The New Zealand Warriors urgently need rebranding with a new nickname.
Warriors they most certainly are not and any link from this rugby league team to the fearsome Maori warriors of history is an insult.
No, ditch that Warriors name. Call them the New Zealand Coach-killers and you cannot go wrong.
I am still shaking my head at the first-half dealt up by the ‘Warriors’ against heavy underdogs the Wests Tigers in their 2016 season opener at Campbelltown.
It was a display that lacked heart, guts, team spirit and, above all, pride in a jumper that represents an entire nation.
And, despite an exciting player influx during the off-season, I expected it.
Yes, and I tipped the Tiger cubs in all of my tipping competitions with confidence. Why wouldn’t I? Well, history with the Kiwi club repeats. And repeats. And repeats…
The last time the so-called Warriors won a season opener was against Parramatta, way, way back in 2009. And next year will inevitably be the same old story.
I often wonder what happens in the off-season at Auckland.
The Warriors know who they’ll be up against in Round 1, be it home or away. For sure, they train their butts off to prepare for the new campaign and every player realises the club has an ugly record in season-openers to amend.
Nah. Nothing ever happens. New Zealand were down 28-4 against the Tigers at halftime, thanks to horrendous (and often laughable) defence, zero offerings in attack and an attitude that beggared belief for a club supposedly heading for one of its best years in the NRL.
It’s a safe bet that head coach Andy McFadden and his staff came up with a goodish gameplan for a team of finely tuned footballers, the majority of whom were internationals.
And what did they produce? A steaming pile of… is there are stronger stench than crap?
“Hang on a minute,” I hear you say, “the Warriors came back in the second half and almost jagged a win.”
If that happened, it would have been fool’s gold. Or papering over some pretty alarming cracks.
I have previously written columns on The Roar critical of the New Zealand team’s mental deficiencies and lack of heart when pressure is applied.
Some players at the New Zealand Warriors are not applying themselves, or trying hard enough for the entire 80 minutes. Opposing teams know it and simply bide their time before the cracks appear.
These players are frauds to the cause and deadweights on their teammates. They must be weeded out before another ball is kicked; dumped from first grade and possibly never to return.
It will not happen. The Coach-killers will inevitably claim another scalp.
McFadden, sadly, is a dead man walking.
He was signed on to coach footballers. He has no hope of coaching their hearts. The New Zealand Warriors will never achieve anything in the NRL until they get an 80-minute combination of ticker, mongrel and skill.
Cedric
Guest
Agree. I think Cleary is too nicer guy. The Warriors need toovey, a bloke who tells it like it is. I know in my day everyone liked a coach who said it plain and simple. Then maybe a team can bond around that and go forward. Justin Morgan their defensive coach was saying late last year how he wanted aggression. What would he have thought after the tigers game. I'd say he thought, no one has listened or believed in his thoughts!! Gee gotta think this broncos game is huge in terms of both mcfadden and Morgan!
Birdy
Guest
I think you got my point BBA. I remember listening to Dane Sorensen being interviewed on radio while I was in NZ. He talked about the totally different culture and discipline he experienced with not just cronulla but the whole competition . He said it was like learning the sport all over again. That was '79. No matter what the culture at the top there always seems to be a hurricane somewhere.
Benedict Arnold
Guest
I've been to both grand finals the warriors played in and if I were to compare those squads it is obvious something is missing compared to the 2002 squad. The 2002 squad had a good mix of Australian and nz players. Stacy jones, cleary and campion etc set a strong on field precedence. Even though they were beaten by an amazing roosters outfit I felt like that was the pinnacle of hunger I have seen from that club. They won the minor premiership that year and you could see self belief start to cement itself towards the back end of that season through the hard work put in every week for 80 minutes. The 2011 side that played manly was lucky to beat Melbourne off the back of SJ and a dominant power game and they couldn't produce the same thing against manly in the big dance (i was also at the prelim in Melbourne). The warriors need blokes that are really competitive and hate losing. A Kevin Campion. A JT, a Slater, a Price. They have ryan hoffman now but they need at least 3 of these guys in their squad at all times. I'm not saying the guys in the side now hate losing, I'm sure they don't like losing, but there just isn't enough that turn up every week for every minute giving their all to win a game of footy. They need players who ooze competitiveness that is infectious enough to lift all the others in the team to be like them. Isaac Luke and RTS are great players that they have gained but they lack this fundamental quality. For too long the warriors have accepted defeat before the fat lady sings with their hands on their hips and head pointed to the ground. The warriors are in desperate need of a wake up call and in desperate need of a leader who will make the types of decisions needed to change the course of the clubs culture. They need a wayne bennett or a des hasler or a bellamy. It's the only way they will change. Strong leadership who won't accept mediocrity, who aren't afraid to address the elephants in the rooms at warriors hq.
Richard Maybury
Guest
The Warriors need a new name...... try dropping that vomit inducing Vodeaphone bit, that would be a good start.
Samsonite
Guest
If you are to compare team it should be the AB'S and kiwis. Warriors frustrate the hell out if me. Better comparison is the under performing hurricanes rugby. Don't ever question the pride in the black and white V. Plenty of blood spilled by kiwis for their country.
Stu
Guest
Only when they're losing.... During the 2011 world cup they were being shown in the rugby fan zones
Stu
Guest
Bigger and Stronger? What planet are you on? The warriors have had one of the smallest packs going around for years. This is the same line that gets trotted out every year.
Stu
Guest
They've had the same home and away jersey for 3 years now. Things have changed since Doyle took over and now the warriors are among the best run clubs in the game. All they need is for the on field performance to improve which given the roster will happen.
steveng
Roar Rookie
Well Tim Prentice that is what we had to put up at Souths from Luke for years and he didn't disappoint in his first game for the Worries, their lethargic and complete none caring attitude was amazing and beggars belief, even Roger Tuivasa-Sheck looked ordinary.
james mcilroy
Guest
Look you guys across the ditch be aware that despite the title 'NZ' Warriors its only a team that represents Auckland. The rest of the country living outside the city see the team this way.
NateD
Guest
Good point on the Black Caps, agree that if they were more consistent fans would turn up and would get the backing of NZ. I am not starting argument of "part time fans" as I have always supported them but stopped going to games here in Sydney as I am stick of seeing them underperform, rather watch at home so I can down whisky's at 80min mark to forget haha
BBA
Guest
Agree Paulie (and with Birdy as well). It is interesting how wrong the culture has been at the Warriors, but at the end of the day I think the problem actually comes from the admin and management, they set the tone, and theoretically recruit the team that expresses the culture or brand, and provides the necessary resources and management to make it happen. Certainly with the AB comparison the real strength has to be in the administration and management of the AB's as being one of the major reasons that they have been strong for so long. My impression is that private ownership of the Warriors is part of the problem. The one thing that I am sure of is that there is a lot of support for the Warriors in NZ that if the team performs and improves there branding and image the public will get behind them. No better example then what has happened to the Black Caps profile in NZ.
Paulie
Guest
It is not learnt Birdy over one hundred years of pride and desire to wear the silver fern leaguies have a long way to go ask any young Kiwi boy what it means to be an All Black its ingrained.
HarryT
Guest
They have always played to a high standard against the Bulldogs.
Pepper Jack
Guest
Beaten in one by a far superior side, but a hell of an effort to get them there. The other by a team so blatant in their cheating they were stripped of the title
Jeffrey Dun
Roar Rookie
Agreed Barry. The Tigers were red-hot in the first half, but started playing touch footy in the second and gifted a number of try scoring opportunities to the Warriors. The WT are held in such low regard by most that if they happen to win, it is assumed that their opponents must have been very poor. I hope the Tigers' opponents going forward underestimate them as much as did the Warriors. They will embarrass quite a few more before the season is out.
Birdy
Guest
Hard not to agree Paulie, I call it the Olsen Filipana syndrome. Unstoppable man mountain but only hit the start button when he felt the desire. RL has prided itself for being one if the first sports to travel the globe to find everything and anything sport in order to improve our code. Since the Filipana days we have learnt how to coach players from across the ditch but apparently not a whole club. Is it possible we may be able to learn something from RU ? Shock horror.
Paulie
Guest
Imagine an All Black team as bad as this league side never in your wildest dreams pride and mana in the black jersey to powerful
woppadingo
Guest
Have to agree 100%. This is a team that should have won multiple premierships. Every coach they ever had suffered the same pea hearted spirit. Not even the great Wayne Bennett could get these guys to a premiership. They are bigger and stronger, and more skilled than any team in the competition. They could have run right over the top of the Tigers young cubs if they only tried. Poor Cappy McFadden is a good, skilled coach - but just another in a long line of coaches who will be betrayed by this team of no hopers. The only coach who ever got them to even approach some level of consistency was Ivan Cleary. And after years of trying to get them to the next level, he eventually took a job with a team that has spirit. Unfortunately for him he suffered some personal issues at the Panthers as well as a diabolical injury toll, and never got the chance to fulfill the potential he had there. Any coach who takes on the job after McFadden will be doing it for the paycheck.
Will Sinclair
Roar Guru
Thanks mate! Glad you mentioned Chris Lawrence actually - I thought he was really good on the weekend. If he can revive his career as a backrower, I will be delighted. He was so unlucky to get injured when he did. I am sort of encouraged by the performance... In some ways it felt like more of the same. Very, very good in the first half then tried to throw it all away in the second...