He knows what’s coming
Ex-Warrior Herbert expects Titans to have hands full against old club
FORMER New Zealand Warriors centre Patrick Herbert predicted his old team’s return to the Tamworth training base it called home for most of 2020 would make it even tougher to beat for the Titans next season.
Herbert, 23, was cut adrift by the Warriors at the end of the season and figured to start against his former team at Mount Smart Stadium in round one after signing with Gold Coast.
Instead, that New Zealand homecoming has been moved to Central Coast Stadium at Gosford in NSW.
Herbert said the Warriors would be especially dangerous with another overseas odyssey to bind their squad tighter.
“They’re probably going to come out roaring,” he said.
“They’re doing it for their families and they’ve experienced it all before so they’ll be used to it now. They’re going to be a tight-knit group because that’s all they do in those types of camps, get to know each other.
“I’m sure it will transition to the field and it will be tough to beat them.”
Herbert said the experience of playing away from home had hardened the Warriors’ resolve last year and he expected that to prove doubly true in 2021.
“It’s already hard to beat any team on their (home ground), but when they have so much drive and passion it’s so much harder,” he said. “The NRL community showed so much sympathy towards our group (last year).
“We felt appreciated and it drove us as well because we didn’t want to come here and just dip our toe in.”
Herbert said he harboured no ill feeling towards his old side despite the circumstances of his departure.
“That’s just how footy is,” Herbert said.
“They sign players, they get rid of players. That’s how the cookie crumbles and I just had to bite the bullet.”
Herbert said the Titans were among the first teams to reach out, which helped motivate his signature with Justin Holbrook’s club.
A centre partnership with outstanding Brian Kelly beckons but Herbert must fend off competition from prodigious Treymain Spry to earn his place.