Staff Andrew Webster

[Beastmode]

100% . Also goes totally against the next man up philosophy and in this case he had a guy who has proven himself with each opportunity in Laban as next man up.

Yeah, he used some really fantastic buzz words last year like accountability, next man up, best man for the job…. trust the process (oops wrong guy!!)….

I caught SK out early… starting to wonder if Webster is a longer burn… actions speak louder than words and his actions have been nonsensical recently

Is he capable of making hard decisions - dropping Tohu is one of them. Letting AFB walk is another. CG and Robson can go give him a nudge if needed.

 

[Makasene]

Webby's in a bind. He went all in this season to win the comp with an aging roster, the addition of two new players on longer deals than they deserve, and the extension of another who is clearly past it. Now he's stuck with them all, unless they walk.

Who got the undeserved extension?

I can only think of Egan, Metcalf, Barnett, Lussick as being confirmed extensions this year

 

[KPWarrior]

Just an impression I'm getting, but he's starting to strike me as more of a motivational type of coach rather than the 'lay down the law' type.

I'm not sure anyone has enough motivational speaches to get through 27 rounds of week in week out footy and then take on a finals series.

I think back to the half time speach in the Sharks game last year when everything was shiny and new, great result in the end but not really sustainable in the course of a season.

I look forward to watching him grow as a coach because he's definately got something, the other side of coaching will come out of him (the hard calls).

Last year was just too much of a dramatic improvement that our expectations went through the roof, now we're starting to see some of our old traits coming back.

Right now I'd settle for signs of middle ground, but that hard edge will come out of him.

 

[Makasene]

Personally, I think 2023 has wrongly been put on a pedestal.

Our record in 2023 against Penrith, Storm, Roosters, Broncos, Rabbitohs was 0 wins, 8 losses.

Our end of season winning run included many turgid performances against crap teams.

Ultimately, we were blown off the park in the Grand Final qualifier.

Webby was one part of a big cog that made 2023 seem a great year. Home games were back after 3 years, the club worked their ass off to be more community like and plenty of wins contributed to the good feelings.

But, forensically speaking, 2023 was pretty average and having slipped below those levels this year we are now on the outside looking in.

 

[Damo]

Personally, I think 2023 has wrongly been put on a pedestal.

Our record in 2023 against Penrith, Storm, Roosters, Broncos, Rabbitohs was 0 wins, 8 losses.

Our end of season winning run included many turgid performances against crap teams.

Ultimately, we were blown off the park in the Grand Final qualifier.

Webby was one part of a big cog that made 2023 seem a great year. Home games were back after 3 years, the club worked their ass off to be more community like and plenty of wins contributed to the good feelings.

But, forensically speaking, 2023 was pretty average and having slipped below those levels this year we are now on the outside looking in.

Nah, we take those years. Even though we were pretenders it's still a good year.

 

[Makasene]

Nah, we take those years. Even though we were pretenders it's still a good year.

I didn't say it wasn't a good year - Top 4 should never be looked down upon.

But when you take a deep look, it is no surprise we are where we are.

 

[Damo]

I didn't say it wasn't a good year - Top 4 should never be looked down upon.

But when you take a deep look, it is no surprise we are where we are.

I take 'pretty average' as meaning below good. May have misinterpreted then.

 

[Makasene]

I take 'pretty average' as meaning below good. May have misinterpreted then.

Yes - from an analysis point of view we were middle of the pack.

Can't deny the vibes though which is what life is all about.

But, too many people thought the logical next step from 2023 was a Premiership.

My early season prediction was that if we finished 6th it should be considered a success. Even that looks a pipe dream now

 

[CWC]

Too perfect!

#chatgpt

It’s all part of the learning process for Webby. This adversity will serve him well to learn from and see what works. A good spray at seniors is needed if he wants to be respected

“ChatGPT, is it our year?”

 

[snake77]

If they were arguing and pointing fingers behind the post after the first try no wonder they let so many more in.

I said last year leading into the season I was worried about all his big statements about how much his team would fight, be resilient. His players would be held accountable. We had all of that before with previous coaches. I was happy to be proven wrong last year. I'd prefer last year was backed up though as consistency is what this club needs. Week after week, season after season. Not a run of games or a good season every so often.

Some of those things like having a resilient side etc are falling by the wayside now. If there is issues within the playing group he needs to sort it or select guys that are on board. The general public don't dissect players body language they just see a horrible performance and move on. It then takes a while to build that support back.

His selections last year didn't matter as much as we were winning. Seeing guys get injured then get their spot back when they are fit again as they didn't lose it. Even though their replacement had stepped up and taking the opportunity. Some instances last year it was also a case of someone getting injured opening up a spot as the other player was coming back making the decision easier.

This year as we have been struggling the selections are highlighted as struggling players get injured and end up coming back replacing guys that have performed.

 

[CWC]

Why can’t Webby see what the rest of us can.
Wests were the blueprint yesterday.
Actually the blueprint is us v Penrith, Dolphins and Cowboys with our depleted squad.
We were forced to alter our game plan, play some ad lib , eyes up football which worked.
I know it’s all been said.
Rigid game plan.
The use of the bench.
The use of Walker.
Father Time has crept up on a few.
A few others are just not quite good enough to hang your hat on but are good back up in a strong squad.
It’s been said on here that Webby is aiming for the title this year as you would but the players he was relying on are the ones hamstringing us now.

They are in the same bubble, I hope the worst loss in the most epic proportion will rough them up and start looking at the mirror and different opinions

This is probably like a super near miss on the motorway and they should be sharp and focused this week, otherwise there’s gonna be a huge crash to their careers

 

[Jimjam]

Why can’t Webby see what the rest of us can.
Wests were the blueprint yesterday.
Actually the blueprint is us v Penrith, Dolphins and Cowboys with our depleted squad.
We were forced to alter our game plan, play some ad lib , eyes up football which worked.
I know it’s all been said.
Rigid game plan.
The use of the bench.
The use of Walker.
Father Time has crept up on a few.
A few others are just not quite good enough to hang your hat on but are good back up in a strong squad.
It’s been said on here that Webby is aiming for the title this year as you would but the players he was relying on are the ones hamstringing us now.

The only players from the team that beat Cowboys and didn’t play against Titans were

DWZ - Suspended
Berry - Injured
Barnett - Origin
Capewell - Origin
Lussick - The only one available for selection

So everyone saying he has changed a winning team and having a good old cry about it should actually look at the facts.

 

[Makasene]

The only players from the team that beat Cowboys and didn’t play against Titans were

DWZ - Suspended
Berry - Injured
Barnett - Origin
Capewell - Origin
Lussick - The only one available for selection

So everyone saying he has changed a winning team and having a good old cry about it should actually look at the facts.

I've looked at the facts.

SJ didn't play against the Cowboys.

Walker started at 13

Tohu was on the bench

So I don't really understand your post...

 

[CWC]

The only players from the team that beat Cowboys and didn’t play against Titans were

DWZ - Suspended
Berry - Injured
Barnett - Origin
Capewell - Origin
Lussick - The only one available for selection

So everyone saying he has changed a winning team and having a good old cry about it should actually look at the facts.

The fact is since the Penrith/Dolphins epics he has dropped MGT, Taine, Afoa, CHT to bench, TMM back to s***, Walker out of position, Laban/Ale in and out

The Cowboys were flat af and masked our issues

 

[Inruin]

The only players from the team that beat Cowboys and didn’t play against Titans were

DWZ - Suspended
Berry - Injured
Barnett - Origin
Capewell - Origin
Lussick - The only one available for selection

So everyone saying he has changed a winning team and having a good old cry about it should actually look at the facts.

Everyone I've seen is saying he has gone back to what wasn't working rather than focusing on what did in that 3 game stretch. So, yes, look at the facts. Walker out of position that he has never played after killing it at 13. SJ back in the half's with TMM at 6 when previously TMM and CHT were killing it. Tohu starting at 13 and for longer than he should. RTS back in to centre which has been a failure. Kosi, well enough said there. Etc etc

 

[Christchurch_Warrior]

I've looked at the facts.

SJ didn't play against the Cowboys.

Walker started at 13

Tohu was on the bench

So I don't really understand your post...

Makes two of us who don't understand the post.

 

[CWC]

Everyone I've seen is saying he has gone back to what wasn't working rather than focusing on what did in that 3 game stretch. So, yes, look at the facts. Walker out of position that he has never played after killing it at 13. SJ back in the half's with TMM at 6 when previously TMM and CHT were killing it. Tohu starting at 13 and for longer than he should. RTS back in to centre which has been a failure. Kosi, well enough said there. Etc etc

Kosi should have been the last option when everyone other winger/centre is injured and he comes in as a folk hero, instead of first option back up

 

[#robbiemears]

Who got the undeserved extension?

I can only think of Egan, Metcalf, Barnett, Lussick as being confirmed extensions this year

Tohu extended in the offseason for 2025. Deserved at the time, now not looking so wise …

 

[Stalefish540]

There seems to be deep disharmony within the squad. Forget even about the performances of late, just look at the body language on the field: AFB blowing-up at someone - perhaps Tohu - when the review was unsuccessful; Egan remonstrating angrily at Walker. More concerning, Michael Burgess today quoted a Warriors supporter on Facebook who was at the match and said he couldn't believe the way the team was sniping at each other behind the posts after the Titans scored their first try.

Something has happened to trigger fractures and this has completely destroyed the resilience that was built during 2023. The players just don't seem to care enough right now to put in that extra effort in to cover for their teammates.

As we've all seen, these issues are most pronounced when the senior players are on the park. Yeah, they're old and slow. But I think this is only half the issue. The more important half is what none of us are privy too.

Webby's in a bind. He went all in this season to win the comp with an aging roster, the addition of two new players on longer deals than they deserve, and the extension of another who is clearly past it. Now he's stuck with them all, unless they walk.

At the same time, his risk averse strategy has meant that he's continued steadfastly with the same out of form players week after week because they're more experienced and might come good at some point. Being such a new head coach, perhaps he's also worried about the repercussions that losing the senior playing group might have on his own future (and with good reason: I was told that rebellions from Warrior senior players in the past resulted in the demise of Matty Elliott and Alex Corvo).

By staying loyal to a fault, Webby has perhaps created more internal friction with the young ambitious players by giving them the slightest taste of NRL (only when forced to through injury), then dumping them after they shine. Zion gets picked for a game off the bench, kills it with high energy and enthusiasm and is dropped. MGT is selected and plays with determination and aggression. He's been smashing it all season in NSW Cup. He gets dumped. DWZ is suspended. Who does Webby draw upon? Kosi ... again! The perennial failure at NRL level. Laban shows great potential for someone so young. He's solid every time he gets on the field. Barnett is called up to Origin. Webby ignores him and instead shifts Walker to second row.

It just seems to be such poor player management. All from a guy who prides himself on his people skills.

Webby doesn't drop players. He's Mr Nice Guy. That'll get him so far, until it doesn't. The worse thing for a leader when there's player unrest is to be a nice guy because it generally calls for really tough decisions to be made and people pleasers don't like rocking the boat. When you're winning, you can be everyone's mate. When you're losing, you need to stand up and demand accountability. Montoya said recently that he's never heard Webby give the players a spray. The moment I heard that I knew he was in trouble. Every great coach has a spray or two in them. They have to so that the players understand they aren't the boss.

If nothing else, the massacre from the Titans has unmasked what seemed to be percolating just below the surface all season. I hope Webby finds something in him this week to get to the bottom of it all.

This all feels pretty spot on as usual, mate.

It seems there could be a number of things bubbling under the surface at the club, that finally came to a head possibly in the lead up to this game where it boiled over.

Webby has made some very strange decisions throughout the year, which have appeared very odd and rigid at times with selection, bench use, and style of play.

So as we know it SJ didn't train from after the Manly game through till the pec injury in the Roosters game only doing captain's run each week. Yet we still ran all the attack and kicking through him for that month, despite it being completely worked out in the Dragons game and then onwards. During that run of losses we also had major middle injuries, and rather than bringing anyone up from cup or giving someone like Ale a bigger role. He instead went the route of running our senior middles at the red line minutes wise. Even having unused bench players at times, ala Roache who we saw in the Riff game as being more than capable.

It wasn't until the Riff game when his hand was forced with that we saw a change in game style with TMM taking the reins and the injection of some youthful energy/speed. This followed through into Phins game, and then also into the Cows game with Tohu now back in but on the bench where he should be so that was fine. Now while this run of games weren't perfect they definitely showed where we had been going wrong and what had been missing. It did strike me as odd that he mentioned in one of those post match pressers he didn't know TMM was able to do some of what he was doing.

The Storm game comes along which was always going to be tough, and then adding SJ back into the mix threw another spanner in the works. To me SJ was near invisible in that game, and everything good we did came on the left side anyway. There appeared to be a tug of war at times, and we played far slower and less direct than with the TMM/CHT in for those previous weeks.

Now something has to have boiled over during the week or pre game for the whole squad to just decide today we all aren't going to turn up and let the wheels completely fall off.

When I saw the teamlist on the Tuesday I thought it was Webby playing his weird games and there was no way we line up that way come kick off. He could have picked any number of combinations that wasn't what he did. Ford edge, Walker 13, Tohu prop or Ale in there and Tohu to bench. Laban was there and has proven to be solid also. Kosi another start after the Roosters game, when MGT proved his worth in the Phins game and could have easily played centre with Roger on the wing. In the second 20 of the first half I could swear we had Walker edge, Ford and Jazz props, with CHT as 13, with Egan not a Robson type also in there. That honestly just makes no sense whatsoever. He then held Laban and Ale on the bench till the 55th minute when Roger was sent to the bin.

Alarm bells were ringing in my ears at an ear piercing level watching and after that game. There was all sorts of sniping going on between players throughout the game, and players you can put the house on to give you 100% effort every week without fail were just as bad as the others.

It feels like there is three plausible issues that are bubbling away.

- Junior players showing they are more than worthy of holding spots in grade or being called upon when injuries occur. But instead Webby is going completely different routes which could be frustrating younger players and possibly even senior players who think the juniors are more worthy.
- A group in the team feel that TMM should be running the team, and then possibly others that still think it should be SJ.
- The AFB situation has been gathering steam throughout the season and is now starting to cause major issues in the playing group.

Tomorrow will be a very interesting list, but given what we've seen from Webby I'm not expecting much change. SJ out with injury, TMM handed the keys again with CHT at 6. Barnett will be back on the left edge after 18th man on Weds. DWZ back in for Kosi on the right. Tohu back to the bench with Walker starting at lock. If he somehow manages to get the rise out of them and we win both games with TMM into the bye, then it becomes a very tricky situation with SJ. But I'm not sure if much can change unless he really digs into that loss, and gets to the bottom of what is bubbling away with the miriad of possible issues.

Just some rambling thoughts anyway, not sure how coherent they are.

 

[CWC]