If there was ever a team that was selfless in its duty to rugby league, the New Zealand Warriors would be sitting at the top right about now.
The sacrifices that all of the staff, players and families of this club have made to help the NRL continue are incredible.
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck turning down an early flight home to continue to lead his team typifies that sacrifice. I take off my proverbial hat to everyone involved.
Congratulations on a fantastic season considering the duress that the club and playing group were under.
Everyone in rugby league took them up as their second team, and after watching them demolish my hapless Knights with glee, I was hoping that they would demolish the Sharks last weekend and make a run into the finals, but the wheels seemed to fall off with losses to the Eels, Raiders and Sharks.
(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Now that Nathan Brown has been announced as the coach for the Warriors going forward, I will be quite interested to see how they progress next year.
They have unearthed some great young players this year, and having signed Addin Fonua-Blake and Peta Hiku, there are promising signs.
As a Knights fan, I have seen the qualities that Nathan Brown brings as coach, and he seems to excel at rebuilding struggling clubs and signing marquee players. Hopefully this continues and he can sign more great players for their club.
I have always thought that the Warriors should hold a natural advantage, with a massive pool over there of talented young rugby union and rugby league kids.
The New Zealand players that feature in so many clubs are quite often highly talented, fast, strong and fearless.
I remember every time I watched the Warriors as a kid thinking that it was like watching forward after forward doing runs as their centres and wingers were so big, trampling all before them. Manu Vatuvei springs to mind as an example.
If they are forced to be situated in Australia again next season, the NRL should do absolutely everything it can to make the players as comfortable with families, regardless of cost. It’s the least they can do for these men.
fiwiboy7042
Roar Rookie
I have always thought that the Warriors should hold a natural advantage, with a massive pool over there of talented young rugby union and rugby league kids. By that reckoning, the Wallabies should be much better than they are given their access to league (and maybe AFL) players. They are not and the reason for that can apply to the Warriors as well. I'd say that if the Warriors remain in Australia next season, it may pose an existential threat to all that they have done since 1995. The team will remain offshore (ie invisible to the NZ sporting scene); there is no domestic national league competition (it's zone based) and the NZ domestic rugby (and Super Rugby NZ) competition has been reinvigorated by the return of their senior players. Local sponsorship dollars, such as they are, may well be directed towards NZ Rugby union (happy with that) and the Warriors will become even more dependent on NRL funding. Small economy; limited places at the table. I also believe the countdown clock has begun for Mt Smart Stadium; the Warriors may have to move to Eden Park, which is partly owned (I think) by Auckland RU. Oh, and the serious rugby talent in NZ is NOT playing league, for the most part. Even RTS began his pro career as a junior Auckland Blue. (I was living in Auckland at the time Benji Marshall made the switch to the Auckland Blues Super Rugby side. I'm surprised he lasted the 5 games or so that he played).
Daniel "Darius" Boyd
Roar Rookie
That’s a pearler mate :laughing:
Rossi
Roar Rookie
Cook the man some eggs
Nat
Roar Rookie
I hope they can build on this year and I don't think Brown should be considering this role a rebuild. If coach can build a real defensive mindset, there's enough talent for points already there.
up in the north
Roar Rookie
Totally agree, if it weren't for the huge sacrifice of the Warriors club we wouldn't have had a competition as we know it this year. Well done and thank you.
AJL.
Roar Pro
Hopefully some accommodation can be made for the players' families if they have to stay in Australia for 2021. The Warriors have genuinely surprised me with a level of grit and resilience that they haven't been known for in the past. I feel like the adversity of 2021 might be a turning point in the club's history.
Tony
Roar Guru
Hey Darius! The Warriors have excelled in many ways this year, and let's hope it now gives them a credible base to build on. I see three negatives for them though: 1. They didn't get Tod Payton. 2. They did get Nathan Brown. 3. Gus "FIGJAM" Gould