Robbie your takes always prove prophetic. You were right about Nathan Brown for example from day one. Should we persevere with Webster? Will he come good? What is your take on him? Does he have it?
@Wrighty, I think this year is a defining one for Webster. It’s unfortunate because he’s clearly a long-term thinker, just getting started in his coaching career. But the hype machine driven by Cam and the NZ media around "Wah-mania" has created expectations that commercial success alone can't sustain if the team keeps floundering. And it’s not just about losing — it’s how they’re losing.
Webster seems determined to turn the Warriors into a Penrith clone, mirroring their style and development model. The problem? He’s not
Ivan Cleary, Metcalf is not Nathan Cleary, and the roster isn’t built for that approach. Where Penrith have game-breaking talent, the Warriors have inconsistency. Where the Panthers excel at disciplined, structured play, the Warriors have players who, in many cases, wouldn’t start at most NRL clubs.
The only coach who truly unlocked the Warriors’ potential was
Daniel Anderson. He didn’t try to copy anyone — he built a team around the talent he had, blending work ethic, competitiveness, and natural skill into a style uniquely suited to them. No one since has replicated that formula.
Coaches imprint their personality onto their teams. Ricky Stuart’s Raiders reflect his hard-nosed, win-at-all-costs mentality. Craig Bellamy's Melbourne sides mirror his relentless work ethic from his playing days. Des Hasler's teams, like him, are intense, unorthodox, and tireless.
And Webster? He’s a nice guy, a personable guy, and his Warriors play exactly like that — safe, predictable, and completely lacking in bite. There’s no aggression, no spark, just rigid adherence to a system that already feels outdated.