The NZ Warriors’ NRL title hopes have ended in a gut-wrenching 12-10 playoff loss to the Newcastle Knights before a record 48,511 home crowd at a sold-out Eden Park.
Despite dominating much of the contest and Leka Halasima scoring twice on his return from injury, the Warriors could not convert their opportunities into victory, while two contentious late bunker decisions against them drew furious boos from the crowd. Newcastle capitalised on costly Warriors errors through tries to Fletcher Sharpe and Dom Young, then survived a frantic late assault to secure a preliminary final against Penrith.
The defeat brought an abrupt end to a record-breaking Warriors campaign for wins, points and attendances, while co-captain Mitch Barnett played his final match for the club before joining Brisbane next season.
Stop blaming the ref had your chances did not take them take it on the chin and shut up.
Since 2001, of their
24 finals so far the Warriors have won 9 and lost 15.
Basically 2 losses for every 1 win. In a sport that thrives on statistics, that is an ugly one.
Agree, stop blaming the ref. They were lucky not to be 12-0 down at the start.
They had TWO home finals this year and choked in both.
As I see it, the goal of the junior and second tier players, is to make the 1st grade team.
Owners, Webster, & the club needs to develop a club culture that extends beyond players aspiring to make 1st grade.
With a large proportion of Warriors being polynesian and Maori, Rugby and RL is a genuine career path for many of these youth.
Ask many of them what they want to do, they will answer, play for the Wahs.
And that answer is the problem.
Ask an Aussie based junior what they want to do, answer is win a Grand final.
Club needs to deveop mind set witin the whole organisation that plays tough through the year to win the Grand final.
In regular season, losing to teams they should easily beat, is worse than beating the table leader.
Team has to stop playing the season to make the 8, believing the job is done.
Instead play the season to win the Grand final. Put the teams away they’re expected to beat through the season.