The Roar
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The New Zealand Warriors are rugby league's great imposters

The Warriors' season is in trouble. (AAP Image/David Rowland)
Roar Guru
24th May, 2017
45

The only positive for following the NRL’s so-called ‘professional’ side would be planning overseas trips in late August, knowing the New Zealand Warriors’ season would be done.

The club should firstly ditch the Warriors brand, as they resemble in no part the definition of the word.

They should also remove ‘New Zealand’, and revert back to Auckland, as their appalling record in other parts of the Shaky Isles won’t win them new fans across the country.

Maybe a temporary switch to the Auckland Hamsters or the Auckland Yielders would be more suited from season 2018.

Successful sporting organisations live and die by culture created by strong leaders. The Warriors appear to only have one leader: Simon Mannering.

Another one is developing in James Gavet, though he may be on the nose with his precious teammates. His honest post-game interview was the only positive that came out of last week’s spineless display. It was raw and spoken like someone who actually cared that his side let down its fans.

Back to Mannering, the fact that the club’s greatest leader walked away from the captaincy was a sign he was worn down from fronting the media, trying his best to defend his team’s inept performances. It’s a real tragedy that he’ll retire sore, battered and probably with a permanent limp after years of covering his uncommitted teammates.

If Craig Bellamy or another coach came knocking, offering him a way out, I would be happy for Mannering to experience playing with a successful side.

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Some critics have stated the Polynesian culture is to blame. That’s absolute rubbish. How’s that excuse work for the All Blacks, or any number of Super Rugby sides that seem to take it in turns winning the title each and every year?

I suspect some Warriors fans want a coach not afraid to dump Shaun Johnson to NSW Cup for a few weeks and give someone like Mason Lino a chance. Johnson is fast running out of chances to show he can consistently perform at the elite level. He defines everything the club is known for: lots of potential but little of the mental and physical toughness required to succeed.

Stephen Kearney was ushered in and fans were led to believe they had their man in a former player and Kiwi national coach with a great track record, someone who understood the club culture.

He is trying to mould this team – a team with an abundance of skill – into one that fears making a mistake. Is it just me, or does this sound like a lose-lose situation?

Finally, whose call was it to keep the ex-first grade coach on as Kearney’s assistant? It’s like letting your ex-wife stay at your place as you both said you’d stay good friends regardless of the messy divorce.

Michael Jordan once said, “I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.”

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The Warriors are guilty on both counts.

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