Stacey sweet for Gold Coast

BY DUNCAN JOHNSTONE

Last updated 09:50 24/06/2009

Warriors v Newcastle

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FIONA GOODALL/Auckland Suburbans Zoom

New Zealand Warriors players celebrate the last minute try by winger Kevin Locke, second from left, in their win over Newcastle at Mt Smart Stadium.

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Stacey Jones came through a fitness test to confirm his place in the Warriors squad for their two-match hunt for points in Queensland.

Jones was carrying a groin niggle from the Warriors vital win over Newcastle two weeks ago.

Named to start against the Gold Coast Titans, he had to convince the Warriors medical staff and management that he was ready to get on the plane on Thursday.

He came through Wednesday's training session unscathed.

Having Jones fit to go will be crucial for the Warriors as they look to build on the solid partnership he and Lance Hohaia enjoyed in the crucial halves area against the Knights.

With the Titans boasting Scott Prince and Preston Campbell, the Warriors need all the experience and talent they can muster in this department.

Coach Ivan Cleary didn't anticipate too many problems there and was pleased to report an otherwise fit and eager squad for the trip across the Tasman that also includes next week's clash with the Broncos in Brisbane.

With consecutive Saturday-Friday fixtures the Warriors have wisely decided to stay in Queensland between games rather than returning to Auckland.

"With it being mid-season and the weather, it just seemed a natural thing to do. I think it will be good to spend a bit of time together in those surroundings," Cleary said of this trip.

But it's no Gold Coast holiday. Having had the bye last week and finding themselves one point off the top eight, it's time for the warriors to get a move on.

"It's about momentum now," said Cleary

"We don't want to look too far ahead but it's all about getting some momentum going. Our last start (against Newcastle) was encouraging but that was two weeks ago. We have to pick up from where we left off and push on now.

"It's nice being the hunter," he said of what is become something of an annual assignment for the Warriors requiring a surge over the second half of the season.

Cleary said the side had come back into training well after a few days off from the bye.

"It was great to see them excited and full of energy," he said of what was, by all accounts, a very physical training session last Sunday when they reassembled.

"When you have the bye it's all about getting the balance right between training hard and working on things or using it to freshen up. We felt the most important things was to freshen up with a few days off. They look ready to go from what we have seen of them in training."

They will need to be judging by their opposition. The Titans are one of three sides sharing the competition lead on 22 points but are third on points differential behind St George Illawarra and the Bulldogs.

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Cleary said the Titans were a real force at home and were a side that used the ball well, something the Warriors would be looking to replicate as they look to get their attack going after making solid defensive improvements over the last month.

- © Fairfax NZ News