Blair believes culture can change
Kiwis captain believer.
He believes the team’s culture can be turned around, they can recover from the absence of suspended star prop Jesse Bromwich and, most importantly, he could be holding the Paul Barriere trophy on December 2.
Wednesday marks 100 days until the start of the Rugby League World Cup, where New Zealand will face Samoa, Tonga and Scotland in the group stages. It has flown under the radar so far but will be a big event, especially if the Kiwis can reprise their heroic deeds of 2008.
However, that’s hard to imagine as New Zealand have lost their last five clashes against Australia, will be without Shaun Johnson and were torn apart by the Canberra cocaine scandal in May.
But for Blair, who was named Adam Blair is a skipper in the wake of that incident, a turnaround is possible. He admits there have been problems off the field — though denying a “booze culture” — and says they are fixable.
“It’s about laying down what we want to achieve, who we are as a group and taking ownership of those little things that are going to make us better,” Blair said.
“We need to go back to basics. Driving our beliefs, owning what we do on and off the field, taking control of how we play, pushing our standards really hard from day one. Then anything is possible with this team.”
But Blair admits there have been issues. He says coach David Kidwell was “thrown in at the deep end” last year and there was a lack of leadership from the senior players.
A candid Blair also admitted attitudes “weren’t quite right” on last year’s Four Nations tour and hinted the playing group struggled to gel with rookie assistant coaches Justin Morgan and Willie Poching.
There were also issues around off-field behaviour.
“It was disappointing, especially as some of the things that went on were from a couple of our senior players,” said Blair of the alcoholrelated incidents in Perth and England.
“But I didn’t see it as a major issue for our group. It was disappointing — they let themselves and their teammates down — but I don’t think there is a booze culture.”
As revealed in the Herald Sunday last month, the Kiwis considering an alcohol ban periods of the tournament.
“There isn’t any issues around drinking,” Blair insisted. “Everybody knows what is expected and we will make that really clear.
“We need to have our standards. If we drive those things, no one will on are for want to let anybody down; their team-mates or their families. The most important thing, at the end of it all, is standing up on that stage and holding up that trophy to bring it back to New Zealand.”
Blair, who won his first Kiwis cap in 2006, also faces a decision on his club future. Although contracted to the Broncos until 2018, the 31-yearold has been strongly linked with a move to the Warriors, with both club managing director Jim Doyle and coach Stephen Kearney admitting he would be a player of interest if available.
“I’m still contracted at the moment to the Broncos for next year,” Blair said. “There is interest from other clubs, but my family and I are really happy where we are. And it’s not all about me any more. My wife is from Brisbane, my kids are growing up here. It would be a little bit selfish for me to say let’s pack up and move.”