Manly fires first shots against Warriors By AARON LAWTON - Sunday News | Sunday, 26 August 2007 Manly coach Des Hasler has given the Warriors their team talk after touching down in Auckland and saying his under-strength team will win today's crucial NRL top-four decider. And Hasler - one of the game's great tacticians during his playing stint with the Sea Eagles - went a step futher when he suggested the full house sign at Mt Smart Stadium could come back and haunt the home side. "The Warriors are a tough gig any time and we aren't expecting it to be any less tough on "But we have brought a really competitive side across with us and the Warriors need to be guarded. "Obviously they are playing in front of a full house so it will put a lot of pressure on them as well." Hasler has rested five players from today's clash - a game the Warriors must win to keep their top four aspirations alive. And despite the Warriors scoring an impressive 180 points in their last four home games, Hasler says his young team won't be intimidated pitching up at Mt Smart. "It's not too bad," Hasler said when asked how tough it was to play in Auckland. "Over the last few years we have had a pretty good track record against the Warriors. "We have a lot of belief so we are quietly confident."
Hasler is too humble to have said those things. I dare say they have been taken way out of context. Besides that, I reckon we can still get them. It would have a lot of people stand up an notice if our depleted line up beat the warriors in front of a full crowd.
