VAI
Kennel Addict
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2008
- Messages
- 7,059
- Reaction score
- 16
BULLDOGS coach Andrew Patmore says his side will have to launch an all out aggressive assault on the high-flying Warriors to qualify for the Toyota Cup grand final.
Ahead of tonight's clash at AAMI Park in Melbourne, the Canterbury mentor said his side will throw the ball around and press their attack at every opportunity to cause an upset over the minor premiers.
Patmore believes his side have to constantly ask questions of the New Zealand defence by attacking on the fringes, rather than trying to bash their opponents' forwards down the middle.
"We've just got to shift the ball, make sure we've got ball runners backing up. Ask a few questions of them like they do," he said. "We need to make them work hard. Stop them getting a roll on, because if that happens they'll be very hard to beat. In general we just have to make sure we take every chance. Make sure every break is finished off."
A win for the Bulldogs would be another compliment to Patmore, who has led the team on another successful campaign despite retaining just three players from the same 17 that lost to the Warriors in the 2010 preliminary final. Captain Dale Finucane, Josh Jackson and Paul Carter are all that remains of the Bulldogs 2010 side. The club also had a string of injuries to key players this season which should have made their finals charge mission impossible.
Losing rising stars Tim Lafai (shoulder), Aiden Sezer (knee) and Lachlan Burr has hurt the club and forced them to regularly promote players from the SG Ball squad to play in the Toyota Cup. The Warriors will start hot favourites at $1.12 with TAB Sportsbet in no small part because of the incredible form of strike weapon centre Konrad Hurrell.
Many believe Hurrell was unlucky not to be named Toyota Cup player of the year ahead of Dragons player Jack De Belin.
Patmore said his side were able to nullify the star Warriors centre when they met earlier this year and is confident centre Edward Murphy can do that job again tonight.
Toyota Cup finals week three. Tonight: Warriors v Bulldogs, AAMI Park, 5.15pm
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...-warriors-outfit/story-e6frexnr-1226144952871
Ahead of tonight's clash at AAMI Park in Melbourne, the Canterbury mentor said his side will throw the ball around and press their attack at every opportunity to cause an upset over the minor premiers.
Patmore believes his side have to constantly ask questions of the New Zealand defence by attacking on the fringes, rather than trying to bash their opponents' forwards down the middle.
"We've just got to shift the ball, make sure we've got ball runners backing up. Ask a few questions of them like they do," he said. "We need to make them work hard. Stop them getting a roll on, because if that happens they'll be very hard to beat. In general we just have to make sure we take every chance. Make sure every break is finished off."
A win for the Bulldogs would be another compliment to Patmore, who has led the team on another successful campaign despite retaining just three players from the same 17 that lost to the Warriors in the 2010 preliminary final. Captain Dale Finucane, Josh Jackson and Paul Carter are all that remains of the Bulldogs 2010 side. The club also had a string of injuries to key players this season which should have made their finals charge mission impossible.
Losing rising stars Tim Lafai (shoulder), Aiden Sezer (knee) and Lachlan Burr has hurt the club and forced them to regularly promote players from the SG Ball squad to play in the Toyota Cup. The Warriors will start hot favourites at $1.12 with TAB Sportsbet in no small part because of the incredible form of strike weapon centre Konrad Hurrell.
Many believe Hurrell was unlucky not to be named Toyota Cup player of the year ahead of Dragons player Jack De Belin.
Patmore said his side were able to nullify the star Warriors centre when they met earlier this year and is confident centre Edward Murphy can do that job again tonight.
Toyota Cup finals week three. Tonight: Warriors v Bulldogs, AAMI Park, 5.15pm
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...-warriors-outfit/story-e6frexnr-1226144952871
