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Warriors taking positives from painful loss to Storm

3 minute read

Star back Roger Tuivasa-Sheck will return from his lengthy hamstring injury against Gold Coast as the Warriors look to regroup after falling to Melbourne.

ROGER TUIVASA-SHECK.
ROGER TUIVASA-SHECK. Picture: Phil Walter/Getty Images

With cross-code star Roger Tuivasa-Sheck back on deck, Warriors coach Andrew Webster says his team need to shrug off the sting of letting NRL ladder-leaders Melbourne off the hook.

The Warriors got off to a flying start to lead 14-0 but fell away as the Storm roared to a 38-24 victory last round.

Preparing for Saturday's clash with Gold Coast, Webster admitted the loss still hurt, coming after such a strong start and dominating all statistics except the scoreboard.

"It hurts because the boys I thought played so well," Webster said on Tuesday from their Auckland base.

"It's no point winning every stat and not winning the scoreboard at the end of the game.

"We just didn't execute around last plays and it killed us; our mistakes had a big impact on the result so that was frustrating as we hit a lot of our key stats.

"But it also shows we're not far away - we can't throw our toys out and say, 'OK, well, what's the point of doing all that if we're not going to get away in the end?'

"We've just got to double down on it, work even harder in the execution."

Tuivasa-Sheck was 18th man against the Storm but is a certain starter at Robina Stadium, making a timely return after five games sidelined with a hamstring injury.

While Adam Pompey has been cleared after limping off last round, his centre partner Rocco Berry suffered a serious wrist injury and has been ruled out.

They'll also be without winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, who accepted a one-game ban for his high-tackle charge.

The Melbourne defeat ended a run of three successive victories to leave the Warriors in 13th spot while the Titans sit last.

But Webster is wary given Gold Coast held on for a 27-24 win at Auckland in their round-eight meeting this season.

"I feel like they're a lot more aggressive and going after teams in their defence. I feel like they're willing to shift the ball anywhere in the field," he said of the Des Hasler-coached Titans.

"Concentration is a big thing against this team because they're just so fast and they're willing to move the ball from their own end.

"You combine that with some hard work and I think they're a good side."

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