General Fixing the Warriors - Fans Edition

[tajhay]

We all think we know what the problem is with the club, so heres you chance. What would you do to fix the club? Who needs to go, who needs to stay? What changes need to be made to the club?

Numbnutsnz made an interesting post in 2013, touching on professionalism at the club. In year 2016, how many of those facets of the club have improved?

An Open Letter To The Warriors

As a long time fan of the club I have obviously seen it all, the grand finals, the near wooden spoons and the seasons where we should'a, could'a, would'a didn't. This season and the back end of 2012 is different though, where's the pride, the passion and the desperation to at least not get embarrassed?

There is no doubt the 17 on the pitch try. I couldn't imagine a professional sportsman being paid to live the dream of so many and not giving it all he has got, but the problem with this bunch is you just don't see it. It's the twitter jokes with opposition players pre and post match. It's the smiles and hugs after getting 60 points put on you. It's thinking all you have to do to be forgiven is a heartfelt apology on twitter. That doesn't cut it with this loyal yet frustrated group of supporters.

Changes need to be made and it's not removing the coach or dropping players, it's only a few minor little things that don't even need a dedicated practice day.

First thing is to pick a jersey and stick to it. This season the Warriors have worn more jerseys than they have wins in the W column. How can you have pride in a jersey and have that special feeling when putting it on when it changes every week? These players should be desperate to put on the black jersey with the red V every week, not wondering if their boots will match the blue, red, yellow, white, green or whatever other promotional colour management have conjured up.

Second is make it a club of men, not boys who turn up to games in hoodies and tracksuit pants. Part of playing like a professional outfit is looking like one. Arriving in professional dress can set the tone for the rest of the day and show opposition you care about how the club is perceived and represented. Men get angry, men fight, men give it all until there is nothing left to give then men shake hands get ready to do it again. What I'm seeing is boys laughing, boys hugging, boys trying until the game is to hard then boys catching up with friends until they get to see their other friends next week. This is the perception of many and few are happy with it.

Third is hold players accountable and don't shield them from criticism. The cringe worthy slogan 'True Warrior' has shielded the players from public criticism as voicing any is considered to be going against the 'True Warrior' philosophy. Well known fans like the holier than thou Mt Smart Joker say "nice try boys", "we'll get them next time" or "true Warriors stick together", anything against those lines and you're labelled a couch coach. Fans and particularly members pay a lot of money to be apart of the club and should not be considered anything less than a fan for calling players out or being unhappy with coaching decisions.

Basically you don't even have to win every game to keep most fans happy. All you need to do is play like you care, look like you care and do care when people are giving you a hard time, maybe then we might start to see some wins.

 

[jonno]

I think we need an indoor stadium. I've been saying it for a long time, but it's the weather.

 

[HornbyBrown]

That is a very good post. Hits on a lot of what I have been saying in other threads.

Being paid to play sport doesn't mean you are a pro. There will be plenty of amateur players in this country who act like better pro's than some members of this current squad.


The jersey thing is also a issue. Have one jersey that only has minor tweaks done to it and stick with it. Have a alternative jersey that only gets worn when we clash with the other team.

Have a no dick heads ploicy. Make the contracts easier to void if players are dick heads so we don't get stuck with them because of the cap.

It will take time but build a strong leadership group amongst the players. We really don't have many quality leaders in our senior players. We have lots of leaders, leaders that lead our young players astray!!!

 

[Bluecat again]

Wow. So much has changed at the club in 3 years but nothing has changed. But that first post would have been relevant over most of the last 21 years
And I certainly don't know how to fix it

 

[HornbyBrown]

Copy the All Blacks. Don't be shy about it. There are few if any teams in the world that have a better culture.

Hell I would pay Richie McCaw just to do pre season training with the boys. That guy gets looking after your body.

 

[jonno]

We've got too many players who don't study the fundamentals. It's a culture of hope, as opposed to a culture of conditioning. And the talent of the squad gets us over the line from time to time.

My advice: Be the best at the basics and everything else flows from there.

 

[wallacenz]

One home ground, give up on this marketing managers dream to move the team around the nation and this idea of renaming them the NZ warriors again to cash in. Its like super rugby expanding when everyone already hates the diluted product

 

[Ref]

I refereed two reserve grade teams on Saturday, who put their bodies on the line, time and time again, for 80 minutes.
They don't care who their coach is.
They might not have fully liked their respective game plans or even implemented it properly.
But there was no lack of professionalism and desire in their efforts.

 

[jonno]

We need to get this club back on some kind of track to success.

Players need to put their personal ambitions aside and start playing for the fans... Shocking idea I know, but it's what works.

 

[wazzas]

I think we should follow what the Panthers have done win the last 5 years.

1. We need to clean out the core players who do not have the desire to make sacrifices needed to be the best they can be and to win premierships.
2. We then need to replace them with players who are well conditioned to the grind of NRL football, and we need to be careful how much we are paying them and for how long, no risky long-term deals.
3. Player development needs improvement and I think we need to provide opportunities for youngsters to begin playing league at a much earlier age, not to rely on plucking talent from Union. We need to develop better connections with Auckland Rugby League and schools.
4. A team in the SG Ball U18's would be great in the medium-term, perhaps even basing ourselves in Australia if that's what it takes.
5. A new coach is not the priority unless a big name pops up, at the moment no coach will make improvements. I know people do not agree with team selections but I think Cappy is really struggling to build culture amongst this group. Its impossible if they lack desire, no amount of attitude changes will acquire consistency.

 

[jonno]

What is it that a young kid dreams of when they look at the Warriors playing in the NRL?

Is it the money some of them get paid? No, they are just kids so they don't understand money at their age.

It's the crowd going nuts. It's the emotion on the team mates faces when someone scores an awesome try to win the game.

That's the dream these fuck-knuckles have forgotten as they set their sights on the big payday. And it's this loss of this memory, for the universal dream of all sports fans, that's causing them so much heartache... How much money do they need to earn before they can begin to repair all these broken memories? No amount can do it IMO... Only honor and respect will dig them out of this hole...

Fuck it, I'm going to check the weather.

 

[Trugoy]

The more things change the more they stay the same. Ahhhh the woefully wonderful Warriors.
Can only hope (and I'm talking, hoping Brutus Beefcake will give you a mean fade kind of hope) that Doyle reeeealy earns his pay cheque and pulls us out of this ever widening muddy hole.

The way things look from the outside, is there really any realistic option but to totally clean house and start again?

 

[69kingswood]

They need to start using defence as their main weapon. Nothing would make us fans happier. Shaun Johnson needs someone behind him who will threaten to take his 7 jersey if he continues to produce poor game management. Although his last play options were alot better last week.... kick some 40 20s. Go for the odd one on one strip when the oppositions on their 2nd or 3rd play.

 

[Leaguegod]

I think we should follow what the Panthers have done win the last 5 years.

1. We need to clean out the core players who do not have the desire to make sacrifices needed to be the best they can be and to win premierships.
2. We then need to replace them with players who are well conditioned to the grind of NRL football, and we need to be careful how much we are paying them and for how long, no risky long-term deals.
3. Player development needs improvement and I think we need to provide opportunities for youngsters to begin playing league at a much earlier age, not to rely on plucking talent from Union. We need to develop better connections with Auckland Rugby League and schools.
4. A team in the SG Ball U18's would be great in the medium-term, perhaps even basing ourselves in Australia if that's what it takes.
5. A new coach is not the priority unless a big name pops up, at the moment no coach will make improvements. I know people do not agree with team selections but I think Cappy is really struggling to build culture amongst this group. Its impossible if they lack desire, no amount of attitude changes will acquire consistency.

6. SACK IVAN CLEARY oops we have both done that, fuck gus gould!

 

[Danpatmac]

pay big big money to get an Australian, experienced, successful and respected football department.

Director of Football
Coach

otherwise dont bother doing anything

 

[Maraea]

Credibility. A new coach. A scout in Brisbane. Credibility. Can't buy a team full of aussies so forget about it. Why is it taking these fellas so long to realise where they need to start building?

 

[Pete]

We don't need a team of experienced Aussies. If a superstar is available or really good value for money then we should grab them but the playing of Aussies when they offer nothing on attack and defence annoys me. When the Kiwi team is on form and well drilled and motivated they are unstoppable. Just need to get the right direction from the top. Definitely need a player clean out to go with the coach clean out.

 

[Gizzyfan]

Never will happen but a few years ago when the Bay of Plenty Rugby Union was in financial strife the NPC team stayed in Backpacker dormitories. Everyone thought the team would implode. However it brought them together.

The Warriors, it is painfully obvious, need to be brought together as a team. Management need to split the factions until they can be moved on.

What is the point of taking games out of Auckland if the opposition does more promotion. Raiders enjoy their own company and good on them. It translates onto the field. They played for each other while the Warriors looked like they were running their moves on the training field.

I can't stress enough. What happens off field will affect on field performance. Start with dress codes. These guys are not from the 'hood', they represent the Warriors, they are supposed to be professional sportsmen. Number 1, look like it.

My opinion is they need attacking structures, however, they need to play what is in front of them rather than we are in such and such a position so we use such and such a play. They may well be following instruction but there seemed to be a lack of belief and intent. They need to work to put other players into space, those other players have to be in motion to create doubt. Everything is being executed way behind the advantage line. They are doing the minimum.

Defence is an attitude, that attitude is missing. I suspect it is trust. If you don't trust others in the line no good will come of it. Such performances are not sustainable if they want to be credible.

In summary, discipline is missing, if the players are not self disciplined, then Coaches and Managers need to step up and instil discipline. Soldiers I have spoken to who have been through WW2, Korea, Viet Nam up to the present all say that they thought doing drill, marching up and down seemed pointless, until they went into battle. Then they appreciated the discipline through teamwork and a clear command structure gained.

Everybody at the Warriors needs to understand and step up and fulfil their roles. It is not the players and Coaches in isolation for instance. Over the years there has been a culture of looking for someone to blame rather than looking for solutions. The easy target is the Coach, as bad results are how they are judged, good results are expected.

 

[Nesio McCarthy]

The changes I would make at the Warriors.

1. Sack the whole football department.

The head of recruitment was a junior development coach and assistant coach, what credentials does he have in the form of recruitment and rentention? The football operations manager hasn't even been an Auckland club president and now he overseas a multi million dollar football operation? The junior development officer has consistently let through players who have gone on to other clubs and been a success, with his excuse being "we can't keep them all", quite frankly your keeping the wrong kids and letting go of the right ones, trainers, Holden cup coaches the whole lot (except Stacey of course) need to be shown the door. How on earth they are still in jobs is beyond me.

The first appointment would be a football operations manager who has a proven track record, throw the bank at this person because he will need to re-locate from Australia and bring his family, quite frankly not one person in NZ has the experience for this role and this person will have to come from an existing NRL club in Australia or out of retirement.

2. Hire a coach and the support staff to back him up, what I mean is, if a head coach has already hand picked his assistants, trainers, support staff, then hire the lot of them and not just the coach, you are kidding if your just going to hire a coach and keep the same support staff, it doesn't work like that. You have to have the right balance, if you have a head coach who is a disciplinarian, hard headed, straight to the point, his assistants need to be the opposite, someone to kiss and hug the boys after the head coach has just blasted the shit out of them, it's all about BALANCE, hence why head coaches take there support staff with them because they know and trust each other and they compliment one another. How cappy and the other assistant coaches are together? Who knows, but if they are getting blasted by cappy, and he other assistant coaches also, guarantee the boys are walking off the training paddock thinking "fuck this shit, they can all get effed", and if your reading this and thinking "they are paid to play rugby league, they need to harden up", then please uppercut yourself because you have no idea about what it takes to play at that level. If you turn up to work and get blasted from the manager, your supervisor and assistant supervisor, would you want to turn up to work each day? I rest my case.

3. The roster, I have no doubt in my mind the current roster can be a premiership contender, without a shadow of a doubt. Here's where the inexperience in the football department shows, they let go of Faitala-Mariner for Shaun Lane.........END OF STORY. Looks like he's playing finals footy this year while Shaun Lane plays in the Second grade. Great swap guys.

The one thing that opposing teams would always get when playing the Warriors? Was a forward pack that would physically dominate them in attack and defence. PERIOD.

With the abundance of middle forwards at the club

Matulino
Vete
Sao
Gavet
Faitala-Mariner (before he left)
Lisone
Palavi

How on earth are they not absolutely dominating opposing forward packs? Throw in Luke-Hoffman-Mannering-Thompson-Lillyman?

If I were coach, and had the current roster? I would implement a Power game based around go forward in attack and a mind set in defence of absolute pain and physically hurting the opposition. Seems basic? Rugby league is a simple game, all this technique bullshit that Justin Morgan and Cappy have brought from Melbourne isn't working, I'd go right back to the basics, first up contact in numbers with agressive line speed, encourage hits, hurt, pain to the opposition through controlled aggression.

The ingredients are all at the club, just waiting for the right people to lead them to the promise land.

Goodnight and God bless

 

[koolkat]

Post it I'll bloody sign it with a cut half membership in there.i can't stick up for them anymore, fuckem right now I've had a gut full of excuses why we can't win.id say right now only 3 players would make another nrl starting line up.