On his entertaining Monday Night Football show, Matthew Johns called out the New Zealand Warriors players for their apparent lack of ‘care factor’ following their record 62-6 loss to the Penrith Panthers on the weekend.
Johns has never spoken a truer word when he said that fans should never have to see their players laughing and joking around with opponents moments, no, mere seconds, after the final whistle had blown.
What was there to laugh about?
Didn’t we just witness a new club low?
One really has to wonder: what on earth is going on at New Zealand’s only NRL club these days?
What has become of the once brave hearted?
New Zealand Warriors fans have to be some of the most long suffering and masochistic fans in the NRL. It is a basic requirement of being a supporter. It should be written into the club’s charter.
Mt Smart crowds consistently put up with bleak weather, bizarre coaching appointments (think John Monie, think Tony Kemp, think Matt Elliot), Lion Red being the only beer available, grand final hidings and a long procession of local-born mercurial players with obvious flair and abundant raw talent but little ‘stickability’ when the going gets truly tough (usually midseason).
You can add to these wounds the seldom talked about fact that Australia’s best and most talented play-makers have zero interest in crossing the ditch to bolster the Warriors playmaking positions.
Despite being consistently well under the salary cap, club management hasn’t been able to ‘poach’ one of the NRL’s outstanding stand-offs, halfbacks, hookers or fullbacks since the days of Mathew Ridge (and he probably did so largely out of patriotism).
These are key ‘game changer’ positions in a rugby league 13. The failure to secure more than one genuine marquee player should be considered another club failing.
And now the fans have to stomach the sight of their players laughing and back slapping after copping their second worst loss in history.
It is hard not to feel that his current playing group has become a bad a joke, and yet they seemed to think the joke was on everyone else.
Which begs the question: are the Warriors still playing for their coach? It doesn’t appear so.
If not, then why? Is it because the core playing group never wanted him in the first place?
Is it because the majority of them were rooting for highly successful juniors coach John Ackland – a man widely acknowledged to have done all the hard yards you could ask for with the Juniors, even winning the Toyota Cup twice in consecutive years – before he was mystifyingly overlooked for journeyman Aussie coach Elliot.
The painfully close losses (some might say ‘chokes’) to the Roosters, Rabbitohs, Raiders and Storm would undoubtedly have been demoralising. But those are all high quality sides this season and with a sliver more composure, those results could have been reversed.
There is no need for panic at this stage, but there is definitely some kind of ‘psychological hoodoo’ hanging over this Warriors squad and that has to be somehow addressed.
It’s awfully early in a season for such a talented playing group to be giving up on the cause, and their coach.
And surely there’s never an excusable point in the season to be disrespecting your fan-base: especially one that always turns up on grey Auckland Sunday afternoons to have some fun, and pay your wages.
Brendan Bradford
Roar Pro
Johnson does seem to just hit it high and hope. No doubt he can give the ball a lot of air and distance, and he's not too bad close to the line, but all in all, he's lacking a bit of nous.
Sylvester
Guest
I blame the culture of this current crop of players. It's no coincidence they've been a basketcase under two different coaches in consecutive years. Luleuai is and always was a disaster. I said it on the forum before the start of the season. Johnson is going to pieces - can't control a game, almost zero tactical kicking ability. For some reason he was shocked at being hooked last weekend?? Given Warriors have been reduced to buying journeymen, I can't see how it's going to get better.
pogo
Guest
Actually Waikato draught is pretty much the same as lion red (slightly different fermentation temperature apparently), brewed at the same site. Export gold is made by DB, and it's awful. Of course the Warriors used to be sponsored by DB Bitter, which meant they were appropriately introduced as the bitter warriors.
Joel Tiller
Roar Rookie
Export Gold or Lion Red - isn't it the same thing in a different can? Worse.. would be Waikato Draught
oikee
Guest
The players have to buy into Elliots coaching, they are yet to do this, the only 2 guys who know how to buy into Elliot are the 2 guys they bought. Nelson and Lowrie. You can watch the Warriors games and somehow tell that none of the warriors players are on the same page as Lowrie and Nelson, and both are Premiership players from last year, so dont try to tell me that the warrior players know what they are doing. The Warriors have got to start buying into what coaches are trying to teach them, stop looking into mirros, stop believing the press, the press are not going to win them games, they will just keep turning on them. The warriors have never really grasped this mentallity, and they still haven't. Elliot is trying hard to teach them without tough love, i think he needs the toughlove approach. I see just last week Wayne Bennett dropped Houston, one of the Knights best and hardest players, toughlove boys. Until the warriors put their trust in the coach, they wont believe. Cleary had their number, i am sure Elliot has already talked to cleary, he knows,. Throw away the mirrors warriors, this is league, not the catwalk in Malan, Italy, harden up sweethearts. hehe. .
oikee
Guest
That is right Brenden, you always need to have your senior players, Tommy should stay at Halfback, Put Carlos at five-eight, Johnson back to fullback for awhile, and Manu into the back row and the Fish and Tupou on the wings for now. Let them blood their for awhile. Any injuries, bring in Laumape. Roparti and Hurrell need to stay in the centres. That is a good solid backline for the future. They also have Nelson, so all the positions are covered. Any complaints, send them packing. If i was Elliot, i would let the guy who is going to the Panthers go, i like him as a player, but he gave in like a pricked balloon against his new club. Plus he already made some comments about Elliot before he even took over, time for Taylor i think his name. is gone. He wont be their next year, why take uop a spot you can now blood a younger kid who is going to be their. ??? Elliot needs to get tough.
pogo
Guest
There wa an interview with Owen Glenn where he banged on about how Elliott really impressed him with his vision for the club, sounds like he got suckered good.
maximillian
Guest
100% agree Pogo. Elliot is an average coach but he really has the gift of the gab so Im sure Owen Glenn thought this guy could change the team after his interview. I watched Elliot on 40/20 in NZ over the weekend & the way he was able to articulate what went wrong after the record loss was so impressive, that even I was thinking things arent that bad! Elliot comes across as a guy that can make a simple game like league incredibly complicated so Im not sure hes a good fit at the Warriors.
Brendan Bradford
Roar Pro
I don't think Leuluai is working out at all, but I'm not sure of Godinet's ability as a half. Tuimavave has potential but it would be risky putting him in the halves with Johnson.
maximillian
Guest
Id like to see Godinet playing in the halves with Johnson. Hes a creative player & adds spark on attack. Move Leuluai to the bench as a reserve hooker as this is his best position & the current halves combo isnt working. Put Laumape back on the wing & get rid of Tupou!
oikee
Guest
Nice to see you on the same page, now lets get Manu into the second row where he now belongs and put the Fish on the wing. All we need is chips and we have the complete seafood platter. hehe.
oikee
Guest
Pulling teeth, hehe. Stop it,
oikee
Guest
hehehe, yes i looked at that and knew it was wrong. hehe. But i had made my choice, do i look up Carlos Tuimavave and spell that perfect, or do i look up Authority, which i knew was wrong. I choosem Carlos. hehe.
Brendan Bradford
Roar Pro
Helps that Reynolds is playing behind the best forward pack in the competition. Johnson isn't a leading playmaker yet and he's definitely missing Maloney.
Ian M
Guest
I agree with moving Tuimavave to 6, Johnson's not been playing well but without any go forward, momentum or possession I'm not sure what he's supposed to do. He's got a lot of skill but he's not a leader, look how well he played with Foran doing the organising and leadership bit in the ANZAC test. Your being unkind with your cement comment. There's plenty of concrete in the Warriors team, trouble is it's all stored in their hands!
Pot Stirrer
Guest
Thats the Roosters
Pot Stirrer
Guest
Id say they went for Elliot over Ackland in the hope he could attract some other players.
peeeko
Roar Guru
careful there Robert
Sydney Kiwi
Guest
I actually agree with alot of what this article says having followed the warriors since inception. Pattern of form is play out of your skin at Mount Smart Stadium against allcomers then get betten by the lowliest team the next week end. There is the talent around, just look at the Kiwi league team Marshall/Foran/Luke and the big men from Canterbury. Why can't they attract these guys to play in NZ? Should they be based in Sydney with every other home game in Auckland, plenty of Kiwi supporters and players prefer to live there than NZ.
Damn Straight
Roar Rookie
"0rthority". Does that involve pulling teeth oikee?