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Tigers coach Sheens chasing ugly win
Ian McCullough
June 11, 2011 - 10:04AM
AAP
ZPA - Wests Tigers coach Tim Sheens admits his side faces a huge test against the Warriors on Sunday, as it chases a first NRL win at Mt Smart Stadium since 2007.
The Tigers edged out Newcastle 17-16 in golden point on Monday thanks to a Robbie Farah field-goal and Sheens said backing up from a tough encounter against the Knights with a long trip to Auckland is as hard as it gets in the NRL.
"It's a tough trip going to Auckland and we haven't had much success there," he said.
"It generally rains and it's cold and we are going to have to face that, but it is the same for both teams.
"But they have to travel over here and then travel back and manage to win games so it is a mind thing really."
The seventh-placed Tigers have failed to reach the heights of the second half of last season, a campaign that saw them miss out on a place in the grand final in a one-point defeat to St George Illawarra.
A heavy injury list that includes star backs Lote Tuqiri (ankle) and Chris Lawrence (hip) has hurt Sheens' side, and the veteran coach said he would be gladly take another scrappy win over the Warriors.
"It will be a good game, it is similar to the game against Newcastle last week … both teams are on similar points, if we beat the Warriors we leapfrog them," he said.
"If they win, they get a buffer over us .. it is going to be a fairly even game, but I just want to win, I don't care if it's an ugly game."
Kiwi skipper Benji Marshall will be the star attraction for the locals, but Warriors coach Ivan Cleary has earmarked Farah as the danger man.
"He controls that forward pack," Cleary said.
"In many respects, it's about controlling him first rather than Benji, and Robbie Lui is also coming along pretty well too.
"There's plenty of strike in the team and they're always a dangerous opponent."
Tigers fullback Wade McKinnon has been passed fit to face his former side after two weeks out with a hamstring injury.
Ian McCullough
June 11, 2011 - 10:04AM
AAP
ZPA - Wests Tigers coach Tim Sheens admits his side faces a huge test against the Warriors on Sunday, as it chases a first NRL win at Mt Smart Stadium since 2007.
The Tigers edged out Newcastle 17-16 in golden point on Monday thanks to a Robbie Farah field-goal and Sheens said backing up from a tough encounter against the Knights with a long trip to Auckland is as hard as it gets in the NRL.
"It's a tough trip going to Auckland and we haven't had much success there," he said.
"It generally rains and it's cold and we are going to have to face that, but it is the same for both teams.
"But they have to travel over here and then travel back and manage to win games so it is a mind thing really."
The seventh-placed Tigers have failed to reach the heights of the second half of last season, a campaign that saw them miss out on a place in the grand final in a one-point defeat to St George Illawarra.
A heavy injury list that includes star backs Lote Tuqiri (ankle) and Chris Lawrence (hip) has hurt Sheens' side, and the veteran coach said he would be gladly take another scrappy win over the Warriors.
"It will be a good game, it is similar to the game against Newcastle last week … both teams are on similar points, if we beat the Warriors we leapfrog them," he said.
"If they win, they get a buffer over us .. it is going to be a fairly even game, but I just want to win, I don't care if it's an ugly game."
Kiwi skipper Benji Marshall will be the star attraction for the locals, but Warriors coach Ivan Cleary has earmarked Farah as the danger man.
"He controls that forward pack," Cleary said.
"In many respects, it's about controlling him first rather than Benji, and Robbie Lui is also coming along pretty well too.
"There's plenty of strike in the team and they're always a dangerous opponent."
Tigers fullback Wade McKinnon has been passed fit to face his former side after two weeks out with a hamstring injury.
