Warriors skipper Simon Mannering has rejected suggestions that coach Matthew Elliott’s exit from the NRL club came after player pressure.
Elliott resigned five rounds into his second season with the Warriors after a meeting with chairman Bill Wavish following the 37-6 defeat to Cronulla on Saturday.
One of Elliott’s assistants, Andrew McFadden, has taken over as acting head coach until the end of the season.
Mannering says he has no idea how the speculation arose that the players had a hand in the change.
“I don’t know where the player revolt came into it,” he said.
“I don’t think us players have a leg to stand on in saying who the coach is with the performance we played on Saturday.”
Mannering said the news of Elliott’s departure came as a shock to the players when they were told on Monday morning.
He said the big discrepancies in the Warriors’ performances in their two wins and three losses this season wasn’t down to one person.
“Unfortunately Matt is the one that has taken the flak as the coach but as players we have to take responsibility also,” he said.
“We’re the ones on the field. We can control what happens out there.”
Mannering said the error-ridden display against the Sharks was something he hadn’t seen coming.
“But it’s nothing new for the club over the last couple of years,” he said.
“It’s been very frustrating to have a pretty good brand of football one week and then a pretty poor one. It’s something that does need to be addressed.”
Warriors chief executive Wayne Scurrah said it was “absolutely not” the case that players had gone to senior management with concerns about working with Elliott.
“I was at a players meeting this morning when we talked about it and everyone in the club knows we’ve made a lot of progress under Matt,” he said.
“Matt has given 100 per cent. At the end of the day, though, we’re measured on NRL results.”
Sylvester
Guest
I'm the first to bemoan the Warriors' inconsistency, but let's keep some perspective. This club has nowhere near the worst record in recent years.
Buzzard
Guest
Too much Kava drinking at this club, it fogs their brains or lack of brains. Give these boys a few shots of good ole fashion cowboy Whiskey and send them on the field. Bloody Kava? The Warriors players are always put in cotton wool, always fat and unfit. How can Conrad Hurrell turn up after Xmas 2 years in a row 10kgs over weight and out of condition. He needs to be told "Harden the F#$K up" act like a professional! No other NRL club would put up with that. The players need to take some responsibilities of their own.
Dave
Guest
Bah humbug. How boring. Simon stick to playing footy mate. This is a club with a basketcase of personalities and lchronic lack of disclipine. A typical case of the kids running the kindergarten. Nothing will ever come from glossing over the deep rooted culture problems in this club. Any coach going here would need to have a death wish. There are many around, Walters, Sheens, Taylor and Stone to name a few who are either ready for NRL first grade or have proven themselves in the top grade. As time goes on, it will be harder and harder to get a quality coach who has any self respect for his reputation. There would be more upside in waiting as an assistamt coach on a club with a stong culture than risk haveing "the never to coach again" tag applied because of this mob.
Clark
Guest
The management is beyond poor. The coach changes are starting to wear quite thin. Surely they need to realise by now that it isn't the coach.
Gavin
Guest
I know it's the same story year after year, but With a top coach, I don't think they'd be (so) inconsistent. It's a coaches job to get consistency in a team. Surely inconsistency isn't just a trait each individual at the club possesses?
Gus Paella
Guest
I hope he wasn't pushed. Even though he isn't a top coach, it would be a difficult task coaching the inconsistent and often horrible warriors.
Walter Penninger
Roar Guru
One down, how many to go?