From www.sportal.co.nz
With the 2006 season all but over for the New Zealand Warriors and their fans, head coach Ivan Cleary says he would still like to see the year out in style.
The Warriors have had a rollercoaster ride of a season including the worst possible start after the club was deducted four competition points by the NRL early in the year for a breach of the salary cap in 2005.
However, despite the off-field distractions, Cleary says he is extremely happy with how his first year in the job has gone.
"We've certainly improved as the year has gone on, probably on and off the field," he said
"We are a new club in a lot of areas and we like to think that we have made some progress and we should probably be bigger and better next year."
The Warriors currently sit at tenth on the competition ladder and, with just two games remaining in the regular season, the club has no mathematical chance of making the competition play-offs.
If not for the penalty the club may have snuck into the final eight, but only after round 26 will pundits know for sure whether this is the case.
However, Cleary says he has tried not to think much about the impact the penalty may have caused for him and his side, although he says if it is the only thing that costs the team a play-offs spot he will feel somewhat satisfied.
"Probably a little bit," he said when asked if he would take some satisfaction if the points were the only thing to keep his side out.
"The thing is, you can't look back and all we can do is say we have done our best."
Despite the Warriors' season inevitably coming to an end in Brisbane next week, Cleary says his only focus is on winning his last two matches.
"We really just want to finish the year," he said.
"I guess we will work that [the effect of the penalty] out when we get there and we just want to concentrate over the next couple of games and hopefully we finish well."
As for next year, Cleary says Warriors fans can expect some big things.
With the 2006 season all but over for the New Zealand Warriors and their fans, head coach Ivan Cleary says he would still like to see the year out in style.
The Warriors have had a rollercoaster ride of a season including the worst possible start after the club was deducted four competition points by the NRL early in the year for a breach of the salary cap in 2005.
However, despite the off-field distractions, Cleary says he is extremely happy with how his first year in the job has gone.
"We've certainly improved as the year has gone on, probably on and off the field," he said
"We are a new club in a lot of areas and we like to think that we have made some progress and we should probably be bigger and better next year."
The Warriors currently sit at tenth on the competition ladder and, with just two games remaining in the regular season, the club has no mathematical chance of making the competition play-offs.
If not for the penalty the club may have snuck into the final eight, but only after round 26 will pundits know for sure whether this is the case.
However, Cleary says he has tried not to think much about the impact the penalty may have caused for him and his side, although he says if it is the only thing that costs the team a play-offs spot he will feel somewhat satisfied.
"Probably a little bit," he said when asked if he would take some satisfaction if the points were the only thing to keep his side out.
"The thing is, you can't look back and all we can do is say we have done our best."
Despite the Warriors' season inevitably coming to an end in Brisbane next week, Cleary says his only focus is on winning his last two matches.
"We really just want to finish the year," he said.
"I guess we will work that [the effect of the penalty] out when we get there and we just want to concentrate over the next couple of games and hopefully we finish well."
As for next year, Cleary says Warriors fans can expect some big things.
