NRL News: Fittler loses key adviser in Blues shake-up - but may use secret weapon to keep his job, Webster turns up heat on Warriors

Brad Fittler’s battle to keep the NSW Blues job continues to rage – and he’s lost a key ally with long-standing adviser and mate Greg Alexander stepping back from his Origin role.

Speaking on his morning radio show, Alexander explained that his race was run as a coaching assistant, with this year set to be his last under the current regime as he looks to concentrate on his broadcasting career with Fox and SEN.

“I spoke to Freddy last week and told him 2023 would be my final year,” he said.

“My time is done. After six years, I’ve got to say fantastic years, it’s over for me.

“We didn’t talk about who might do that role (as a successor). But after six years, and I’ve got to say six fantastic years, up and down, but that’s Origin, the rollercoaster, seductive as it is, to have another go.

“I’ve just decided that that’s enough. It’s been a massive part of my life for six years. But it’s a big commitment, and I’ve committed elsewhere.”

Fittler himself remains very committed to continuing in the job and has been building a case to carry on – with, according to reports in Newscorp papers, Ivan Cleary as a consultant.

The Penrith supremo was in the coaches’ box for the final match of 2023, the only game that NSW won, and the expectation is that he would fulfil a similar role in the future, assisting on gameday while concentrating on Panthers duties the rest of the time.

There is as yet no news on the rest of the coaching staff. Paul McGregor, Andrew Johns and Danny Buderus were the other members, and are expected to go around again next year should Fittler be retained by the NSWRL.

Warriors must build on Knights thrashing: Webster

Andrew Webster is warning the Warriors must improve on their season-best win in last week’s NRL semi-final if they are to seal a fairytale grand final berth.

The coach has confirmed veteran halfback Shaun Johnson will play in Saturday’s preliminary final against Brisbane after overcoming a calf tear.

Amid speculation over their ability to match it with the NRL’s heavyweights, the Warriors bullied in-form Newcastle in a 40-10 semi-final victory last Saturday that confirmed their spot in the third week of the finals.

Johnson masterminded an early 16-0 lead after spending the week under an injury cloud, captain Tohu Harris marshalled the middle and fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad clocked 299 metres – his best total for the year.

The Warriors, who finished second-last in 2022, are now only 80 minutes away from a first grand final appearance since 2011.

But Webster is urging his resurgent side not to rest on their laurels as they prepare to enter the Suncorp Stadium cauldron.

The Warriors will aim to cut the lapses in intensity that allowed Newcastle to seize momentum either side of halftime in Auckland.

Andrew Webster. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

“Everyone needs to be better. We all need to improve each week,” Webster said.

“What we did (against the Knights), we need to do for longer. 

“The best thing we did last week in the second half was apply pressure and make them come off their line. 

“We didn’t do that enough at the back end of the first half. We hadn’t done that for a while, leading up to that game.

“That was probably the best second-half performance we’ve had in a long time. We need to do that again but we need to do it for longer periods.”

Calf injuries are famously unpredictable but Johnson was confident after the Knights game he would be fit to face the Broncos.

Webster named the 33-year-old in his team on Tuesday and confirmed on arrival in Brisbane his star player would feature as planned.

“There’s no doubt. He’s going well. He’ll train tomorrow and he’ll play,” Webster said.

“He played great on the weekend. Everyone’s comfortable with what he achieved.

“He’s only going to be better than he was last week so we’re happy with that.”

The Warriors have faced Brisbane once this season, the Broncos winning 26-22 despite missing State of Origin representatives Reece Walsh, Pat Carrigan, Payne Haas, Thomas Flegler and Selwyn Cobbo.

The visitors are under no illusions as to the difficulty of facing a full-strength Brisbane.

“They’re fast, they’re explosive, they take their opportunities,” Webster said.

“But that’s fine. We go in there, we respect them, but we go in excited about the challenge.”
(AAP)