Warriors celebrate a try against Manly. Photo: Brett Phibbs/Photosport
Warriors v Roosters
Kickoff: 8pm Friday, 21 March
Go Media Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland
Live blog updates on RNZ Sport
NZ Warriors coach Andrew Webster admits he never considered changing the line-up that overwhelmed Manly Sea Eagles to get their NRL campaign back on track at Go Media Stadium last Friday.
After their deflating season-opening loss to Canberra Raiders at Las Vegas, the Auckland club needed a strong bounceback performance and got it from the same players that dropped the ball - figuratively and literally - two weeks previously.
If last week was a chance to right wrongs, this week's unchanged team to face Sydney Roosters can be considered a reward.
"You'd be mad to make any changes after last week," said Webster. "There were strong performances everywhere.
"I think Manly had two play-the-balls in our 20 and zero inside our 10. We won field position and we were assertive, so they need to be rewarded.
"I never contemplated changing anything."
Ever conscious of the fact this was just one win in a long season, Webster insisted there was still plenty of room for improvement, but praised his men for taking adversity on the chin and staying in the fight.
Just three minutes into the contest, they were opened up down the right by flying winger Jason Saab, who found fullback Tom Trbojevic running support for the opening try.
Saab was later credited with a try in the corner, when replays suggested he lost control of the ball in mid flight, while centre Reuben Garrick seemed to have his foot on the deadball line, as he flicked the ball back infield for captain Daly Cherry-Evans to score.
Luckily, neither influenced the final outcome.
"There were a couple of tries that were a bit dicey, but we held our composure behind the posts and got back into the fight," observed Webster. "I was pretty happy with how we got on with things.
"The one with his foot on the line was 50/50 for me. With the dropped ball, I thought there was an obstruction, where he caught the ball way inside the lead, which means we couldn't jam the play - I don't think anyone's spoken about that.
"Then I felt like he never had control of the footy."
The luxury of naming the same line-up for three consecutive games also indicates an injury and suspension-free start to the season - touch wood - while the Warriors reserve grade side, containing several first-graders-in-waiting, are off to an unbeaten start to their schedule.
"There's always curveballs to come, there might be poor form or unbelievable form," said Webster. "You've just got to play it on its merits each week and see how it goes."
This Friday, they host a Roosters outfit that also limped through an opening defeat to Brisbane Broncos, but rebounded to overcome four-time defending champions Penrith Panthers in an instant classic.
They went into that encounter without three of their best forwards, but have Origin performers Lindsay Collins and Spencer Leniu, and England international Victor Radley back to face the Warriors.
"Probably similar to us, they didn't like how it went in week one," said Webster. "They were pretty clear and pretty calm in that situation, they had some injuries, but had a next-man-up mentality and were awesome.
"They've got some bodies back this week, so they'll be strengthened, but I thought they were physical and played a great brand of footy, and really took the game to the Panthers."
"I genuinely hope it's not a blowout - either way - like round one. If both teams get their game on, we'll see a helluva game.
"We've just got to remember to keep being ourselves, which is where we got lost in week one."
Warriors: 1 Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, 2 Taine Tuaupiki, 3 Ali Leiataua, 4 Adam Pompey, 5 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 6 Chanel Harris-Tavita, 7 Luke Metcalf, 8 James Fisher-Harris (cc), 9 Wayde Egan, 10 Mitchell Barnett (cc), 11 Kurt Capewell, 12 Marata Niukore, 13 Erin Clark
Interchange: 14 Dylan Walker, 15 Jackson Ford, 16 Demitric Vaimauga, 17 Leka Halasima
Reserves: 18 Jacob Laban, 20 Te Maire Martin, 21 Freddy Lussick, 22 Bunty Afoa, 23 Rocco Berry
Roosters: 1 James Tedesco, 2 Daniel Tupou, 3, Mark Nawaqanitawase, 4 Robert Tola, 5 Dominic Young, 6 Sandon Smith, 7 Chad Townsend, 8 Spencer Leniu, 9 Connor Watson, 10 Naufahu Whyte, 11 Angus Crichton, 12 Siua Wong, 13 Victory Radley
Interchange: 14 Zach Dockar-Clay, 15 Salesi Foketi, 16 Blake Steep, 17 Lindsay Collins
Reserves: 18 Hugo Savala, 19 Taylor Losalu, 20 Billy Smith, 21 Makahesi Makatoa, 22 Ethan Roberts
