The back five and the key forwards shouldered exceptional workloads in the Vodafone Warriors’ gritty 18-12 win over St George Illawarra in Saturday night’s 21st-round clash in Wollongong.
There were heroes across the park as the Vodafone Warriors had their first win over the Dragons in Wollongong in 11 attempts dating back to the first in 2000.
That match, ending in a then club record 0-54 loss, began a run of 10 straight defeats at the venue, the last a 10-19 reverse in 2013.
The result also delivered the Vodafone Warriors a club record eighth away win in a season as well as their first home-and-away double against the Dragons in the same season.
A breakdown of the stats showed the back five of Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, David Fusitu’a, Gerard Beale, Solomone Kata and Ken Maumalo gained a combined total of 798 metres, equating to 48 percent of the team’s overall 1708 metres. That's an average of 160 metres a player, the critical factor in getting the team out of their end time and again.
In the middle of the park, the six forwards who played 30 or more minutes were tasked with a phenomenal defensive work rate, especially in the second half.
Hooker Issac Luke and Adam Blair, switched to the right edge, were on the field 80 minutes, Isaiah Papali’i was on for 72 minutes, Simon Mannering for 71, Jazz Tevaga 65 and Agnatius Paasi 34.
Between them they accounted for a staggering 259 tackles, an average 43 each with Tevaga making a game-high 56 tackles at close to a tackle a minute. That represented 66 percent of the team’s tally of 395 tackles.
METRE EATERS
239 | Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
208 | Ken Maumalo
124 | David Fusitu’a
109 | Gerard Beale
108 | Solomone Kata
- These five made 798 of the team’s total 1708 metres (48 percent, an average 160 metres a player)
TACKLING MACHINES
56 | Jazz Tevaga (65 minutes)
49 | Issac Luke (80 minutes)
45 | Simon Mannering (71 minutes)
40 | Isaiah Papali’i (72 minutes)
39 | Adam Blair (80 minutes)
30 | Agnatius Paasi (34 minutes)
- These six players made 259 of the team’s 395 tackles (66 percent, average 43 tackles a player)
