Blair cops brutal spray on chin
Warriors forward Adam Blair has acknowledged the harsh comments coach Todd Payten made about his performance against the Sharks, and is glad his mentor was honest.
The Mt Smart club suffered a hefty 46-10 defeat against Cronulla — a game where Blair played just 26 minutes, producing 50 running metres and 16 tackles.
The 34-year-old is averaging fewer tackles made and more missed per game this year compared with last, and despite starting all 10 of the Warriors’ games in 2020, he has been benched for today’s clash against the Sydney Roosters in Gosford.
Speaking on Newstalk ZB with D’Arcy Waldegrave this week, Payten said Blair’s performance was unacceptable for someone of his experience, and noted had it been anyone else, they would have been dropped. Blair agrees with his head coach. “[I had] a really off day,” Blair says. “I’m my own worst critic when it comes to performance and I knew that it was below par and where it should be for a person of my calibre and what I’ve done in the game.
“I didn’t need Toddy to tell me my performance was bad — I knew it.”
Blair sees the critiques as nothing major. The veteran is pleased Payten expressed his true feelings.
“The honesty is the best thing about having good coaches around the place — that they’re not afraid to tell you and not afraid to speak up.
“I’ve been around long enough — if you sugarcoat a lot of things, how do you ever get better?”
The third and final year of Blair’s deal is a player option for 2021, and while he says things are “getting worked on in the background” around his future, he is not certain on what lies ahead.
“I just want to make sure whatever’s left — if I am finishing up or playing on — that I want to make sure I enjoy the rest of my time here with this group.
“We’ve been in a unique situation all year, and everyone has anyway in general, but I just want to make sure that I enjoy what’s left and make the most of what I’ve got because whatever happens, I’ve had a great time and rugby league’s been a big part of my life.”
Blair says whoever gets appointed as the next Warriors coach will not have a bearing on his decision, and will not rule out a move to another club, which he notes would “be silly” to do.
“I still feel mentally and physically that I have something to offer to young forwards coming through. If it’s just being around them, to help guide them through tough experiences like the one we’re having now, or just helping in any way.”
● The Brisbane Broncos were the better team in the first half but couldn’t sustain their efforts, falling to a 46-8 loss to the Melbourne Storm.
Brisbane were pilloried after a humiliating 48-0 loss to Wests Tigers a week earlier and must have feared the worst after conceding in the first 90 seconds last night. But the Broncos shaded the Storm for much of the opening 40, trailing 14-8 at the break.
But Brisbane wilted as Melbourne lifted in the second half at Suncorp Stadium as the perennial contenders scored six unanswered tries.
The North Queensland Cowboys put in a better effort under interim coach Josh Hannay but fell short in a
24-12 loss to the Manly Sea Eagles, a seventh loss in their last eight games.
Manly opened the scoring in the sixth minute and led by at least six the rest of the match, with the Cowboys scoring their converted tries late in each half. Hannay replaced coach Paul Green on Monday.