really care about reputations. If we are all doing our jobs as well as we can, experience shouldn't matter."

Luck is in familiar territory standing in for an absent Warriors captain. Many considered the durable loose forward the most obvious candidate if Price was replaced but Luck insists he isn't bothered about being overlooked.

"[Coach] Ivan [Cleary] and [chief executive] Wayne [Scurrah] explained it and I totally agree with them. Pricey won't be around much longer and I am 28 this year so not getting any younger. Simon has got a long, long time at the club and I think for the good of the future it was the smart thing to do.

"Simon's one of my best mates and if he needs support I'll give it to him.

"But it's about winning footie games, not running out first. I'll do whatever it takes to get us back in the finals this year."

Luck was also unfazed by the likes of Aussie pundits Phil Gould and Greg Alexander picking the Warriors to finish dead last.

"Probably fair enough too," Luck said.

"I suppose we didn't impress many people last year. You've got to earn the right for people to respect you and we didn't do that last year. So I suppose we are back to square one, starting again."

* First-choice Warriors fullback Wade McKinnon will miss the match. An infection has prevented McKinnon training this week. Joel Moon, originally part of a five-man bench, is now a confirmed starter on the interchange bench.

Skilled Park, 4pm tomorrow

TITANS
Preston Campbell
Kevin Gordon
Mat Rogers
Joseph Tomane
David Mead
Greg Bird
Scott Prince (c)
Luke Bailey
Nathan Friend
Brad Meyers
Anthony Laffranchi
Mark Minichiello
Ashley Harrison

WARRIORS
Lance Hohaia
Kevin Locke
Brent Tate
Jerome Ropati
Manu Vatuvei
James Maloney
Brett Seymour
Sam Rapira
Aaron Heremaia
Russell Packer
Lewis Brown
Ben Matulino
Micheal Luck (c)

Gold Coast interchange (from): Matthew White, Sam Tagataese, Will Matthews, Riley Brown, Michael Henderson, William Zillman, Bodene Thompson.

Warriors interchange: Jeremy Latimore, Jesse Royal, Sione Lousi, Joel Moon.