2019 - You Want The Cold Hard Truth. It's Over.

[Iron Lion]

Last season the Warriors snuck into the finals and finished in the eighth spot with 15 victories.

Meaning the Warriors could still make it but they would need to win 13 of their remaining 16 games, which looks unlikely by judging Stephen Kearney's coaching ability.

It is clear and obvious Kearney cannot coach. We still have him for years to come

Forget the bullshit. This is not a rebuilding year.

A well-coached team could cope with the loss of Shaun Johnson.

His use of the bench is atrocious.

His tactics are non-existent.

His strategy is non-existent.

His ability to adapt on the fly is non-existent.

Isaiah Papalli is not NRL Standard or close to ready.

Adam Blair is no longer NRL Standard

Ken Maumalo is not a winger.

Jazz Tevaga is not a hooker.

Gerard Beale is ISP quality at best.

Pita Hiku is too rocks and diamonds to play NRL.

Blake Green is extremely overrated and playing on old legs.

Agantius Passi is a bench prop who is starting.

Leeson Ah Mau is a bench prop who is starting.

Chris Satae signed for 3 years then given no minutes to develop - I mean WTF!!???

Liga Sao is continually overlooked.

Issac Luke a shadow of the player he was.

If this is the team that remains at the Warriors. We won't make the finals in 2020 either. The year management aimed to win the competition.

I am shocked and horrified by the lack of planning and structure at the Warriors.

What an embarrassment.

It's simply appalling and there is no reason to believe we will improve. NONE.

The most positive thing about the Warriors is YOU.

You keep believing. You keep supporting. You remain consistent.

This club would be nothing without you.

 

[JJ]

Agree with all of it, but shouldn't the Warriors win 27% more often without Mannering?

 

[Benek]

Hard to disagree with any of that.

Except Passi has shown at times he can be a good starting prop. For most of last year and some games this year he's been our best prop. He's the least of our worries in the middle.

 

[Mr Angry]

Could have wrote this in February and been accurate.

Instead they re-signed the coach.....ouch.

 

[TheDMC]

I don't agree with the assessment of all the players, but the coach is mud for sure. Fact is, with a high quality coach the team and its individuals would be playing a lot lot better, top 8 material for sure. "Tired legs" would suddenly be "new lease of life" etc. Look at Manly, not like its a whole new roster this year...

 

[Matua]

Wow, all those players rated but Kata overlooked for criticism. Oh that's right, this is going to be his breakout year.

Agree that the season is over though.

 

[Blair]

...

The most positive thing about the Warriors is YOU.

You keep believing. You keep supporting. You remain consistent.

This club would be nothing without you.

Thanks for the sentiments. I hope club management knows though that people like me aren't going to first grade games in Sydney this year, due to the vibe thus far.

 

[Matua]

Thanks for the sentiments. I hope club management knows though that people like me aren't going to first grade games in Sydney this year, due to the vibe thus far.

I'm going to go to the Parramatta game - but that's just to go the new ground. Going to treat it as a day trip and take the ferry down, go out for some food (I hope Parrammatta have restaurants) and check out the park.

 

[Blair]

I'm going to go to the Parramatta game - but that's just to go the new ground. Going to treat it as a day trip and take the ferry down, go out for some food (I hope Parrammatta have restaurants) and check out the park.

You'll enjoy it, until kick-off! Nah, have fun all round. I'll go too if we're showing some heart and, perhaps, mid-to-late season contention.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Great post.

What is there truly to be excited about at this club at the moment? It's a bit thin on the ground. Here's where I'm with that.

1. RTS - It's a privilege to watch this guy in action. His 2018 was incredible and you could very well say he carried us into the finals directly on his own back. The professionalism that he shows and his consistency and skill level, I don't remember it from someone in an under-performing club too often (apart from Gallen and potentially some I'm not recalling right now). Trouble is, I don't think I'm the only person watching that has this horrible feeling he won't shoulder it past his current contract and that a new challenge (ie the ABs) might be calling.

2. Young guys - not many to be truly excited about, at least for someone like me who no longer watches the lower grades. CHT has some potential and something to get a bit excited about, whether or not that develops any time soon obviously lies with Green. Roache has shown in the past he's got something if he stays fit (but again, game time an issue) and Herbert obviously debuted well. Perham seems to have some class too. But for all these guys there's Lisones, Katas, Sataes, who aren't advancing after years in the system. Obviously our environment isn't conducive to bringing young stars though, be it coaching or knowledgeable team-mates wise

3- Umm..

I'd argue now is as depressing as it's ever been from 2012 onwards. In fact perhaps more so seeing we got a taste of a good season, and now we're back to being also-rans.

This season is definitely a goner, and unless this management team - who seem to back themselves in - has a big-picture plan to bring guys in (and I include a coach in this) it's not getting better any time soon. And honestly, I have a life edict to be positive in everything I do. I just can't see where this side is getting better when your 'stars' (ie Luke, Green, Blair etc) definitely have their best behind them, and there's hardly any level of consistency around them.

 

[JJ]

It's the year of delivery

 

[Iron Lion]

Agree with all of it, but shouldn't the Warriors win 27% more often without Mannering?

Listen I was very tough on Mannering.

I wanted more dimension out of him.

I felt his lack of offence hurt us.

Id take Mannering in a heartbeat over Papalii and Blair.

Hard to disagree with any of that.

Except Passi has shown at times he can be a good starting prop. For most of last year and some games this year he's been our best prop. He's the least of our worries in the middle.

Consistency is missing.

Good days are great. Poor days he is missing in action and low production.

That is why he has to be a bench prop. So he has one job to do. Make it simple for him.

Could have wrote this in February and been accurate.

Instead they re-signed the coach.....ouch.

Yeah well hope and optimism and all that......... See the consequences now.

I don't agree with the assessment of all the players, but the coach is mud for sure. Fact is, with a high quality coach the team and its individuals would be playing a lot lot better, top 8 material for sure. "Tired legs" would suddenly be "new lease of life" etc. Look at Manly, not like its a whole new roster this year...

Manly is the perfect example. I admire that club.

They battle, they fight, they survive.

They never pull their pants down and say ' come on have it, have more, all you want - a slice for you, a slice for you, a slice for you'

Wow, all those players rated but Kata overlooked for criticism. Oh that's right, this is going to be his breakout year.

Agree that the season is over though.

'Oh shit you got me!'

I forgot about Kata. Let him play reserve grade.

I got it wrong. In all reality, this should of been his year.

Maturity. Fresh off the offseason. Powerhouse.

What a letdown. They never work on these guys head games. They play fortnite every night when they should be playing chess.

Least I got Burr right!

Thanks for the sentiments. I hope club management knows though that people like me aren't going to first grade games in Sydney this year, due to the vibe thus far.

The club should be openly addressing our concerns. That would be the smart thing to do.

2. Young guys - not many to be truly excited about, at least for someone like me who no longer watches the lower grades. CHT has some potential and something to get a bit excited about, whether or not that develops any time soon obviously lies with Green. Roache has shown in the past he's got something if he stays fit (but again, game time an issue) and Herbert obviously debuted well. Perham seems to have some class too. But for all these guys there's Lisones, Katas, Sataes, who aren't advancing after years in the system. Obviously our environment isn't conducive to bringing young stars though, be it coaching or knowledgeable team-mates wise.

Perham could be special.

I agree wholeheartedly.

I used to live for the next local star or product to emerge on the Warriors scene.

I blame Daniel Anderson. He was so good at giving talent a go that it made his time at the club so magical.

Mr Effective
Meli
Toopi
Webb
Anderson brothers
Faafili
Jerry Seuseu
Villasanti
Faumuina

We just don't see that anymore. Well for years we haven't seen it.

You know who still brings fresh young talent onto the scene?

The Roosters!

They became what the Warriors were shaping to become. They stole our magic.

 

[Blair]

It's the year of delivery

If we ever needed 20/20 vision it's next year (pun intended). We have money to spend too, don't we? I was reading Brent Tate's autobiography while on holiday recently (it was the only rugby league book in the little local library) and he mentioned that 'to be successful, a club has to use its salary cap, as there's no point leaving yourselves underdone'.

Which was interesting as I believe we're currently under it.

He has fond memories of the Warriors, but he was here during good times (apart from 2009).

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

We still got our wins to come. There's no way we can only win 2 games this whole long season.

 

[Blair]

We still got our wins to come. There's no way we can only win 2 games this whole long season.

As discussed, that's true, Zero. We're on the same page with this. For example, I'm predicting an exciting win over the Dragons in Brisbane on Saturday. But it won't fix our long-term problems of chronic underachievement and even 'cultural rot'.

In 2009, a terrible year, we had a ripping win over Manly at Brookvale in Round 3. Comeback Kid Stacey weaved a magical path through the bedazzled opposition defence, late in the game, and Denan Kemp announced his arrival in a Warriors jumper with a sideline conversion to win it.

 

[Rich102]

The thing we need to keep in mind is that the ARL is now a shareholder in the Warriors. They bring decision making by committee. There will be no bold decisions. Profit and Loss predictions will decide everything.
Sadly I can see this season mortally wounding the Warriors.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

I'm going to go to the Parramatta game - but that's just to go the new ground. Going to treat it as a day trip and take the ferry down, go out for some food (I hope Parrammatta have restaurants) and check out the park.

Pretty sure they said on NRL 360 that there are restaurants at the ground

 

[playdaball]

They had to resign Coach Kearney as there were a lot of NRL wanting to sign him.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Pretty sure they said on NRL 360 that there are restaurants at the ground

Parramatta is one of the biggest satellite CBDs in Sydney, it’s got tons of restaurants. In particular there’s a stretch that contains the best concentration of Indian food in the city and possibly in Australia.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

The thing we need to keep in mind is that the ARL is now a shareholder in the Warriors. They bring decision making by committee. There will be no bold decisions. Profit and Loss predictions will decide everything.
Sadly I can see this season mortally wounding the Warriors.

If there’s one bit of comfort, the club was in even worse shape in 2000... and two years later we reached a grand final, and we’re still here. Yeah we suck, but we seem to find a way of hanging around and rebuilding, if not exactly thriving. We’re kind of like the new Cronulla.