A confident Warriors outfit has declared season 2018 as their year to finally deliver on expectations – because there are none.
Following a pre-season of minimal hope and hot takes for his side’s chances, coach Stephen Kearney claims, “Everyone’s expecting our season to be a write-off and we reckon we can deliver.”
The NRL’s perennial underachievers have tortured rugby league over the years, building belief with bald-faced fibs and internationals before routinely crashing into star-studded catastrophe.
But despite playing to their strengths again by bolstering their side ‘on paper’ – picking up promising gains in Tohu Harris, Peta Hiku, Adam Blair and Blake Green – many remain unconvinced, as it’s still the Warriors.
However, Kearney has seized the doubt as an opportunity to finally deliver something – just anything, as long as it’s something – challenging his players to embrace the rare chance to fall in a heap without it being a torturous surprise.
AAP Image/Dave Hunt
After decades of flaming out under intense expectation, the coach believes his side is already relishing the potential of “freely sucking” at football without the pressure of fans decrying another wasted season.
“There’s a real buzz around the group since everyone stopped believing in us,” Kearney boasted.
“We’d really appreciate if nobody ever relies on us again, to be honest.”
But the former international is under no illusions as to the task ahead, admitting letting down fans that are already let down could be his greatest challenge since forgetting he worked at Parramatta.
He acknowledges his squad will have to “work harder than ever to be a greater disappointment”, and that tweaks to their flawlessly unreliable game plan will be required, starting with the eradication of their incongruously excellent ball security.
But he is adamant the team is ready to capitalise on their window, citing that a team accomplished in internal and external pressure can surely do the same with apathy.
One player echoed Kearney’s sentiments:
“There’s a special feeling around the group, mainly inertia. Even though it’s only Round 1, it reminds me of the same vibe we have at finals time.”
In response to the club’s re-evaluated standards, the Warriors’ board has extended Kearney to 2025.
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