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Push-over scrums, ferocious gang-tackling, a lightning halfback and a classy fullback coming into their own – the Warriors should have the competition shaking in their studded boots.
Now three wins in a row, the Warriors are the best attacking side in the NRL.
Saturday’s 48-0 rout of an eager Parramatta was outrageous football from the NRL’s great entertainers, the dragon of the den who has finally awoken after a three-year hibernation.
The Warriors have opened a shop outside Rugby League Central selling confidence, consistency and cohesion. Donuts are a special sold to the Eels for one week only.
Put aside Ricky Stuart’s debut coaching gig with the Roosters in 2002, or Des Hasler’s success with the Bulldogs in 2012. Warriors’ coach Andrew McFadden has turned the club’s culture around, mere months after accepting the job following Matt Elliott’s resignation. Hard work, hard work and hard work are his mantras. From day one, it was a simple message – he has no place for shirkers.
Konrad Hurrell and Feleti Mateo, two of the team’s most talented but inconsistent players, were dropped because they weren’t operating at the level required. Simple. Now the Tongan Test representatives are among the Warriors’ most improved players of 2014 after doing the work necessary. That’s the McFadden effect.
The rookie head coach is doing what Ivan Cleary and Daniel Anderson achieved: turning the Warriors into a consistent team in both attack and defence.
In 2014, they are the competition’s leading side in attack with 385 points. Compare that with the golden years of 2002 (486) and 2011 (285) and it is following a similar pattern.
Since the defeat of Melbourne in Round 8, the Warriors have conceded an average of 16 points. Cleary’s 2002 team averaged 17 points against for the season. They’ve also managed to post two of their all-time winning margins – 48 points against the Eels and 42 points against the Raiders in May.
All premiership-winning clubs need a good halfback and fullback; the Warriors have that. Halfback Shaun Johnson has stepped up after his superb World Cup last year and led the way in the Kiwis’ strong showing in the April Test match versus the Kangaroos. He still has blistering speed, but marries this with a more consistent and mature kicking game.
Fullback Sam Tomkins has silenced even the most hardened of doubters with a canny display of confidence and speed in Saturday’s match. He is England’s top try-scorer because he creates space, has great footwork and takes his opportunities. Four tries against France and a hat trick against Wales on Test debut takes great belief and skill. His brand of no-nonsense play is just the tonic for the Auckland side, the opposite of Kiwi and now Salford fullback Kevin Locke.
Captain Simon Mannering, Queensland Origin forward Jacob Lillyman and New Zealand rep Ben Matulino’s quality are well known, but the younger forwards have really stepped up. Suaia Matagi, Ben Henry and Sebastine Ikahihifo have brought enthusiasm, but most importantly for McFadden, have bought work ethic too.
McFadden the player thrived on the same principles of hard work and determination – he played over 100 games in the NRL at hooker – and made the most of his ability (his own words). He is instilling this same ethic at the Warriors, who have some of the league’s most gifted players, but not always the discipline.
Take heed of Greek philosopher Epictetus, who wasn’t around to witness this year’s NRL season, but nevertheless wrote, “No man is able to make progress when he is wavering between opposite things.”
McFadden’s Warriors are focused on purely on consistency and building a culture based on hard work. The other finals teams had better watch out, we might see a Warriors legend formed this year after all.
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