Sterling: Don’t blame Kearney

Former league great Peter Sterling has defended coach Steve Kearney after blasting the ‘‘underachieving’’ Warriors’ efforts this season.

Speaking on his television segment Sterlo’s Wrap, the NRL Hall of Famer said he sympathised with Kearney and felt the Warriors players had let their coach down.

The Auckland-based NRL outfit was thrashed 46-12 at home against the Canberra Raiders last weekend to all but end its top eight hopes.

‘‘It’s a roster full of talent, this is a desperate game for them’’, Kangaroos legend Sterling said.

‘‘For Stephen Kearney to come out and say that his side, which is a big side and can be aggressive, they were bullied from minute one in that game, that’s the last thing in the world that a coach wants to have to refer to his team in that regard.

‘‘If you’re a Warriors fan, again, it’s a gross disappointment of underachieving this year, put a black [line] through them.’’

At halftime against the Raiders, Kearney was seen angrily berating his players in the changing rooms after their abject first-half display.

Sterling said while the meltdown may have looked ‘‘a bit comical’’, it showed how much Kearney cared about turning their fortunes around.

‘‘Stephen Kearney is probably the most even-tempered not just coach, but individual, you will ever meet,’’ Sterling said.

‘‘So for this reaction at halftime . . . if Stephen Kearney gets that angry with what his side has produced, the fans have every right to just go ‘well, what is going on there?’’

Sterling said he fully understood Kearney’s anger.