Watson points to a return to grass roots
01 March 2006
By ROBERT LOWE
Majority owner Eric Watson wants the New Zealand Warriors to move towards developing more local rugby league talent rather than buying in experience.
The National Rugby League (NRL) has hit the Warriors with a $A430,000 ($NZ486,535) fine and stripped them of four competition points because of salary cap irregularities in 2004 and 2005.
The Warriors have five days to respond to a breach notice issued yesterday and are assessing their options.
Watson said developing young talent was one of the attractions when his Cullen Sports Ltd, which owns 75 of the Warriors, took control of the club in 2000.
"When we bought the team, one of the things we were excited about was the development opportunities to bring New Zealand sportsman through to the top level of rugby league," he said yesterday.
"Somewhere along the line, we got a little off track. We've had to go outside our market. We've had to find players that are more senior and players that can enable us to compete."
However, the Warriors' recent fortunes suggested that the strategy hadn't worked, Watson said.
"I think for us, it's back to grass roots," he told journalists in a telephone conference call from Colorado.
"It's back to developing the young guys, the talented athletes that come from within New Zealand and want to play rugby league."
After making the playoffs each year from 2001 to 2003, the Warriors have failed to reach the post-season in their past two campaigns.
Their two biggest purchases over the period, props Steve Price and Ruben Wiki, were among their best performers last year in the pair's first season with the club.
But other players have come and gone without making a lasting impression.
The development route can already be seen in the present squad, with new coach Ivan Cleary giving local players a chance to put their hands up.
Meanwhile, Watson said Cullen Sports was committed to the Warriors for the long term, despite a loss of "around a million dollars" last year and a projected "multi-million dollar loss" this year.
He said the motivation for investing in the club had not been personal profit, as any money made would be re-injected into the sport.
The aim had been to "enjoy" turning around a poorly run organisation and giving something back to the community, and he and business partner Mark Hotchin were prepared to ride out the tough times.
Watson also said he accepted the fine imposed by the NRL, but attacked the docking of points.
"It just doesn't seem right," he said.
"The trans-Tasman rivalry going back more than 100 years is based on an even playing field. This puts us in a very difficult position in terms of guys competing with a hill of points to climb to get started."
The Warriors' first match is at home to Melbourne on March 12.
Chairman Maurice Kidd said the club would get back under the $A3.36 million cap, a prerequisite for competing in the NRL.
The amount that had to be reduced was "do-able", he told Sydney radio station 2KY.
Club management held meetings with players yesterday and assured them "legally binding contracts would be honoured", but payments might have to be deferred to reduce expenditure.
Kidd said the Warriors were considering an appeal against the deduction of points.
"We will be taking to the field in compliance with the cap in 2006 so why should we lose points for it?
"We have already been caught and fined for last year. I think it is too harsh."
https://stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3589033a1823,00.html
01 March 2006
By ROBERT LOWE
Majority owner Eric Watson wants the New Zealand Warriors to move towards developing more local rugby league talent rather than buying in experience.
The National Rugby League (NRL) has hit the Warriors with a $A430,000 ($NZ486,535) fine and stripped them of four competition points because of salary cap irregularities in 2004 and 2005.
The Warriors have five days to respond to a breach notice issued yesterday and are assessing their options.
Watson said developing young talent was one of the attractions when his Cullen Sports Ltd, which owns 75 of the Warriors, took control of the club in 2000.
"When we bought the team, one of the things we were excited about was the development opportunities to bring New Zealand sportsman through to the top level of rugby league," he said yesterday.
"Somewhere along the line, we got a little off track. We've had to go outside our market. We've had to find players that are more senior and players that can enable us to compete."
However, the Warriors' recent fortunes suggested that the strategy hadn't worked, Watson said.
"I think for us, it's back to grass roots," he told journalists in a telephone conference call from Colorado.
"It's back to developing the young guys, the talented athletes that come from within New Zealand and want to play rugby league."
After making the playoffs each year from 2001 to 2003, the Warriors have failed to reach the post-season in their past two campaigns.
Their two biggest purchases over the period, props Steve Price and Ruben Wiki, were among their best performers last year in the pair's first season with the club.
But other players have come and gone without making a lasting impression.
The development route can already be seen in the present squad, with new coach Ivan Cleary giving local players a chance to put their hands up.
Meanwhile, Watson said Cullen Sports was committed to the Warriors for the long term, despite a loss of "around a million dollars" last year and a projected "multi-million dollar loss" this year.
He said the motivation for investing in the club had not been personal profit, as any money made would be re-injected into the sport.
The aim had been to "enjoy" turning around a poorly run organisation and giving something back to the community, and he and business partner Mark Hotchin were prepared to ride out the tough times.
Watson also said he accepted the fine imposed by the NRL, but attacked the docking of points.
"It just doesn't seem right," he said.
"The trans-Tasman rivalry going back more than 100 years is based on an even playing field. This puts us in a very difficult position in terms of guys competing with a hill of points to climb to get started."
The Warriors' first match is at home to Melbourne on March 12.
Chairman Maurice Kidd said the club would get back under the $A3.36 million cap, a prerequisite for competing in the NRL.
The amount that had to be reduced was "do-able", he told Sydney radio station 2KY.
Club management held meetings with players yesterday and assured them "legally binding contracts would be honoured", but payments might have to be deferred to reduce expenditure.
Kidd said the Warriors were considering an appeal against the deduction of points.
"We will be taking to the field in compliance with the cap in 2006 so why should we lose points for it?
"We have already been caught and fined for last year. I think it is too harsh."
https://stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3589033a1823,00.html
