Warriors can crash party
This may be the year — finally — when a Kiwi franchise makes some traction in Aussie sport
This has been an exciting season so far for the Kiwiowned NRL franchise that has put some disappointing times behind it and executed a new, more attacking game style. But enough of Russell Crowe and his visiting South Sydney Rabbitohs.
Tonight’s NRL match of the round at Mt Smart Stadium is all about the Warriors. Enjoying their best start to a season since 2002 (eight winsthree losses), they can entrench themselves in the top four by boiling the bunnies on home turf.
More than that, this is a statement game. A chance for these Warriors to prove they belong in the top echelon; demand the respect of the entire competition.
Of course, in seasons past, this scenario would have had even the Mad Butcher racing to the local betting shop to put his life savings on the Rabbitohs. Expectation has long been oil to the Warriors water.
It is not that the Warriors have not produced outstanding results and very good teams. The 2002 minor premiers were even a little bit better than that, right up until grand final day when they lost 30-8 to the Sydney Roosters — just one of the crushing disappointments in 22 years of title-free, sometimes financially perilous existence for New Zealand’s rugby league flagship.
Which makes the Warriors just one of many New Zealand franchises that has struggled to make an impact in an otherwise all-Australian league. The consequence of talent deficit, the arduous demands of extra travel or, perhaps, a national inferiority complex?
Demonstrably, Kiwis are on average nicer, funnier and more intelligent than their Australian hosts. But you wonder how these personality traits, as much as the talent of the teams themselves, impacts on their performances when they enter Australian-based leagues.
On the international stage there is a sense of venom, even little brother vengeance about New Zealand teams when they pass through customs in Sydney or Brisbane.
The All Blacks’ mere reputation is enough to have us pulling the bed covers over our heads upon their arrival. Some of us still shiver when recalling how Richard Hadlee saved his very best for Australian batsmen on their own tracks. Moustache bristling every time the ball passed the edge, Hadlee’s bowling seemed an act of spite as much as his prodigious talent.
But the Kiwi franchises who play in Australia-based leagues? Where the All Blacks storm across the Tasman, the Warriors, Phoenix and various netball teams knock politely on the front door and wipe their feet before walking rather hesitantly into our house. There has been the odd exception. Between 1969-70 and 1974-75 the Black Caps won Australia’s new domestic limited overs series (a gimmicky new idea where teams bat for only 50 overs each that will never catch on!) three times.
At which point they were hastily booted out by the Australian state teams whose noses were bent out of shape. More recently, Australia made a tactical withdrawal from the transtasman netball series because, we feared, the Kiwis were not honouring the spirit of the agreement and learning too much.
Generally, however, Australia is delighted to put a paternalistic arm around a few handselected selected
Kiwi teams and welcome them as our honoured guests. So long as they hand over a hefty licence fee and adhere to the sub-clause in the contract — you’re not supposed to win!
In recent times only the New Zealand Breakers have breached this clause. Although winning four NBL championships between 2011 and 2015, when the NBL was only slightly more prominent than underwater scrabble in Australia, ensured a stay of execution.
In contrast, there has been no finer guest than the Phoenix, who over 11 mostly non-eventful seasons have done very little to lead anyone to the conclusion the A in A-League stands for Australasia.
The New Zealand Warriors have been slightly more problematical. Two NRL grand final appearances not only threatened the natural order, but delayed the start of the game because we had to squeeze in an extra anthem.
But — and I’m sorry to raise the kind of hope that can kill you — there seems something altogether more authentic, even threatening about this Warriors line-up. Perhaps it is the rump of experience provided by experienced recruits Blake Green, Isaac Luke, Tohu Harris and Adam Blair that now means the club’s spiritual leader Simon Mannering can do his best work off the bench. Maybe it is the way the Warriors won recent games without injured halfback Shaun Johnson or, last week, captain Roger TuivasaSheck who stayed home to be at the birth of his baby. (Like a Warriors premiership, it didn’t come.) Whatever it is, you can’t help feeling this is a less diffident, more selfassured New
Zealand team. A party crasher that could make an Australian competition truly Australasian, not just another polite guest.
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There seems something altogether more authentic, even threatening about this Warriors line-up.