ShaunJohnson7
Dangerous
Kendrick
Shaun Johnson was a scapegoat this year, major tall poppy syndrome, just the Kiwi way to chop down anyone who gets a bit of praise. It's unlike anywhere else in the world, it's weird. Shaun got the most tries and line breaks of any half in the comp, and was near the top in other stats such as try assists etc, which is especially good since he was competing with dominant halves whereas he had a more shared role with Maloney. Yeah he could've been better in his "game management" but he was far from our worst this season. I guarantee he wouldn't get so much hate if he hadn't got all the hype from the press, fair to say he's been chopped down a peg or two, and copped a nice shiner from Rusty, now's probably time to give the kid a break and show a little support
I hate the way 'tall poppy syndrome' is trotted out in order to depower contrary opinion.
I agree the stats suggest that he was one of the better attacking halves in the comp last year... but statistics only tell a part of the story.
I am disappointed in Shaun Johnson's performance in 2012, it's nothing to do with him being a tall poppy, or me being jealous of him or trying to chop him down, that is a ludiocrous statement.
It is purely and simply that he did not show control and leadership when we needed it, he did not impose himself on games to improve the team performance and his decision making was not great.
He scored points and had plenty of moments of individual brilliance, no-one in their right mind disputes that... but the STYLE of game he played did not help his team to play smart and play controlled rugby league that wins games.
With time it will come, but some people were of the opinion he could 've done those things straight away as some other young halves in the comp have.
I'm of the opinion that a high quality half dictates the game and shaun did not do this, for whatever reason you like.
We have all seen the enigmatic, creative and spectacular from Shaun Johnson, he is amazing at those aspects of the game... but those things might win you games, but won't win comps.
Structure, leadership and control are parts of the game I have yet to see him show in first grade with any regularity... this is my concern because those things are more likely to lead to winning a comp.
Inruin
Contributor
i don't care who you are, the position you play or what your stats are. if your team finishes 14th equal, lucky to avoid the spoon because of the eels! and your team only won 1/3 of their games you deserve to get criticised. particularly if you play in a key position.
Kendrick
I agree the phrase is overused in the wrong situations, but it is tall poppy in the sense of the amount of criticism he's received relative to his team mates. I don't doubt that some of the criticism was warranted, but guys like Russell Packer and Lewis Brown deserve a lot more scrutiny, the way they just completely gave up at the end of the year was pathetic. Even Maloney was embarrassing, yeah sure he looked the part when he was barking at the boys after a try was scored against us, but that was what he was good at - talking. Some of his missed tackles just screamed "I don't give a shit".
Hell even the entire forward pack was shocking bar Mateo and Matulino. We were 14th in metres gained this season, I'd like to see Thurston control a game behind a forward pack going that badly, he even looked bad in SOO when NSW had the slight advantage in the forward battle. Not to mention playing with a backline that couldn't make a read in defence to save themselves. It's pretty difficult to get in sync with your fullback too when there's a new replacement there every two weeks.
Look I'm not saying all the criticism was unjustified, but IMO he was a definite scapegoat this year.
fizurg
I disagree. You would have to lay into matalino and friend if your going to say all players are responsible.
Edit my comment was directed at the before the last one.
i don't care who you are, the position you play or what your stats are. if your team finishes 14th equal, lucky to avoid the spoon because of the eels! and your team only won 1/3 of their games you deserve to get criticised. particularly if you play in a key position.
Read more: https://www.nzwarriorsfans.com/threads/roster-for-2013-gains-and-losses.2007/page-82#ixzz2BaoPUXVt
Edit my comment was directed at the before the last one.
i don't care who you are, the position you play or what your stats are. if your team finishes 14th equal, lucky to avoid the spoon because of the eels! and your team only won 1/3 of their games you deserve to get criticised. particularly if you play in a key position.
Read more: https://www.nzwarriorsfans.com/threads/roster-for-2013-gains-and-losses.2007/page-82#ixzz2BaoPUXVt
Kendrick
rugged
Having high expectation of someone because they are particularly gifted and criticising them when they fail to live up to the potential is not tall poppy syndrome. I think if you were to look through all the posts of the season, other players copped far more then Johnson. People are no longer raving on about Brown and Maloney cos they are gone, but while they were here people were spitting tacks over their performance.
I don't think Johnson was terrible this year, he just didn't develop in the key areas he needed to which was a shame. However many people forget how inexperienced he is, give him another season and we will be in a better place to see whether he is going to deliver on all that potential.
Apus
I'm not going to judge him too harshly. It was a poor year for a lot of reasons, and in my mind most of it stems from Bluey. Yes there's pride in the jersey and all that, but from what we've heard things were pretty rotten at the club, and in reality it's probably far worse.
Next year will be a clean start, with a coaching crew who actually know what they're doing. If the players don't put up then, I'll be right on board with the hate, but for now I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.
Next year will be a clean start, with a coaching crew who actually know what they're doing. If the players don't put up then, I'll be right on board with the hate, but for now I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.
a.c.e
mt.wellington
Warriors Orange Peeler
2012 Warriors beaten black and Bluey
BEN STANLEY
Last updated 05:00 27/12/2012
Fresh off an NRL Grand Final appearance in 2011, the Warriors had a confident vibe heading into the 2012 season.
Most of the heroes of the previous year remained and they had Brian McClennan, former Kiwis coach and a blue-collar hero of New Zealand league, at the helm.
Everything smelt rosy. Even maverick millionaire Owen Glenn got in on the act, buying into the club in early March, just in time for the season opener against the Sea Eagles at Eden Park. New Zealand's home of rugby was packed with leaguies - only for the Warriors to go down 26-20.
From there, the first half of the season wasn't that bad. There were good wins (a 44-22 round 7 thumping of the Rabbitohs) and bad losses (a 32-12 trashing by the Raiders in Canberra in round 6 but come round 13, the Warriors still sat in the top eight.
Glenn and co-owner Eric Watson even hosted a glitzy press conference at SkyCity casino, announcing their plans to make the Warriors the biggest sports club in Australasia, with a tonne of incoming investment.
From there it all unravelled. Excuses were everywhere: injuries to top-line players such as Sam Rapira, Simon Mannering, Manu Vatuvei, Jacob Lillyman and Jerome Ropati; McClennan's struggle to adapt to the NRL; and lack of form by star halves pairing James Maloney (who was off to the Roosters at the end of the season) and Shaun Johnson.
Whatever the reason, the season spiralled out of control following tight losses to the Broncos, Knights and Sea Eagles respectively in rounds 19-21. There were repeated assurances from club chief executive Wayne Scurrah that McClennan would remain until at least the end of the season. Cue an ugly loss to the Panthers (18-16 at Mt Smart Stadium in round 24) with two games left, and a likely rattling of the sabre from Glenn. Two days later, Bluey got the flick.
Assistant Tony Iro stepped in for the remainder of the season but couldn't help the team as they careened to a club-worst eight straight losses.
In their search for a new coach, the Warriors targeted the big names - the Storm's Craig Bellamy, the Sharks' Shane Flanagan and the Tigers' Tim Sheens - with big money.
They didn't get the bites they wanted and ended up with former Panthers and Raiders boss Matt Elliott, a man Glenn admitted he'd never heard of at the start of the season.
The club has built a team around Elliott in preparation for 2013, providing him with a lineup of lieutenants such as Kiwis legend Ruben Wiki, former Crusaders trainer Carl Jennings and new assistant Andrew McFadden.
The Warriors-less NRL finals weren't as entertaining as they should have been, though the Storm-Bulldogs final was a cracker, with the boys from Melbourne taking a 14-4 victory. Earlier in the year, Queensland won its seventh straight State of Origin series 2-1 over New South Wales.
Heading into 2013, the NRL faces the issue of increasing the salary cap, with former player Israel Folau choosing to play rugby next year instead of signing with the Eels.
The NRL has signed a big, new billion-dollar broadcast deal this year and the debate on salaries will rage over the summer.
In the international game, the Kiwis were zero from two in their clashes against the Kangaroos. In April's absorbing Anzac test, New Zealand went down 20-12, before losing another close tussle 18-10 in Townsville in October.
As the international eligibility row roared on, the Kiwis were able to snare Auckland-born Bulldogs prop Sam Kasiano and Cowboys prospect Jason Taumalolo, though Cowboys big bopper James Tamou sided with Australia and Queensland.
The New Zealand Rugby League lost one of its greatest servants when chief executive Jim Doyle decided to resign but has signed savvy operator Phil Holden, a former Lion Foundation chief executive, to take his place. Meanwhile Iro, left the Warriors after missing out on the coach's job, and joined the NZRL in a high-performance role.
The buildup to next year's World Cup remains strong. Kiwis camps are planned in Sydney over the summer, and there will be three warm-up tests before the tournament kicks off next October.
Although Sonny Bill Williams hasn't said yes yet, there's every chance he'll be wearing a black jumper for New Zealand in England.
- © Fairfax NZ News
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league/8120844/2012-Warriors-beaten-black-and-Bluey
The person who wrote this piece, Ben Stanley, must be a Union fan who had the misfortune of having to write a recap on the 2012 season. Obviously doesnt know as much about the Warriors as he should seeing as he's writing a piece on them.
Fails to mention Luck, amongst others, as injured. The single biggest loss of the season.
Bluey got the 'flick' after a 6 game losing streak including a hiding from the Sharks at home and the Cowboys at Dairy Stadium (how could he not mention those?). It wasnt just the losses either. It was his lack of experience to get the boys back up that I believe ultimately got him. Saying at a press conference after such heavy losses that he was doing the best he could wasnt the best thing to do.
BEN STANLEY
Last updated 05:00 27/12/2012
Fresh off an NRL Grand Final appearance in 2011, the Warriors had a confident vibe heading into the 2012 season.
Most of the heroes of the previous year remained and they had Brian McClennan, former Kiwis coach and a blue-collar hero of New Zealand league, at the helm.
Everything smelt rosy. Even maverick millionaire Owen Glenn got in on the act, buying into the club in early March, just in time for the season opener against the Sea Eagles at Eden Park. New Zealand's home of rugby was packed with leaguies - only for the Warriors to go down 26-20.
From there, the first half of the season wasn't that bad. There were good wins (a 44-22 round 7 thumping of the Rabbitohs) and bad losses (a 32-12 trashing by the Raiders in Canberra in round 6 but come round 13, the Warriors still sat in the top eight.
Glenn and co-owner Eric Watson even hosted a glitzy press conference at SkyCity casino, announcing their plans to make the Warriors the biggest sports club in Australasia, with a tonne of incoming investment.
From there it all unravelled. Excuses were everywhere: injuries to top-line players such as Sam Rapira, Simon Mannering, Manu Vatuvei, Jacob Lillyman and Jerome Ropati; McClennan's struggle to adapt to the NRL; and lack of form by star halves pairing James Maloney (who was off to the Roosters at the end of the season) and Shaun Johnson.
Whatever the reason, the season spiralled out of control following tight losses to the Broncos, Knights and Sea Eagles respectively in rounds 19-21. There were repeated assurances from club chief executive Wayne Scurrah that McClennan would remain until at least the end of the season. Cue an ugly loss to the Panthers (18-16 at Mt Smart Stadium in round 24) with two games left, and a likely rattling of the sabre from Glenn. Two days later, Bluey got the flick.
Assistant Tony Iro stepped in for the remainder of the season but couldn't help the team as they careened to a club-worst eight straight losses.
In their search for a new coach, the Warriors targeted the big names - the Storm's Craig Bellamy, the Sharks' Shane Flanagan and the Tigers' Tim Sheens - with big money.
They didn't get the bites they wanted and ended up with former Panthers and Raiders boss Matt Elliott, a man Glenn admitted he'd never heard of at the start of the season.
The club has built a team around Elliott in preparation for 2013, providing him with a lineup of lieutenants such as Kiwis legend Ruben Wiki, former Crusaders trainer Carl Jennings and new assistant Andrew McFadden.
The Warriors-less NRL finals weren't as entertaining as they should have been, though the Storm-Bulldogs final was a cracker, with the boys from Melbourne taking a 14-4 victory. Earlier in the year, Queensland won its seventh straight State of Origin series 2-1 over New South Wales.
Heading into 2013, the NRL faces the issue of increasing the salary cap, with former player Israel Folau choosing to play rugby next year instead of signing with the Eels.
The NRL has signed a big, new billion-dollar broadcast deal this year and the debate on salaries will rage over the summer.
In the international game, the Kiwis were zero from two in their clashes against the Kangaroos. In April's absorbing Anzac test, New Zealand went down 20-12, before losing another close tussle 18-10 in Townsville in October.
As the international eligibility row roared on, the Kiwis were able to snare Auckland-born Bulldogs prop Sam Kasiano and Cowboys prospect Jason Taumalolo, though Cowboys big bopper James Tamou sided with Australia and Queensland.
The New Zealand Rugby League lost one of its greatest servants when chief executive Jim Doyle decided to resign but has signed savvy operator Phil Holden, a former Lion Foundation chief executive, to take his place. Meanwhile Iro, left the Warriors after missing out on the coach's job, and joined the NZRL in a high-performance role.
The buildup to next year's World Cup remains strong. Kiwis camps are planned in Sydney over the summer, and there will be three warm-up tests before the tournament kicks off next October.
Although Sonny Bill Williams hasn't said yes yet, there's every chance he'll be wearing a black jumper for New Zealand in England.
- © Fairfax NZ News
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league/8120844/2012-Warriors-beaten-black-and-Bluey
The person who wrote this piece, Ben Stanley, must be a Union fan who had the misfortune of having to write a recap on the 2012 season. Obviously doesnt know as much about the Warriors as he should seeing as he's writing a piece on them.
Fails to mention Luck, amongst others, as injured. The single biggest loss of the season.
Bluey got the 'flick' after a 6 game losing streak including a hiding from the Sharks at home and the Cowboys at Dairy Stadium (how could he not mention those?). It wasnt just the losses either. It was his lack of experience to get the boys back up that I believe ultimately got him. Saying at a press conference after such heavy losses that he was doing the best he could wasnt the best thing to do.
mrblonde
mode81
2012 some very harsh lessons were learnt by this team especially how not to rest on your laurels and believe your own hype! It seemed the harder they tried the worse they got I'm glad to see the back of this season. NRL is a year by year evolving beast one year is never the same as the last hopefully our Warriors boys are doing the extras that are needed to win a premiership hopefully our young lads are watching Lowrie,Nielsen and their work ethics the drive and attention to detail
I think I'm gonna hate 2012 more than any other season so far including 04 and 09. They were lazy overweight listless, tweeters. I could point an accusing finger at the young punks like Shaun Johnson and Locke, but really that's unfair. Shaun Johnson only became overweight and unfit because of a systemic failure of training and mentorship within the club.
The personalities I have the biggest gripe with was Iro, Maloney, Mannering and Brown. Iro because I believe he undermined Bluey from day one, Maloney because he just gave up and treaded water to become a rooster, Brown for the same reason for the panthers and should've been dropped from a great height and mannering because I expected a captain to intervene way more and my info was that he teamed up with Iro.
On the bright side was Matulino and some good keen young guys who gave it a shot in a toxic environment.
I've softened my opinion on bluey too. He didn't have a chance, so it seems wrong to put the boot in.
Look forward to next year. We're fitter so we'll do better, Im still undecided on just how much better.
The personalities I have the biggest gripe with was Iro, Maloney, Mannering and Brown. Iro because I believe he undermined Bluey from day one, Maloney because he just gave up and treaded water to become a rooster, Brown for the same reason for the panthers and should've been dropped from a great height and mannering because I expected a captain to intervene way more and my info was that he teamed up with Iro.
On the bright side was Matulino and some good keen young guys who gave it a shot in a toxic environment.
I've softened my opinion on bluey too. He didn't have a chance, so it seems wrong to put the boot in.
Look forward to next year. We're fitter so we'll do better, Im still undecided on just how much better.
ToiletDuck
Administrator
Hard to argue with any of that, though I don't have any inside info re Iro and Mannering other than what's been said on here.
I've also softened on Bluey, mainly because I think he was ill-suited to the job whether he had the support of Iro or not. Nothing that came out of his mouth or any of his ideas filled me any confidence, I think he got a hell of a shock coaching in the NRL. He just seemed so clueless in even the most basic facets of the job, like fitness and defense. Nor did he appear to have the ability to change his processes even when they clearly weren't working. I'm sure the guy has a great 'rugby league mind' - unfortunately that's only a part of what's required at the top.
PolarBob
#000000
Season 2012 end of year thoughts:
2012 didn't happen. Na na na na, I can't hear you.
2012 didn't happen. Na na na na, I can't hear you.
Weno
Not a good year for our team in 2012.Lets look towards 2013 Warriors.We have T.L,Todd Lowrie,Dane Nielson,Harry Seijka and Dominique Peyroux coming in .They might suprise us pleasantly or we might get more of the same.Who knows?Cant wait wait to find out.
mrblonde
Yeah, it was nice of the Warriors to sit out the 2012 season. I mean, they could have played the 2012 NRL Season but why hog a Grand Final appearance every year? It's like the Big 4 being in the first four places in the EPL - nice if you're a fan of one of those four teams but really kinda dull if you sit back and take a wider view of the entire competition. C'mon WBA in that regard....
Top marks for whoever from the Warriors decided to give the Bulldogs and Storm their day in the sun by not playing this season. But obviously you can't do that every year as the cash registers don't make that lovely cha-ching sound. Actually, I don't know if the Warriors' cash registers have ever made that lovely cha-ching sound, but, er....anyhoo...
Hopefully the season's break has reinvigorated everyone and we can do back-to-back Grand Final appearances - 2011 and 2013...
From a True(ly Delusional) Warrior.
Top marks for whoever from the Warriors decided to give the Bulldogs and Storm their day in the sun by not playing this season. But obviously you can't do that every year as the cash registers don't make that lovely cha-ching sound. Actually, I don't know if the Warriors' cash registers have ever made that lovely cha-ching sound, but, er....anyhoo...
Hopefully the season's break has reinvigorated everyone and we can do back-to-back Grand Final appearances - 2011 and 2013...
From a True(ly Delusional) Warrior.
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