Warriors players and staff were distraught and in disbelief when they heard the news their coach, Stephen Kearney, had been sacked and that fill-in manager Todd Payten wouldn’t rule out some players returning to New Zealand.
Payten said the mood in the Warriors camp was like “a death in the family” and mentioned that players were “rattled” when Kearney told them his fate, having received a phone call from CEO Cameron George at 9:30am on Saturday after a 40-12 loss to South Sydney.
Todd was shocked and labelled this their greatest challenge since moving to Australia in early May without their families and friends, enabling the NRL to play with all 16 clubs.
Payten has always wanted to be an NRL coach but wasn’t sure if he wanted to raise his hand and take over from Kearney full-time. However, he said that he spoke CEO George and will open the position to find the best replacement possible.
There are lots of coaches out there that can take over the Warriors next season in Trent Barrett, Wayne Bennett, Craig Bellamy and Geoff Toovey, who are my main four, with someone like a Nathan Brown, recently sacked from the Knights, also in the running.
The Warriors should be better with the likes of Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Ken Maumalo, Peta Hiku and the experienced Blake Green and Adam Blair on the playing list.
In 2017 the Warriors finished 13th. In 2018 they made the finals after marvellous performances from Shaun Johnson but were knocked out in Week 1. They finished 13th again last season and lost Shaun Johnson in the process.
The Warriors have managed only two wins from six rounds, with a 37-26 win over the Cowboys in Round 5 and an 18-0 win over the Dragons in Round 3, but after a concerning 40-12 loss to Souths and after multiple disappointing seasons the Warriors CEO thought it was time for Kearney to go.
I do feel for him, though. He gave up everything to move to Australia in May and has a bunch of superstars who sometimes underperform. Whether it’s his fault or that of the players, no-one will know.
The players also gave him a farewell haka, but whether sacking Kearney right now was the right idea or not will be on show next Friday, when they will take on Cameron Smith’s Melbourne Storm, who recently suffered a 21-14 loss to Nathan Cleary’s Panthers.
Jacko
Guest
2 days international travel every 2 weeks for 26 weeks Noosa
Noosa Duck
Roar Rookie
Sylvester, they have a heap of talent over in NZ and the Warriors under 21's team a couple of seasons ago just about won the comp. its not a talent thing it is a motivational thing
Noosa Duck
Roar Rookie
fair enough ....... :stoked: However the players loved him, but to be honest I think you need a real hard arsed coach for that club the likes of Bellamy. I heard Lowie on the radio yesterday interviewed and he was going on a bout it's a special job in NZ and there are cultural aspects and blah, blah, blah, and I thought he we go again more excuses. The one thing he did say was that the new owners have played footy themselves and will not accept failure or excuses. So let us see how right this is. What amazes me is that the All Blacks have a massively high standard, the same with the NZ cricket team and their women's Hockey and netball teams, so why have the Rugby league team been such under-achievers?
Chris Love
Roar Guru
And he’s still below the average. A terrible average at that. It’s not like he’s dean pay that inherited the worst roster in the league with years of no cap space as they paid players to play for other clubs. Some decent talent has walked out the door and some good talent hasn’t exactly lit the world on fire since arriving either. Let’s not forget two terrible years at Parramatta. If I was performing as badly as him, I wouldn’t need to be sacked, I’d have the intestinal fortitude to resign.
Sylvester
Guest
It's hard to pinpoint long-term issues at the club that may have led to so much under-performance. In terms of front office, the years under Watson's ownership brought stability. They've had well regarded CEOs and very few off field dramas. Is it the travel? Is it the ability to attract players to Auckland? Overall, just poor recruitment? Some have said they need more "hardened" Aussie-raised players. I disagree. Aussie recruits have been among the biggest duds. I think there is an element of limited quality in the NZ domestic comp, but until recently most of these players have had time in competitive reserve grade and under-20s comps.
Sylvester
Guest
On point comment, Jacko. Kearney forgot he'd left Melbourne and a squad of players capable of robotically following a game plan. I think it was a worthy endeavour, because the Warriors have traditionally struggled with defence and ball handling. But with this roster, they needed to play with an element of risk.
Micko
Roar Rookie
Yes. Apparently this same agent has (had? :silly: ) five of the top Warriors players also under his wing. He basically threatened to get his players out of there asap if the Warriors got rid of Kearney as he is apparently well liked and very popular with the players. The Warriors are always in a precarious recruiting position as they struggle to keep top kiwi players, and always struggle to attract any decent aussie players to go over there whilst in their prime. Apparently this guy getting shafted means the Warriors now had room to move in regards to sacking the coach as this bloke now no longer has any leverage over the club in regards to being able to orchestrate a mass player defection of most of their elite players.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Creative? That Bellamy would be best choice for Broncos? I call it bleeding obvious.... I'll go to 30%, but not a penny more...
Rellum
Roar Guru
I feel creative sparks demands at least 40 :stoked:
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
:shocked: 20%. You only solved one club, I did the other 5. :)
Noosa Duck
Roar Rookie
You might expand by putting 2 more teams in Brisbane & one in Perth but like Melbourne you will never have enough interest in the big VFL /AFL states to have more than one team. However you could go a 14 team comp 28 game home & away comp and cut the Origin to 1 game and fit it into a season.
Noosa Duck
Roar Rookie
Chris 4 of their coaches were worse that he ......seriously worse. He is at 42% 4 were in the 30% and low 30's ... Chris how would you feel right now if your boss phoned you and sacked you. It is sad that you have been separated from your family for so long this virus thing has hurt a lot of people in many ways sadly.
Chris Love
Roar Guru
Miserable @ 45.5% with Kearney dragging that number down to where it is. Exceptionally difficult circumstances? They’ve been away from home less than two months. Whoopty doo. By this carry on, he’s leading the troops up the cliffs at Gallipoli. My father spent many more months away from home at the time just to put food on the table let alone to come play some rugby league. I haven’t seen my family in 6 months because of Corona virus. Let’s not pretend the Warriors aren’t seeing their families because they are on distant shores saving lives or putting their lives on the line with bullets flying everywhere.
Chris Love
Roar Guru
I feel for the Warriors but not for Kearney. Had his manager not been a cut throat that allegedly holding Warriors ownership over a barrel because he controlled a significant bunch of their stable, Kearney would have been gone last year. Bottom line is, he’s a crap coach. 24% win record at Parramatta. The nail in the coffin for me was him dropping an in form Luke Burt for Ken Sio who had 2 games under his belt. That weekend Burt Scored 3 tries and kicked 5 tries for Wenty and couldn’t get back in the side. What’s he done for the Warriors? The roster has actually gone backwards under Kearney. The two best things he’s done in his coaching career were 1. Allow Wayne better to coach the NZ side at a World Cup and 2 resign from the eels.
Noosa Duck
Roar Rookie
Jacko, do not disagree with that point . As I said he was going nowhere, it was obvious. My point is that why not do it at the end of the season, because I reckon things will not get any better by the end of the season regardless of who the coach may be. Yes he was not a good coach, but he is a great guy. but sadly that does not win footy games. I have had a lot to do with Polynesians and they have a laid back culture and they are difficult to motivate but it is doable. Respect is one thing, because if they do not respect you, no hope but if they do and you are fair with them they will lay their life on the line for you. I have some great Polynesian friends they are terrific people .
matth
Roar Guru
And he's 427 years old so I doubt he wants to head to Auckland to live.
matth
Roar Guru
How did he blackmail them and is this the same agent that has recently been deregistered?
Jacko
Guest
Noosa there has been around 6 owners in that 21 years and the current ones are pretty new. To me Kearney is a great guy who fits in with everybody and is well liked. Its just a shame he is not a good coach. I am not worried about the results but the teams Kearney coaches just dont know how to score try's. He promotes boring teams to death to win matches.....
Rellum
Roar Guru
I want a 50% cut of those fees, I started that so I desert at least 50% :)
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Now wouldn't that be interesting. Problem is that if that happened the poor club would be stuck there without funding/sponsorship to come back and the two clubs that came up wouldn't last. But then we could actually have a premiership like premier league where first past the post is the winner and reduce some of this crazy coach pressure.