Perth isn't a favourite stomping ground for our NZ Warriors, even though it is. There's always a big crowd of Perth cuzzies there making it feel like a home game for the Warriors and the Warriors tend to return the favour with an exciting performances, they just don't seem to be able to win.

If there was any time to grab an impressive win in Perth, rewarding those Perth cuzzies for their support then Saturday's game against Manly is bang on. For much of the first half of the NRL season, I preached patience as there is always plenty of time in the season to make up for losses. While mainstream media was bemoaning a loss or two, we knew that the Warriors would win some and lose some, such is life in the NRL.

With Origin now in the rear-view mirror, we move into the phase of the season where Charlie Sheen pops up each week at training #Winning #Winning #Winning. That win some, lose some nature of the NRL is thanks to the fact that bar for maybe just the Knights (who still put up a fight), every NRL team is competitive and we only need to look at the log-jam around that 8th spot on the ladder to know that once again, a hunt for a Finals spot will come down to the last week of the season.

This isn't Super Rugby where you can take a week off.

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Realistically, the Warriors will be eyeing up 7th or 8th spot. They currently sit in 7th on 20 points, with Brisbane in 6th on 22 points and as always, I'll keep it a hunnit and say that I don't really think the Warriors are better than any team ahead of them on the NRL ladder and that their standing in 7th is a fair reflection of their season so far. It's all about wins now, wins not only mean 2 points and more chance of making the Finals but wins mean momentum and if the Warriors catch fire at this stage of the season, stacking wins up, they suddenly become the most feared team in the NRL.

A somewhat important note appeared in one of the NRL rumour hounds' weekly ramblings this week as well; Brad Arthur, current Eels coach was being sounded out as a replacement for Andrew McFadden.

Cool ya jets, take it with a grain of salt. This is the second, or third ... maybe fourth coach that has apparently been hit up by the Warriors to replace McFadden. Until McFadden is actually replaced, who cares.

Of course, I'm not the biggest fan of McFadden but as long as he's making progress then I've got no dramas with him being the coach. We forget that McFadden is an extremely young coach who is himself learning the craft and he needs to be given at least a few seasons to really build something. Not to mention that the Warriors will really step into their prime years, their Premiership window next season and the season after that ... not necessarily this season.

This week, McFadden has brought back Manu Vatuvei and the identity that the Warriors have been building as a team over the Origin period takes another step up. It starts with David Fusitua and Issac Luke through the middle, with Fusitua undoubtedly the king of poking his head through the defensive line whenever he carries the footy and Luke steadily improving to the point where I'm comfortable saying that he's at peak Issac Luke levels.

Fusitua and Luke are the flag-bearers of a power game through the middle. Throw Ken Maumalo and Vatuvei in, starting sets with powerful carries and suddenly the expectation is that the Warriors will be on the front-foot every set. No other NRL team has a back three like the Warriors, some teams might have a winger similar to Vatuvei but they don't have Vatuvei and a Vatuvei clone on either flank. They might have a big fullback starting their sets, but they don't have two big wingers taking the next two carries.

They don't have Solomone Kata's power at centre either.

The work of these outside backs is what should blow Manly away and the Warriors will more than likely enjoy the benefits of this work later in the game. Manly's forward pack will not only have to take care of Jacob Lillyman, Ben Matulino etc, they'll have to make tough tackles against outside backs which should put them under fatigue.

Manly's strength is Daly Cherry-Evans and he's the sort of player who can take the game away from the Warriors with a strong individual performance. The Warriors can eliminate DCE's threat by steamrolling through the middle with size + speed = power.

I suspect DCE will defend on their left edge, where Bodene Thompson will be poised on our right edge. Thompson's in great form and if he's lining up opposite to DCE, he'll make sure DCE has to do a whole lot of work.

Albert Vete's out injured, so once again we flex our depth muscles with Bunty Afoa on the bench. Vete has been playing will starting, however it's a great sign that his loss can be absorbed by having another young forward who will do a hard-running job.

As for Tuimoala Lolohea, I really like this selection of him on the bench ... I'm just cautious of liking it too much because McFadden hasn't really injected Lolohea into the game at the right time. I want to see Lolohea given 10 minutes in the first half and a decent stint in the second half, just as an x-factor player who adds some spice and funk to the Warriors attack, playing with freedom.

I have no confidence in McFadden there; Lolohea could legit come on to replace Maumalo for the last 10 minutes of the game, on the wing. How dumb is that? It's possible though.

Lolohea is a weapon, a certified weapon. Give Lolohea freedom to dominate a game of footy, playing unstructured footy, playing what he sees in front of him and pouncing on any minor opening in Manly's defence.

Lolohea in that No.14 jersey, playing with freedom would take this Warriors identity to another level. They've nailed the power through the middle x attacking intent (offloads/fun footy) aspect of their identity and now they have a genuine wildcard on their bench in Lolohea ... who is one of the hottest young talents in the NRL.

Free Lolohea.

Oh and being a super-sub isn't a bad thing, I love that Lolohea is on the bench as it gives the Warriors a freakish talent to inject into the game. Just use Lolohea properly and give him the time he needs to influence a game.

I didn't even mention Shaun Johnson, go me.

Free Lolohea.