NRL: Wounded duo could be left waiting in wings

Manu Vatuvei (above) of the Warriors and Akuila Uate of the Knights missed training this week because of leg injuries but both teams are hopeful of injecting their strike wingers. Photo / Greg Bowker

Knights v Warriors
Newcastle, 4pm tomorrow

The Warriors' Tongan "Beast" and Newcastle's Fijian "Flyer" are in doubt for tomorrow's match in Newcastle.

Manu Vatuvei and Akuila Uate missed training this week because of leg injuries but both teams are hopeful of injecting their strike wingers.

Just who will run out for both sides remains in doubt because of injuries and the trademark foxing of Newcastle coach Brian Smith.

The Knights have used a four-forward bench this season but last week brought half Jarrod Mullen from the interchange late in the game. He had missed just one week with a broken rib and played with a brace on as he drove the Knights to victory over 2008 champions Manly.

Mullen is named on the interchange again but may start, especially if Uate is ruled out. Keith Lulia is the likely replacement in the 17.

The home team will be confident of securing repeat victories in front of their fans while the Warriors travel after losing twice in front of theirs. But the situation is better than in 2008, when they were thrashed 46-22 in Penrith and 38-12 by the Roosters at Mt Smart, before travelling to Newcastle and winning 18-16.

Coach Ivan Cleary has not panicked after successive losses and said he would change little in the game plan this weekend. The problem against Souths might be that he changed too much after losing to Brisbane, he admitted. "We tried to fix a few things after the Broncos game and maybe went a bit far. All we need to do this week is tweak a couple of things and that's what we've done."

He wasn't saying what they were but clearly the kicking game needs to be longer and more accurate and the kick-chase needs to improve. The execution on attack must be better and they must press home when they earn repeat sets of six, a key area of failure against Souths.

"It was disappointing to lose but it was one of those days, we'd win nine out of 10 games like that - it was just one try here or there."

He was impressed with the Knights' win last weekend. "If it clicks, their game is very hard to counter. Brian Smith has them moving the ball around very well," Cleary said.

The danger men in line breaks are the captain, Kurt Gidley, chiming in from fullback and powerful centres Adam MacDougall and Junior Sau, the latter born in Auckland before moving to Brisbane aged 10 but this week declaring his intention to press for a place in the Kiwis.

Vatuvei, who suffered a knee cartilage problem during the win over Manly in round two, will fly with the team today but Cleary said he would not be risked if not 100 per cent. He returned early from injury last season then had to sit out more games.

Definitely ruled out of this game but hopeful of returning against the Roosters at Mt Smart next weekend are captain Steve Price, second rower Ben Matulino and utility Lance Hohaia.

Stacey Jones is possibly the key to victory in Newcastle. After a brilliant game-stealing show off the bench against Manly in round two, he started at halfback against the Broncos and Souths at Mt Smart but was shut down.

They lost, and the halfback was hard on himself. That is unfair given the performance of the opponents in dominating territory through ground-gain from the forwards and a superior long kicking game.

The kick-chase must be much better if they are to win in Newcastle. Joel Moon has far more reach than Jones and is the man to go to when they need to get out of their half and the rest need to be on the ball to keep the Knights pinned in their red zone.

In a questionnaire of coaches about changes to the pattern of games in 2009, Smith told the Sydney media his thoughts on how to go about a win. There was a need for a balance between attack and defence and some teams had concentrated too much on one or the other, he felt.

He gave a clear picture of his approach and what the Warriors can expect if the Knights follow his instructions: "Asking good questions repeatedly is what saps the juice out of the opposition, it's what fires up confidence in your own team."

That's what the Warriors must do in order to frustrate the Knights and silence their supporters.

KNIGHTS v WARRIORS:

Knights

Kurt Gildey
James McManus
Junior Sau
Adam MacDougall
Akuila Uate
Ben Rogers
Scott Dureau
Mark Taufua
Isaac DeGois
Ben Cross
Chris Houston
Zeb Taia
Matt Hilder

Interchange: Jarrod Mullen, Cory Paterson, Richie Fa'aoso, Danny Wicks.

Warriors

Wade McKinnon
Denan Kemp
Patrick Ah Van
Jerome Ropati
Aidan Kirk
Joel Moon
Stacey Jones
Sam Rapira
Ian Henderson
Russell Packer
Simon Mannering
Jacob Lillyman
Micheal Luck

Interchange: Nathan Fien, Jesse Royal, Daniel O'Regan, Ukuma Ta'ai.