General Why has this team fallen off a cliff?

[Teeps4Shore]

Team, we need to talk. The last 9 weeks, this team has literally fallen off a cliff. There are a number of reasons, but it’s about time we dissected this and figured out where we have got it oh so wrong.

Remember, we were 3 and 2 and travelling ok. But the signs were there early as we should have won a couple of games we lost.

What the hell happened to our team? Before the season started we lauded our recruitment. Addin Fonua-Blake and Lodge were going to dominate, Shaun Johnson was the messiah risen from the dead, Walsh was going to carve up…. Simply put, this team has hit a brick wall.

What the heck has gone wrong? Internally, it cannot possibly be a happy team. Something surely has happened that has killed us.

Defensively we are worse than shit. How did we get so bad? Is it lack of effort?
What about the schoolboy errors? I swear if I see a kick out on the full again I will scream, let alone making a mistake straight after scoring points.

This year is destroying our club. Only the tigers and the dogs are as bad as us…titans only marginally better… but why are we SO rubbish???

I’d welcome all theories. To be honest, I just can’t watch games any more as it’s ruined my mental health. I just get angry - and that’s no good for anyone.

Where the hell do we go from here? How on earth does this team get off the canvas?

 

[dantheman]

Losing Lodge and decent length injuries to key players hasn't helped. Our defence is fucking awful as well along with our errors that even an under 6s side wouldn't make like kicking out on the full etc.

I said it last year but letting Hiku go was a mistake. Even though he had the odd poor performance he was the best centre we had and it shows now that he isn't here.

 

[Waiting For Premiership]

Easy answer number 7. Retirement package deal.

 

[95forever]

Let’s be honest we’ve been pretty poor for a long time. Terrible head coaches, recruiting old or second tier players, jobs for the boys as assistants. That one year with Corvo we played better but fuck that too hard for the poys. This year our whole backline has been a disaster especially on D. Teams just run through our edges like paper. Once we lost any sense of a pack it was goodnight. The simple idea of putting Aitken back on an edge to help the D seems to radical for them. It’ll feels like it’ll be a very long way back and Mohawk will probably get on the piss with some assistant and sign him for 8 years as head. Be very hard to watch Panthers game.

 

[Bluecat again]

In 1995 The Warriors were built on the edge of a cliff and it's been crumbling since.
It's just picking up speed over the last few years unfortunately

 

[Warriorsitsouryear]

Team, we need to talk. The last 9 weeks, this team has literally fallen off a cliff. There are a number of reasons, but it’s about time we dissected this and figured out where we have got it oh so wrong.

Remember, we were 3 and 2 and travelling ok. But the signs were there early as we should have won a couple of games we lost.

What the hell happened to our team? Before the season started we lauded our recruitment. Addin Fonua-Blake and Lodge were going to dominate, Shaun Johnson was the messiah risen from the dead, Walsh was going to carve up…. Simply put, this team has hit a brick wall.

What the heck has gone wrong? Internally, it cannot possibly be a happy team. Something surely has happened that has killed us.

Defensively we are worse than shit. How did we get so bad? Is it lack of effort?
What about the schoolboy errors? I swear if I see a kick out on the full again I will scream, let alone making a mistake straight after scoring points.

This year is destroying our club. Only the tigers and the dogs are as bad as us…titans only marginally better… but why are we SO rubbish???

I’d welcome all theories. To be honest, I just can’t watch games any more as it’s ruined my mental health. I just get angry - and that’s no good for anyone.

Where the hell do we go from here? How on earth does this team get off the canvas?

A lot of good questions. We do have excuses due to not living in their real homes or surrounded by extended family and friends.... we do feel we never really get the rub of the green with the officials. But they all knew what they were in for this year and the living arrangements... and if they performed better and started to dominate teams - maybe they would get more of the dubious calls go our way.

Players individually can all play better - thats for sure but you do have to question coaching by all involved. Defensively we concede the softest tries through unmarked wingers and we have no resilience ...teams scored on the 3rd tackle on our line rather than in thee 3rd repeated set on our line. Offensively - look at the shapes that the sharks through at us and compare that to what we threw at them. Thats coaching and execution.

In terms of school boy errors...well we have 5 school boys really... don't we have 5 x 19 year olds and three players that were playing union 2-3 years ago.

We need to get off field BS sorted from the owner down, we need to appoint the right Head Coach who chooses his assistants - we need a clear out. However, the way Stacy has spoken - I have liked what he has said - but what role is he best suited? Attack hasn't worked this year and at some point nostalgia of a club legend wears off in a team that is struggling - and solutions will be needed. Stacy might have those - I have no idea, time will tell. (Remember Fitler going to the Roosters to coach in similar circumstances). We have seen what Payton did with less when he coached us and how quickly he instilled resilience.... knowing that - we can look at the coaching and say that it has a massive effect! But no coach is coaching silly misreads in defense, dropping off tackles, not wrapping the ball up, sloppy decision making, dropped balls, passes to ground, kicks in general play out on the full and maybe an NRL record of kick offs out on the full in one season - yet we have only played 14 games.

I still love you though Warriors.... And I'll always support you! But please do better!!!

 

[95forever]

A lot of good questions. We do have excuses due to not living in their real homes or surrounded by extended family and friends.... we do feel we never really get the rub of the green with the officials. But they all knew what they were in for this year and the living arrangements... and if they performed better and started to dominate teams - maybe they would get more of the dubious calls go our way.

Players individually can all play better - thats for sure but you do have to question coaching by all involved. Defensively we concede the softest tries through unmarked wingers and we have no resilience ...teams scored on the 3rd tackle on our line rather than in thee 3rd repeated set on our line. Offensively - look at the shapes that the sharks through at us and compare that to what we threw at them. Thats coaching and execution.

In terms of school boy errors...well we have 5 school boys really... don't we have 5 x 19 year olds and three players that were playing union 2-3 years ago.

We need to get off field BS sorted from the owner down, we need to appoint the right Head Coach who chooses his assistants - we need a clear out. However, the way Stacy has spoken - I have liked what he has said - but what role is he best suited? Attack hasn't worked this year and at some point nostalgia of a club legend wears off in a team that is struggling - and solutions will be needed. Stacy might have those - I have no idea, time will tell. (Remember Fitler going to the Roosters to coach in similar circumstances). We have seen what Payton did with less when he coached us and how quickly he instilled resilience.... knowing that - we can look at the coaching and say that it has a massive effect! But no coach is coaching silly misreads in defense, dropping off tackles, not wrapping the ball up, sloppy decision making, dropped balls, passes to ground, kicks in general play out on the full and maybe an NRL record of kick offs out on the full in one season - yet we have only played 14 games.

I still love you though Warriors.... And I'll always support you! But please do better!!!

Good point about Payten. Came in and took the same group that was terrible and got them competing again. I know players follow Bennet but he gets results and Bellamy turns average players to good or great so coaching definitely matters. You can’t tell me Gould or someone wouldn’t walk in there tomorrow and get more out of the same people.

 

[Once A Warrior]

Defense is a huge problem teeps. But I fell like something more sinister happened in the lead up to Anzac Day clash with the storm.

I do 100% believe thier are players in this squad that are fighting each other and there could actually be a dislike for Shaun Johnson for whatever reason.

Last night confirmed it to me by the body language of Curren and Shaun behind Dallin Watene-Zelezniak.

People go is that all! But it feeds into the reporter saying a halfback is trying to deliberately not play to the coaches plan, could be Shaun Johnson could be nikorima.

This is my gut feel but they can't seem to get over a few issues. The coach is now gone, lodge left in the weirdest manner and was by far our best forward. It's a team that is divided its a team that doesn't trust each other let alone the staff. How they addressed any issues like they said they did hasn't gone away.

But before that Anzac Day game they looked happy, were playing for each other even though it was ugly.

I honestly think Shaun Johnsons Ego needs to go, I get hes behind a crap forward pack and its not helping him but for a guy of his experience he's doing a hell of a lot of bad school boy errors, his head is elsewhere.

I think he needs a break but simply if he gets one he should never return.

 

[Dunedin warrior]

There’s a few reasons, not being able to play in New Zealand. An injury toll which has continually put key players out of action. A defensive scheme that we look completely I’ll suited to implementing. We lack physicality compared to other teams.

My biggest concern though, is that we don’t seem like a happy team, very flat and disinterested. Stacey’s main priority and there were glimpses of improvement yesterday is to get them playing with 100% effort. That still won’t be enough to make them anywhere near a top 8 side but will give the incoming coach at least something to work with.

 

[Toookey]

Clearly there are lots of issues with the team and we’d be here all day if we wanted to discuss them all, but the thing for me is now we have moments in games that we play so we’ll. 10-20 minutes where we click and look like a good team.
The first 15 yesterday
The first 15 against the Knights.
The 25 minutes against the Rabbitohs
That 15-20 period against Sharks the first game.

It’s almost comical how quickly we switch from played well, to playing terribly. It’s like someone’s flicked a switch, and all of a sudden no one knows how to play rugby league any more. How the f**k does that happen? Is it fitness? Is it lack of game awareness? Fatigue happens and I can see someone slipping off a tackle, but it’s basic school boy errors, silly penalties and poor decision making all happening at once. Figure that out and we’ll at least beat the bottom 2 or 3 teams and avoid the spoon, if we don’t figure it out, we’ll we’re screwed

 

[Warriorsplz]

I think it's partially cause our guys seem to be getting frustrated at some things not going our way and then getting focused on that and tuning out, need to stay in the game and move past the errors. Also not paying respect to the footy and keeping switched on that you could be offloaded to or passed to at times.
Add that to our horrible defense this year where we just let teams roll up on us without putting pressure on the attackers most games and also some pretty bad calls defensively/offensively, not challenging high balls... When we get back to basics we're threatening but we can't seem to stick to that.

 

[snake77]

I’d welcome all theories. To be honest, I just can’t watch games any more as it’s ruined my mental health. I just get angry - and that’s no good for anyone.

Where the hell do we go from here? How on earth does this team get off the canvas?

I'm at this stage at the moment. I haven't been posting in the post-game threads as all it would be is to vent a few times. At least before I would try and find somewhere to improve or a positive.

I was close to skipping games in 2020 as I couldn't see where our points would come from. The way things improved under Payten got me interested again. This year the way things have fallen apart on the back of 10 years (2018 one exception) of poor seasons I've finally got to the point I need a bit of a break or ease back a bit. Last week Manly got to 14 points and my thinking was we won't score 14 and they'll score more I'll find something else to watch. Last night started well enough but once they got some field position and we can't defend our line the positive start was going to be negated.

At least a few of the poor years we could at least have a thread to debate if we'd make the finals as we were still in the race. It seems the last 5 years we've gotten worse.

 

[The Falcon]

Great thread!

Leadership/ Man management.
This is massive. The coaches voice needs to have cut through, be believable and bought into and identifying how to get the best out of their team.
We have seen this first hand at both ends of the scale - Peyton/ Brown. This has to be continued through to the assistants and senior playing group - which is where we have also lacked leadership.
This has been compounded by management playing silly buggers which does play on the mind of players. Professionalism has to be set from the very top, excellence expected from every club department. ( No management out on the razz with players ever! )

Inexperience.
Too many young guys at once.
Asking guys to play (important) starting roles in key positions without doing their time. This then breeds distrust from teammates that the guy inside or outside can’t do his job.
Great teams (responsible) might bring in one player - 2 and drip feed them exposure to first grade but not throw them all in the deep end as outright starters.

Castaways
3 years away from home has come home to roost. This has been an absolute hot mess which cannot be down played. This has set the club back the same amount of time they have been away. Players not in their own environment, no club culture, no home ground and true blue fans en mass each fortnight. The NRL should have foot the bill for a Warriors reserve grade side in Australia with the First grade squad for the good of the club.

Accountability
This has been impacted by not having a reserve grade side and an inability to drop players who are not performing while developing players at the same rate.
We have stuck with players because the cupboard is bare for alternatives.

Identity. Off Field
The club is thought of as a constant disappointment and underachiever.
This has stemmed from poor management and leadership. Once again getting players to cross the ditch will be impacted by not the move to NZ but how and who is running the club.

Identity. On Field.
Playing style. There is always change in how the game is played but good clubs are known for their playing style. The most successful periods of the club incorporated tough forwards with skill, scheming halves and tough/ skilful outside backs. As the club languish at the bottom of the ladder in key team stats this seems to say we don’t stand for anything but 17 guys running out on the field and waiting for someone to do something.

I’ll never throw in the towel and I want to be there when it comes good and It will - The appointment of a first choice coach and a couple of experienced recruits will go a long way to getting the club back on track.

 

[Geoff Public]

This team is mentally shot. That's why they do so many things below their own expectations.
Nathan Brown was mentally shot. In the end he was making poor team and interchange decisions.

Our reality is the TAB has us at $10 to beat the Panthers h2h.

It's not an instant fix. It's taken Payton a season to get the Cowboys going. Early in Bennetts tenure at Souths he said, he knows it works, it's getting the team to think the same. They weren't going that well .

If we beat, the Tigers, Dogs and Titans later this season, I'd class Stacey as a success. Right now his love for the club and Mt Smart games against those 3 are all we've got.

I'm hoping some time at home for some and a change of environment for the international players will help freshen them mentally.

Long term, it's already been said above.

 

[Wilko]

Easy answer number 7. Retirement package deal.

Who’s the fool that signed him ! Need to stop signing yesterday’s heroes!
I watched Egan closely and he takes the 3rd set to get to dummy half !
It’s simply not good enough! It musical chairs with the kicking game !
F—ck up the kick then give it to the next bloke !

 

[WellingtonOrca]

I watched Egan closely and he takes the 3rd set to get to dummy half !

I don't know why successive coaches now have insisted that Egan is an 80minute player, he's clearly not, and on top of that I think he was playing injured yesterday after that knock while scoring. Should have had Otukolo on the bench for a good 30 minutes around half time.

 

[Tim burgess]

Playing outside of NZ is a big factor, especially not knowing where you are going to live.

The other thing has been recruitment and the cultural fit within the club. Was Lodge and Johnson the right singing for the team.

Looking back the Broncos were happy to let him leave...why?? Johnson...the same.

These two are enough to break the dressing and cause divide. I don't know Lodge, but I would never have signed him. I didn't even like POS involvement with the club.

I'm a big one on honesty and integrity...it drives performance and outcomes. Bad egg in a place can do more harm than good.

 

[rugged]

The reason we are so bad is our edge defence. That is what compounds our other issues and every error we make.

I have no idea why we are so passive when an opposition playmaker gets the ball. we sit on our heels and give them all the time in the world

 

[mrblonde]

How often over the years when the Warriors have announced the signing of a senior player have we thought "Yes! Brilliant signing! He'll be great!" and if's worked out like that??

Struggling to think of anyone post Price/Wiki, frankly...

The re-signing of SJ2 is looking like the resigning of SJ1 back in 2008, sadly.

Since I've learned about the Salary Floor - the minimum of the Cap that each club has to spend - I've been wondering how many signings/resignings were "Well, we've got to spend that on someone....May as well be him..."

 

[Diesel]

I think there’s a few prima donnas that just don’t care anymore and happy to pick up a paycheck