Webster spells it out for players
The Warriors’ worst is “as bad as anyone in the competition”.
That was the blunt assessment by coach Andrew Webster after the Warriors’ 27-24 loss to the Titans on Anzac Day.
The squad has reassembled after three days off following the loss, as they prepare to take on the Knights in Newcastle on Sunday.
“We’re one of the bottom teams for defending our area at the moment,” Webster said.
“That’s not where we want to be, that’s not our identity. But we’re winning so many stats, we’re first for metres . . . there’s so many things we’re doing well but it doesn’t mean anything if something goes poorly, and you can’t defend it and look after each other. That’s what we’ve got to get back to doing.”
Webster said the team had a frank review session after Thursday’s game, where they held the ball for long periods in the second half but couldn’t pull back the lead the Titans had established either side of the break.
“If you don’t give it to them in black and white sometimes they don’t understand or have that clarity on how to get better. The thing I will say about these boys is that they want to get better, and they will work hard at it.”
Getting back in the winners’ column didn’t require a massive overhaul, Webster said.
“Tactically we don’t need to change the way we’re doing things, we just need to be better at it for longer. I think it’s a combination of things, if things don’t go our way, we need to get over it fast and get better at what we value so much.”
Injuries had plagued the Warriors this season, but Webster said that Kurt Capewell would soon be back from a throat injury that kept him out of the Titans match.
There was also confidence around Bunty Afoa returning earlier than expected from a hamstring injury picked up in the win over the Rabbitohs.
The Warriors were only a little better, record-wise, at this time last season, having won five games and lost three.
This year they have three wins, four losses and a draw. In 2023 they headed into their bye week
6-6, including three losses in a row, to the Storm, Roosters and Panthers, before embarking on a season-defining win streak.
They will next face the Kalyn Ponga-less Knights, before the Roosters in Sydney and the Panthers at the NRL Magic Round.
“It’s an exciting challenge, it’s not going to be easy. It’s something we haven’t faced because of expectation. We had worse areas last year of losing in a row, but it’s simply because people expect more of us and that’s good, we expect more of ourselves.” — RNZ*