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What's wrong with the Warriors?

Sam Tomkins has been a bust for the Warriors, but he's only part of the team's problem. (AAP Image/ Action Photographics, Shane Wenzlick)
Roar Guru
16th April, 2015
22

It looks like it’s a case of another year, same old Warriors. While it is only Round 6, the boys from New Zealand are already showing the indifferent form to which we have become accustomed.

The club added marquee signing Ryan Hoffman to its roster in the off season, and Shaun Johnson was awarded the golden boot at the end of last year, so 2015 was predicted to be his time to shine.

This was supposed to be the year the New Zealand franchise finally reached their potential, but yet again their opening to the season has left many unconvinced.

There is of course plenty of time for the Warriors to get it together and finish the year in the top four, but it is looking like a year when the club could again find itself in the bottom half of the ladder.

There is no arguing that the club has a talented roster. They have genuine superstars, their forward pack is strong, and they should be a club that rivals don’t want to play. I’m not convinced that this is the case at the moment.

The first step to reaching their potential is to turn their home ground into a fortress. The other 15 clubs are all forced to travel overseas to play the Warriors in a climate that is often colder than they are used to, this should be taken advantage of. At two wins from three games, it isn’t too late to make that happen, but in previous campaigns it hasn’t been the case.

While 2015 is far from over, it is good to see the Warriors are building for the future, signing Roger Tuivasa-Sheck. While this is a straight swap for Sam Tomkins, the Englishman failed to live up to expectations. Tuivasa-Sheck is the better fullback option, but is he the answer, or will he just become part of the Warriors’ recent mediocrity?

Last year I wrote an article claiming that the Warriors were going to fire home and finish in the top four. I was wrong.

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Maybe this year I’ll be wrong again and the Warriors will become premiership contenders.

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