Staff Andrew Webster

[John Nick]

The plan is fine in my estimation (although i did enjoy the good arguments being put forward for change).
The issue at the moment is our ability to deliver on the plan consistently.

Our plan is to dominate territory and to exhaust the opposition who have to work it our from their end and they just can't get at us.

The reason the plan is not working is not a flaw in the plan.

We are turning over too much ball, we are giving away too many penalties.

Therefore the opposition are not tiring, in fact it is us that is tiring.

More recently the momentum swings engineered by us are sporadic, in bursts, and this is a function of missing Marata, Jazz, and Walker when those blokes are playing well. Curran was part of that metric too.

Last year our mobile bench would come on and kick up the momentum against a tiring opponent and we would finish the game over the top of them, like we almost did against Melbourne.

If you look at our losses this year, they are all speckled with costly errors and penalties at crucial times.

We are meant to be winning games by pressure, last night we let the pressure off, then compounded it by letting the resurgent Dragons get their tails up, put the pressure on us.

That was an ugly loss.

Our left edge attack is stagnating at the moment, needs more time, then we will be able to throw new stuff at teams.

Against the Dragons, if we had of played our plan properly, then at worst it would be a low scoring loss, at worst......but the plan was not the issue, us falling apart was the issue.

I am concerned about how Webster gets on picking these boys up for this week, that type of loss has seen many good NRL teams sink beneath the waves as their psyche is damaged by that type of humiliating defeat.

I know Webster is protective and conservative with our Juniors, but that is in their best interests long term, and that should be the plan over changing their stress loading by making them responsible on debut for trying to win a game that the seniors have dug them into a hole with....now that could really harm a players development...because if Webster had of thrown them in there while the game was still winnable....and we got thrashed, everyone including the rookies would be blaming them.

We are letting out of their end too easily. Missed tackles

 

[Buzz Killington]

However, if 'x, y, and z' isn't working, you need to be able to counter the new challenge with creativity and instinctiveness. As Mike Tyson famously said: "everyone has a plan until you get punched in the face". When the Warriors are getting punched this season, it doesn't seem to trigger a new response. Instead, they double down on the process and hope that the attrition of possession and field position will eventually yield results.

Your opinion on our game plan reminded me of the Ali vs Forman fight. Rope a dope! A few games this year we come into as favorites. We start strong, we tear up the field and we look unbeatable! But, as time drags on, our attack is failing to land that crucial knock out blow. We are dominating every stat early in the game, we have the opposition against the ropes. Then suddenly they fight back! And we have nothing left to throw at them. They absorbed all of our power punches and we have nothing left in our bag of tricks, we start to fall apart! We get rope a doped!

 

[Bluecat]

Not saying I think this should happen but I actually think CNK could transition better to centre after he’s already played for the Kiwis there to accommodate RTS at fullback in the past

I think RTS is the best fullback at the Warriors. But CNK is the best fullback for the Warriors. Like Ringo in The Beatles. Not the worlds best at anything but he ties it all together and because of that they all play better.
Webby has to be giving the whole RTS thing a lot of thought

 

[Wrighty]

I think RTS is the best fullback at the Warriors. But CNK is the best fullback for the Warriors. Like Ringo in The Beatles. Not the worlds best at anything but he ties it all together and because of that they all play better.
Webby has to be giving the whole RTS thing a lot of thought

If TMM gets hurt and CHT is injured they may ask RTS to try his hand at 6

 

[John Nick]

If TMM gets hurt and CHT is injured they may ask RTS to try his hand at 6

OMG

 

[#robbiemears]

I was concerned a few weeks back about Webby's regimented thought processes and unfortunately I'm more even worried now than before. He came to the Warriors with a very simple and methodical approach: there are 3 positive habits or patterns of play that increase the likelihood of winning NRL games, regardless of the opposition. Do them all really well and you're going to be competing in every game. Throw in lashings of rejuvenated self-belief (Webby's strength and lapped up by the squad last season after the dismal end to 2022), the addition of a few key players with hyper-competitive instincts, and 100% buy-in on this very basic but effective game plan, and you have the blueprint for 2023's success.

The problem is, though, when the plan stops working - for whatever reason - the buy-in diminishes, and the nice guy coach suddenly becomes less effective with his cliched positive mantra.

I love Webby's quirky glass half-full vibe. I think he's the right guy to fix this mess of a season and ultimately take the club to a premiership in the coming years. But his apparent inflexibility and his relentless process driven approach is wearing thin ... on us fans at least, and possibly the team too. On-field energy has felt flat all season, starting with the trials. Perhaps the incessant hysteria around their past achievements has taken it's toll mentally and emotionally. But the balance of the squad has also become a problem.

Both Capewell and Shek are signed long term. Webby may feel obliged to continue to select both regardless of form or impact. He personally convinced Capewell to move across the ditch and buy a home in Auckland. He was also a big part of the contingent that tempted Roger away from the attraction of easy Japanese money with the allure of a maiden Warriors premiership. Those are two heavy burdens to carry for a man of Webster's integrity.

Beyond that, he has a fullback who tries his guts out every single match, but just isn't dynamic or fast enough to threaten the line. Yet Webby has publicly gone into bat for CNK over and over again so I think we're stuck with him for the next few years. DWZ is increasingly a liability. Rocco is not performing like a first grade centre. But he's young and they've invested a lot into his trajectory. Tohu is re-signed for another year. He looks broken and exhausted but he will never play NSW Cup. Ford is a glorified battler who plods away diligently. But his continued selection despite his mediocrity underscores the broader dilemna. This is an aging, slow, and bland team on paper who played out of their skin for one season. They're now being sadly exposed for a lack of x-factor in what is shaping up to be the most evenly matched NRL competition in memory.

Webby has to step up and own this moment. I hope he drops the motivational speak and makes some tough calls. The team is in a rut, he's in a rut. It'll take some lateral thinking to dig themselves out of it.

 

[CWC]

I wouldn't mind some razzle dazzle, get Zyon Maiu’u/Laban back in with Ali, they're favorite to make it 3-7 soon anyway, nothing to lose, get the media to hype up some anti-Wahs sentiment, maybe that will energize the team with the "prove the critics wrong" mentality lol

 

[Noitall]

I was concerned a few weeks back about Webby's regimented thought processes and unfortunately I'm more even worried now than before. He came to the Warriors with a very simple and methodical approach: there are 3 positive habits or patterns of play that increase the likelihood of winning NRL games, regardless of the opposition. Do them all really well and you're going to be competing in every game. Throw in lashings of rejuvenated self-belief (Webby's strength and lapped up by the squad last season after the dismal end to 2022), the addition of a few key players with hyper-competitive instincts, and 100% buy-in on this very basic but effective game plan, and you have the blueprint for 2023's success.

The problem is, though, when the plan stops working - for whatever reason - the buy-in diminishes, and the nice guy coach suddenly becomes less effective with his cliched positive mantra.

I love Webby's quirky glass half-full vibe. I think he's the right guy to fix this mess of a season and ultimately take the club to a premiership in the coming years. But his apparent inflexibility and his relentless process driven approach is wearing thin ... on us fans at least, and possibly the team too. On-field energy has felt flat all season, starting with the trials. Perhaps the incessant hysteria around their past achievements has taken it's toll mentally and emotionally. But the balance of the squad has also become a problem.

Both Capewell and Shek are signed long term. Webby may feel obliged to continue to select both regardless of form or impact. He personally convinced Capewell to move across the ditch and buy a home in Auckland. He was also a big part of the contingent that tempted Roger away from the attraction of easy Japanese money with the allure of a maiden Warriors premiership. Those are two heavy burdens to carry for a man of Webster's integrity.

Beyond that, he has a fullback who tries his guts out every single match, but just isn't dynamic or fast enough to threaten the line. Yet Webby has publicly gone into bat for CNK over and over again so I think we're stuck with him for the next few years. DWZ is increasingly a liability. Rocco is not performing like a first grade centre. But he's young and they've invested a lot into his trajectory. Tohu is re-signed for another year. He looks broken and exhausted but he will never play NSW Cup. Ford is a glorified battler who plods away diligently. But his continued selection despite his mediocrity underscores the broader dilemna. This is an aging, slow, and bland team on paper who played out of their skin for one season. They're now being sadly exposed for a lack of x-factor in what is shaping up to be the most evenly matched NRL competition in memory.

Webby has to step up and own this moment. I hope he drops the motivational speak and makes some tough calls. The team is in a rut, he's in a rut. It'll take some lateral thinking to dig themselves out of it.

When I look at younger guys coming through in the grades at the Warriors, something about our squad reminds of the 2018 panthers team that we played in the opening rounds of the the finals and lost. They had a lot of established players like Sam Mckendry, Trent Merrin, James Tamou, Dean Whare and James Maloney among others and mixed in there was the next wave of Cleary, Luai, JFH, Yeo, Edwards and others. I believe that players like Capewell and RTS have been brought in to instill a high level of professionalism around training and preparation, the same for the JFH signing for next season. I believe SJ is playing the Maloney role he did at panthers in preparation of the next halves coming through. Maloney played halfback to Cleary five eighth when Cleary was coming through and I wonder if Metcalf five eighth to SJ halfback is going down the same direction? Really liking what Luke Hanson is showing too. Being the panthers were a couple of years away in 2018, I reckon we’re the same. Interestingly after that 2018 season, the panthers finished 10th in 2019 missing finals followed by a grand final loss in 2020 and winning it in 2021

 

[Wrighty]

I was concerned a few weeks back about Webby's regimented thought processes and unfortunately I'm more even worried now than before. He came to the Warriors with a very simple and methodical approach: there are 3 positive habits or patterns of play that increase the likelihood of winning NRL games, regardless of the opposition. Do them all really well and you're going to be competing in every game. Throw in lashings of rejuvenated self-belief (Webby's strength and lapped up by the squad last season after the dismal end to 2022), the addition of a few key players with hyper-competitive instincts, and 100% buy-in on this very basic but effective game plan, and you have the blueprint for 2023's success.

The problem is, though, when the plan stops working - for whatever reason - the buy-in diminishes, and the nice guy coach suddenly becomes less effective with his cliched positive mantra.

I love Webby's quirky glass half-full vibe. I think he's the right guy to fix this mess of a season and ultimately take the club to a premiership in the coming years. But his apparent inflexibility and his relentless process driven approach is wearing thin ... on us fans at least, and possibly the team too. On-field energy has felt flat all season, starting with the trials. Perhaps the incessant hysteria around their past achievements has taken it's toll mentally and emotionally. But the balance of the squad has also become a problem.

Both Capewell and Shek are signed long term. Webby may feel obliged to continue to select both regardless of form or impact. He personally convinced Capewell to move across the ditch and buy a home in Auckland. He was also a big part of the contingent that tempted Roger away from the attraction of easy Japanese money with the allure of a maiden Warriors premiership. Those are two heavy burdens to carry for a man of Webster's integrity.

Beyond that, he has a fullback who tries his guts out every single match, but just isn't dynamic or fast enough to threaten the line. Yet Webby has publicly gone into bat for CNK over and over again so I think we're stuck with him for the next few years. DWZ is increasingly a liability. Rocco is not performing like a first grade centre. But he's young and they've invested a lot into his trajectory. Tohu is re-signed for another year. He looks broken and exhausted but he will never play NSW Cup. Ford is a glorified battler who plods away diligently. But his continued selection despite his mediocrity underscores the broader dilemna. This is an aging, slow, and bland team on paper who played out of their skin for one season. They're now being sadly exposed for a lack of x-factor in what is shaping up to be the most evenly matched NRL competition in memory.

Webby has to step up and own this moment. I hope he drops the motivational speak and makes some tough calls. The team is in a rut, he's in a rut. It'll take some lateral thinking to dig themselves out of it.

I always feel sad when you weigh in on the disadvantages of a coach as invariably you are never proven to be wrong, and always proven to be right in the fullness of time.

 

[Wrighty]

My own views on Webster revolve around a pet theory of mine that everybody's strength is their weakness. People go to their strength too often. Webster strength is developing players and coaching and teaching rugby league to players.
After a loss he identifies why we lost and coaches the players to be better at the things we failed at the week before.
He doesn't consider dropping bad performers as he backs himself to coach that bad performer to improve.

 

[Damo]

What's up with the Wahs? April NRL efficiency update - The Rugby League Eye Test

Another month has passed in NRL season 2024 and we’re going to have another league wide efficiency update after some team specific deep dives on the Eels and Bulldogs. This marks one third of the way through the season already and the trends we’re seeing are more substantiated. And one such...

www.rugbyleagueeyetest.com

Great read and shows our system is working (for the most part). Predictability and lack of variance in attack an obvious negative.

 

[Beastmode]

Tough dilemma playing out here.
At what point do you change the win now mentality, concede the season is lost and start blooding young talent?

It’s going to be a long hard and honest discussion coming up if we fail to beat the Roosters and Penrith. The team looked mentally and physically cooked.

I don’t think anyone could have seen this coming. How Melbourne do it year after year is beyond me. But I imagine their secret sauce is not all that different to Webbys mixed in with the right ingredients of youth and experience

It will be intriguing to see what is done to reverse the slide. Everyone is always super reactive after a loss so calm heads need to prevale. I am still on Webby’s side because I see no one out there better. Good luck Andrew.

Frustrated, but still on your side.

 

[Inruin]

As discussed in other threads, it seems to me like last years success was the best and worst thing that could have happened.

 

[John Nick]

Tough dilemma playing out here.
At what point do you change the win now mentality, concede the season is lost and start blooding young talent?

It’s going to be a long hard and honest discussion coming up if we fail to beat the Roosters and Penrith. The team looked mentally and physically cooked.

I don’t think anyone could have seen this coming. How Melbourne do it year after year is beyond me. But I imagine their secret sauce is not all that different to Webbys mixed in with the right ingredients of youth and experience

It will be intriguing to see what is done to reverse the slide. Everyone is always super reactive after a loss so calm heads need to prevale. I am still on Webby’s side because I see no one out there better. Good luck Andrew.

Frustrated, but still on your side.

Agree with you about the storm.
Just look at the fullbacks/players succeeding at other clubs they have developed.
Hynes Drinkwater Meanie..

 

[Beastmode]

Agree with you about the storm.
Just look at the fullbacks/players succeeding at other clubs they have developed.
Hynes Drinkwater Meanie..

Yeah agree. Melbourne are blooding them really young. They have the advantage for not having to convince anyone though . The results speak for themselves. Eli is the classic example. Disillusioned youngerster with all the tools, and now look him… Webby is building, but these chinks in the armour isn’t helping .. expectations have gone through the roof in year one and needs to be pegged back

 

[Rizzah]

What's up with the Wahs? April NRL efficiency update - The Rugby League Eye Test

Another month has passed in NRL season 2024 and we’re going to have another league wide efficiency update after some team specific deep dives on the Eels and Bulldogs. This marks one third of the way through the season already and the trends we’re seeing are more substantiated. And one such...

www.rugbyleagueeyetest.com

Great read and shows our system is working (for the most part). Predictability and lack of variance in attack an obvious negative.

This makes me feel a tiny bit better about our prospects. We just need a spark. Webby has to fix up the options in attack.
Laban will help if he replaces Capewell. Oh to have Niukore back!

 

[jonesy101]

It's been noticeable without Metcalf that the long range tries have dried up - he has that instinctive x factor and is not quite in the trajectory of the likes of a Drinkwater or Walsh, but has that type of swagger which can have a positive influence to the overall confidence of the team. Also, without Curran and Niukore I have no doubt that with the weight of possession in the dying stages over the last couple games that one of those players would have been more than capable of driving over and we we'd be sitting pretty on the ladder and having a different conversation about the season. That's where I feel the point of difference is right now in comparison to the winning streaks of last season. Melbourne have had so many close games this season as well but have managed to finish of the other side of the ledger every time.

I am getting 2018-2019 vibes where we sort of fell away and that included some strange bench tactics (e.g. Playing Beale for 5 min. off the bench at the end of the game) along with reluctance to give more game time to some of the young talent coming through. I still have confidence in Webby not repeating those mistakes of 2019 though in this completely becoming a dud season.

 

[CWC]

Too early to write off the season at this stage, last year Cowboys had a chance to make it after a 2:6 start, Roosters even made it somehow, and Sharks were sliding down but still made the top 6. You're always gonna have a chance in the last month unless you lose every single game for the next 2 months, a long term Wahs fan should know lol

Webby probably experiencing Payton/Fitzgibbon's 2nd year syndrome

Still early enough to make some tweaks or if it comes to it positional changes and go deep

They haven't been clinical at what they're trying to do with the territory game, and if they translate those first 10 minute type energy for red zone attacks later in the game they can still score 20-30 points per game, weirdly enough they're still getting so many chances per game, just not converting.

 

[jonesy101]

Too early to write off the season at this stage, last year Cowboys had a chance to make it after a 2:6 start, Roosters even made it somehow, and Sharks were sliding down but still made the top 6. You're always gonna have a chance in the last month unless you lose every single game for the next 2 months, a long term Wahs fan should know lol

Webby probably experiencing Payton/Fitzgibbon's 2nd year syndrome

Still early enough to make some tweaks or if it comes to it positional changes and go deep

They haven't been clinical at what they're trying to do with the territory game, and if they translate those first 10 minute type energy for red zone attacks later in the game they can still score 20-30 points per game, weirdly enough they're still getting so many chances per game, just not converting.

Robbo had second year syndrome with the Roosters as well.

 

[Rick O’Shay]

This makes me feel a tiny bit better about our prospects. We just need a spark. Webby has to fix up the options in attack.
Laban will help if he replaces Capewell. Oh to have Niukore back!

Hopefully it's pasted up on Webby's office wall.