General Stuff article from RNZ - What a load of rubbish

[Tonbridge (Swanley)]

It's not the Warriors' year, again

OPINION: The Warriors won't crack the NRL's top eight this season, but then again you can never write off Phil Gould.

www.stuff.co.nz

Favorite quote from article:

"The Warriors finished 10th in 2020 and there's every indication that a similar outcome awaits this time around. Is that good enough? Probably not, but then this isn't a great Warriors team."

Obviously not seen us over the last few years....typical.

 

[Gizzyfan]

Not to mention the begging bowl post when you go on Stuff.

 

[wizards rage]

It's not the Warriors' year, again

OPINION: The Warriors won't crack the NRL's top eight this season, but then again you can never write off Phil Gould.

www.stuff.co.nz

Favorite quote from article:

"The Warriors finished 10th in 2020 and there's every indication that a similar outcome awaits this time around. Is that good enough? Probably not, but then this isn't a great Warriors team."

Obviously not seen us over the last few years....typical.

Better to under promise and exceed expectations than pump is up like other years. The most telling part for me is this:

‘Gould, with the backing of Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter V'landys’

I think it’s been decided we are a priority team to perform from a strategic perspective as a directive from the very highest level. Therefore powerful forces are at work making sure it’s going to happen 😉

Hence suddenly superstars we had no right to sign miraculously breaking their contract for us, the referees suddenly started to give us the rub mid last season, Gould suddenly gets involved, etc

 

[Dunedin warrior]

I think he’s underrating our forward pack a bit. If Addin Fonua-Blake was an origin player, the signing would have got a lot more hype to it.

Gould given enough time and patience should build the club up, but it won’t happen overnight.

 

[playdaball]

Concerns for me :
Hooker?
I’m still surprised that haven’t tried to sign a specialist hooker with the injuries

Lack of speed?
I saw Mansour get smoked by Ado-Carr on Thursday

Will the new fast game hinder the big Warriors pack?
Ironic that many of us have been calling out for big forwards for a while now

Is the spine up to the standard of the Storm, Souths, Roosters etc?
On paper, the answer is no , but you never know

I like the culture that has been established, just now have to win

 

[Raw Power]

Obviously rebuilding is not an option for the NZ Warriors...

yes we are a one city team like Brisbane, Melbourne, Cowboys and Canberra with all having there own unique challenges. We know ours!

Our better years have had a good mix of some raw and gifted Kiwi talent and some hardened and experienced Aussie talent and it looks like we are building this again.
Good signs IMHO!

 

[Beastmode]

When did journalism in this country become so shithouse

 

[Wellington Warrior]

Hamish Bidwell has probably never watched a game of league in his life. He is a rugby fan boy!!

 

[matiunz]

We always do better with low expectations so I’m fine with the article. Their not actually wrong with some of their points, our halves and hooker situation are a concern, our pack however is the best we’ve had in a long time.
Think a few in here are getting the preseason amnesia and over estimating us a bit, but I do think we are a top 8 team

 

[Sup42]

No home work done on the forwards aye.

He would have been more accurate had he compared us to Hasslers Dogs sides.

Not a great backline, but pack that anyone will have to take seriously.

But yeah he just did zero homework on the forwards.

 

[Blain]

I feel NZ Sports journalism has gone down hill big time since Radiosport died. Seems the country has lost a lot of insight to the players/teams.

Webistes like Stuff have poured those resources into Climate change and racial/gender opinions pieces, which are generally just click bait made up by someone who has no business publishing their ideas over anyone else. It's sad really.

I think David Long from Stuff sometimes puts out a decent article every now and then.

 

[mt.wellington]

Only just read that article and I think hes bang on the money personally. Seems a fair few of you have fallen for the preseason hype. Again.

My two main faults are our hooker and coach.

Even with a fit Wade Egan he's a terrible passer with next to no real length in his delivery. Slow too. Rarely ever gets the halves on the front foot. He'll leave this club and go straight to Super League cause no other club will want him.

Nathan Brown has done SFA his whole career. All he offers is a good fundamentals which makes him the perfect reserve grade or Jersey Flegg coach but he will never get us to the big dance. Ever. No coach in the last 40 years has won their first Premiership outside of their first 5 years and he wont be the first one to buck that trend. Has any coach ever won that late in his career in the games over 110 year history?

Sure our forward is fierce but its not nearly enough. Our halves are underdeveloped, our hooker is mediocre, our centres couldn't defend a fort against a kindergarten mob and our back 3 are out of form.

We must have at least one seasoned half and a well versed rake. Our team at the moment reminds me of the Sharks when they had the biggest pack going from 8 to 17 but didnt really start clicking until they got Maloney, Ennis and Flanagan. Until we add those crucial components we'll never win our maiden Premiership like the Sharks did then.

I see them placing between 8th and 10th so I'll just call it 9th. End of the day it doesn't matter. We wont be lifting the trophy so we'll just be another also ran.

Make no mistake. This is a rebuild which will eventually be replaced with a rebuild...

 

[AlexM]

Only just read that article and I think hes bang on the money personally. Seems a fair few of you have fallen for the preseason hype. Again.

My two main faults are our hooker and coach.

Even with a fit Wade Egan he's a terrible passer with next to no real length in his delivery. Slow too. Rarely ever gets the halves on the front foot. He'll leave this club and go straight to Super League cause no other club will want him.

Nathan Brown has done SFA his whole career. All he offers is a good fundamentals which makes him the perfect reserve grade or Jersey Flegg coach but he will never get us to the big dance. Ever. No coach in the last 40 years has won their first Premiership outside of their first 5 years and he wont be the first one to buck that trend. Has any coach ever won that late in his career in the games over 110 year history?

Sure our forward is fierce but its not nearly enough. Our halves are underdeveloped, our hooker is mediocre, our centres couldn't defend a fort against a kindergarten mob and our back 3 are out of form.

We must have at least one seasoned half and a well versed rake. Our team at the moment reminds me of the Sharks when they had the biggest pack going from 8 to 17 but didnt really start clicking until they got Maloney, Ennis and Flanagan. Until we add those crucial components we'll never win our maiden Premiership like the Sharks did then.

I see them placing between 8th and 10th so I'll just call it 9th. End of the day it doesn't matter. We wont be lifting the trophy so we'll just be another also ran.

Make no mistake. This is a rebuild which will eventually be replaced with a rebuild...

Been a bit negative lately
I think we are actually trending up.
We have looked our best since Ivan cleary really.
I don't think we are really a chance at the trophy but top 8 definitely.
With reeve Walsh though and Chanel Harris-Tavita and aegan over the next 2 years though... we could be something.

 

[Sup42]

It is not like I expect us to be Melbourne or the Roosters, or even Canberra overnight.

But by the gods we have the pack to match them.

That is half the team sorted and the recruitment philosophy from here on in headed in the right direction.

Nathan Brown may not be the best coach in the NRL, but players of quality who would never come here, have indeed showed up and joined this club.

It may be that next year or year three we need get a top sharp or even above average spine to go with that pack plan.

Whatever happens I do not think people should expect the Storm in the new coaches first year.

Be realitstic. We could win more than we lose and that is the first step.

 

[wizards rage]

It is not like I expect us to be Melbourne or the Roosters, or even Canberra overnight.

But by the gods we have the pack to match them.

That is half the team sorted and the recruitment philosophy from here on in headed in the right direction.

Nathan Brown may not be the best coach in the NRL, but players of quality who would never come here, have indeed showed up and joined this club.

It may be that next year or year three we need get a top sharp or even above average spine to go with that pack plan.

Whatever happens I do not think people should expect the Storm in the new coaches first year.

Be realitstic. We could win more than we lose and that is the first step.

This is all the continuous improvement of the club from since Robinson took over.

He has upgraded with the best he can get given contract length and options available and you can see his influence across the club. We point to POS bringing us success but I think it’s Robinsons blueprint from above him.

This is year 3 in a 10 year plus plan. Recruitment has been on target; player attitude has changed; we’ve built the pack we have been crying out for; we are getting 80 minute performances and we are becoming a positive destination for players. Decisions like Brian Smith out and Phil Gould in. Strategic decisions like best player available rather than Kiwi first.

I believe the plan still involved upgrading our spine; upgrading our wings; possibly upgrading our coach (wasn’t first choice); growing the leadership. But keep looking for continuous improvement within the club.

 

[mrblonde]

I think along with mt.wellington's point about "if a coach doesn't snag a Premiership in his first 5 years, he's not going to", when was the last time a club snagged a Premiership in their first ever - or first for a while - Top 8 appearance?

The evidence is pretty strong that you need to finish the regular season Top 4 to look like a reality for Premiership glory. That says to me that to get to Top 4, you've got to spend a couple of seasons knocking on the door from Bottom 4 before it opens. Not just a tap one year, nothing for two, a tap the fourth year etc. Look how many times the Sharks made the finals before their 2016 Glory...

So, yes, if you think finishing Top 8 is Mediocre, you're going to have to put up with that happening 2-3 seasons before Top 4.

I get the argument that if a club isn't looking to win the Premiership, they shouldn't even be part of the NRL and internally, that's theattitude they probably have to take. But for fans to adopt that attiude is unrealistic given currently existing and existing-since-day-one issues any sports club that hasn't historically been a force face.

A journey of a thousand miles begins with one small step. Say the Chinese.

Then goddamn Mongolians come and knock wall down...

I've always said I want it do be a surprise when the Warriors don't make the finals rather than when they do.

 

[mt.wellington]

Been a bit negative lately
I think we are actually trending up.
We have looked our best since Ivan cleary really.
I don't think we are really a chance at the trophy but top 8 definitely.
With reeve Walsh though and Chanel Harris-Tavita and aegan over the next 2 years though... we could be something.

Negative or not, am I lying? Am I wrong? Reading most peoples comments we are essentially saying the same thing but Im missing the sunshine and puppy dogs.

Dont get me wrong, I still am and always will be a Warriors fanatic until the day I die. Still go to every home game, still try get every jersey and still spend countless hours on this forum (couch) discussing the team with you guys (pyschotherapists) but I find it galling that people actually think we are on the cusp of greatness.

People genuiely believe we will be a Premiership threat in the near future. With our future roster and current coach lol. All of a sudden Nathan Brown is the messiah and Reece Walsh is going to step over Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and walk on water.

I'll tell you what will happen with Brown. He'll go through the standard honeymoon phase, same one most of you are predictably infatuated with, then his continuous run of mediocrity will start to be called out by those same disillusioned battered spouse syndrome fans before the players themselves turn on him and he gets paid out to leave effective immediatley.

Yep, I just copied and pasted his last tenure at the Knights.

We are nowhere near a top team and if that current setup continues we never will be in the foreseeable future.

I can take another off year but the thought of having to go through maybe another 2 years of the same nothingness is depressing. Add to that the subsequent rebuild and its another 4-6 years of no glory in sight.

Personally I dont believe we are going through a renaissance. The best we have looked since 2011 was 2018 and if you go back and watch those early games from that season our attitude and commitment particularly towards defence is lightyears ahead of what I've seen in the last three games this season.

Its defence that sets the best teams apart from the rest. While everyone else is harping on about our lack of attack its the halfhearted approach to defence that has me worried. As the old maxim goes, "defence wins Premierships". Ironically enough its a favourite of Gus Goulds.

Once the team changes its attitude I'll change mine. but i'm predicting that wont happen until we change the coach.

Now, wheres the sack Nathan Brown thread???

 

[wizards rage]

Negative or not, am I lying? Am I wrong? Reading most peoples comments we are essentially saying the same thing but Im missing the sunshine and puppy dogs.

Dont get me wrong, I still am and always will be a Warriors fanatic until the day I die. Still go to every home game, still try get every jersey and still spend countless hours on this forum (couch) discussing the team with you guys (pyschotherapists) but I find it galling that people actually think we are on the cusp of greatness.

People genuiely believe we will be a Premiership threat in the near future. With our future roster and current coach lol. All of a sudden Nathan Brown is the messiah and Reece Walsh is going to step over Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and walk on water.

I'll tell you what will happen with Brown. He'll go through the standard honeymoon phase, same one most of you are predictably infatuated with, then his continuous run of mediocrity will start to be called out by those same disillusioned battered spouse syndrome fans before the players themselves turn on him and he gets paid out to leave effective immediatley.

Yep, I just copied and pasted his last tenure at the Knights.

We are nowhere near a top team and if that current setup continues we never will be in the foreseeable future.

I can take another off year but the thought of having to go through maybe another 2 years of the same nothingness is depressing. Add to that the subsequent rebuild and its another 4-6 years of no glory in sight.

Personally I dont believe we are going through a renaissance. The best we have looked since 2011 was 2018 and if you go back and watch those early games from that season our attitude and commitment particularly towards defence is lightyears ahead of what I've seen in the last three games this season.

Its defence that sets the best teams apart from the rest. While everyone else is harping on about our lack of attack its the halfhearted approach to defence that has me worried. As the old maxim goes, "defence wins Premierships". Ironically enough its a favourite of Gus Goulds.

Once the team changes its attitude I'll change mine. but i'm predicting that wont happen until we change the coach.

Now, wheres the sack Nathan Brown thread???

Adding some sunshine and puppy dogs, Browns got a 50% win record with the team which places him as the third best Warriors coach in history and well above Kearney.

Not time for the sack him thread yet (although he might be statistically the worst at 33% after this weekend)🤣

 

[JaggedJ]

I'll just repeat what I said about us last week.

If we were a car we'd have a great engine, no wheels and nobody to drive.

This is not a great Warriors team, and 7th - 10th based on varying factors is quite a likely outcome.

I like the direction this team is heading, but we're not close - not yet.

 

[Stalefish540]

Only just read that article and I think hes bang on the money personally. Seems a fair few of you have fallen for the preseason hype. Again.

My two main faults are our hooker and coach.

Even with a fit Wade Egan he's a terrible passer with next to no real length in his delivery. Slow too. Rarely ever gets the halves on the front foot. He'll leave this club and go straight to Super League cause no other club will want him.

Nathan Brown has done SFA his whole career. All he offers is a good fundamentals which makes him the perfect reserve grade or Jersey Flegg coach but he will never get us to the big dance. Ever. No coach in the last 40 years has won their first Premiership outside of their first 5 years and he wont be the first one to buck that trend. Has any coach ever won that late in his career in the games over 110 year history?

Sure our forward is fierce but its not nearly enough. Our halves are underdeveloped, our hooker is mediocre, our centres couldn't defend a fort against a kindergarten mob and our back 3 are out of form.

We must have at least one seasoned half and a well versed rake. Our team at the moment reminds me of the Sharks when they had the biggest pack going from 8 to 17 but didnt really start clicking until they got Maloney, Ennis and Flanagan. Until we add those crucial components we'll never win our maiden Premiership like the Sharks did then.

I see them placing between 8th and 10th so I'll just call it 9th. End of the day it doesn't matter. We wont be lifting the trophy so we'll just be another also ran.

Make no mistake. This is a rebuild which will eventually be replaced with a rebuild...

The Warriors are basically a major city's highway infrastructure system, in that we are always in a state of perpetual construction.

Close one section of the highway for expansion to allow for better traffic flow, causing all sorts of problems while being built. Only to finish that project and move a few km's down the highway to start at another spot for expansion causing delays for another extended period of time.

Round and round in circles we go, never really finding all the correct pieces for the puzzle at the same time.

This goes for about half the clubs in the NRL that are consistently outside the 8 to be fair.