Warriors set bar high as new era begins
There were no bold declarations of a top-four finish but expectations are high at the Warriors that the team can find success in 2017.
With the dawn of another NRL campaign almost upon us, the Auckland-based club held its season launch yesterday where managing director Jim Doyle detailed how the new-look coaching staff, led by Stephen Kearney, and football advisory board have set about turning the club around.
Whether by the fans, the press or the team itself, most seasons are built up as ‘the Warriors’ year’ none more so than 12 months ago when management’s lofty targets were met by yet another year outside of the playoffs.
It’s for those reasons that it remains easy to be wary of a Warriors’ revival - even following the acquisition of Kiwis playmaker Kieran Foran.
But that has not stopped those from within Mt Smart continuing to set the bar high and Doyle is optimistic they are on the right track.
‘‘As a club we’ve got very, very high expectations and I can guarantee you we will not stop continuously pushing ourselves to get the club to where it needs to be, and that’s a consistently performing club that every single person in this country is proud of,’’ Doyle said.
Doyle believes that with the continuity provided by former head coach-turned assistant Andrew McFadden, the experience of ex-England mentor Steve McNamara and the elevation of club legend Stacey Jones, they have assembled one of the best coaching units in the NRL.
It all starts on the training paddock with Kearney and co instilling a work ethic where the players strive to set new standards each day like never before.
There has also been a key emphasis on changing the club’s mentality from one that was based on hope to one built on belief.
‘‘In the past we’ve been very, very hopeful,’’ Doyle said. ‘‘But this year it’s not about hope, it’s about belief. We believe we’ve got the coaching staff, we’ve got the right support staff, we’ve definitely got the right roster and we’ve got the right environment.’’
Kearney is hoping to emulate the success of the Storm and Broncos, two of the NRL’s most consistent performers and where he served his apprenticeship under Craig Bellamy and Wayne Bennett respectively.
‘‘I want to build a club that consistently performs and to do that you have to train that way,’’ said Kearney, who joined the club after eight years in charge of the Kiwis. ‘‘If you work that way and live that way there’s a good chance you’re going to play that way.’’
After admitting to being ‘‘annoyed’’ by their winless performance at the Auckland Nines, Kearney says he has seen enough improvement in the following trial games - a 30-18 defeat to the Storm and last week’s 26-6 win over the Titans - to be believe the message is getting through.
‘‘For me, looking at the preseason games that we’ve played and certainly the work that we’ve put in, I think there’s some positive steps forward,’’ he said.
The Warriors open their season with consecutive homes against Newcastle, on March 5, and against the Storm five days later.