Despite playing in two grand finals in their 20-year history, the New Zealand Warriors are the epitome of underachievement to most NRL fans.
A club that represents an entire country bursting with young talent should have more accolades to show for two decades competing for the top prize.
Worse than the lack of silverware in Auckland is the undesirable reputation of being a club with no heart and soul. This status must really hurt Warriors fans – the only thing that stings more than a lack of on-field success is the opinion that your club is ‘soft’.
Last year was forgettable for the Warriors. At one point the team was a premiership threat, but the entire season was derailed by a season-ending injury to Shaun Johnson.
It wasn’t so much the losing, it was how they lost that left the bitter taste in most people’s mouths. The club endured a succession of cricket scores as players appeared to wave the white flag.
Coming into 2016, the Warriors have snared two genuine superstars of the game: Roger Tuivasa-Sheck at fullback and Issac Luke in the hooker role.
The modern game has changed a lot over the last 10 years, and the migration towards more structured attack means a team virtually can’t win a comp unless they have a great spine. The Warriors now have this. Along with lynchpin Johnson at halfback and the underrated Jeff Robson likely to move into the five-eighth role, the Warriors are primed for success in 2016.
Or are they?
Given how great the balance looks on paper, I would normally be confident spruiking this team as the club to watch in 2016. However, the cloud of reservation that still remains is club history; the Warriors have often promised much and delivered little.
This club needS more than key signings to transform into a genuine threat. The culture needs a rebuild in addition to the roster, and I remain unconvinced that Andrew McFadden has the coaching ability to take them there.
I hope for New Zealand fans’ sake I am wrong.
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