Warriors deserve gentle reintroduction to NRL action Rugby’s troubles a laugh

If the NRL has any sense, the Warriors will get a soft opening when the competition kicks off again late this month.

A few things have changed in Warriors-land during the Covid-19 lockdown, particularly the prospects of coach Steve Kearney.

I believe big-talking owner Mark Robinson would have lost patience with Kearney before 2020 was out, under normal circumstances.

My information from one source was that the coach had five rounds to save his job. His team lost the opening two rounds in abysmal fashion, managing a total of one try.

Then the virus struck.

During this crazy hiatus, club chief executive Cameron George has starred. He made it clear the club — a 25-year disappointment — has an opportunity to radically alter its fortunes. Kearney also said “we can’t stuff up”.

My feelings towards Kearney and his Warriors future have changed during the virus crisis.

His overall time in charge has been very disappointing, with no clear trajectory, let alone an upwards one. The recruitment regime has been hard to follow and met with too many rejections from targeted players. There are to my mind justifiable concerns in some quarters that one particular agent has had too much influence at the club.

The style of football has been erratic and often staid. This simply has to change. But in a crisis, sympathies can twist and turn. Kearney may have galvanised the team, and he deserves time to show what he can do. He’s been given one of sport’s weirdest survival chances. I would love to think he can take it.

As George has said, league has a wonderful opportunity because it will initially own the TV space. But if the Warriors fall flat on their face again, this opportunity could backfire.

I wouldn’t bank on the Warriors to come roaring out of the blocks. They have an awful lot of work to do and the shift across the Tasman will affect their people in different ways.

The NRL will engineer big opening clashes but it should also make sure the Warriors start off against clubs such as the battling Gold Coast Titans and other potential strugglers in the first month.

The game in New Zealand needs the Warriors to be competitive from the get-go. A few thrilling finishes or big wins, and it could be game on.

There has been a lot of positive talk and bravado during the break, which is great. But in more practical matters, better to play it safe.

You may be distressed at the state of rugby but I think it’s a big laugh.

A sport which has arrogantly stomped around New Zealand for years thanks to its influence in high places now has the begging bowl out.

It actually sounds frightened about the future, particularly after Bill Beaumont’s re-election as World Rugby chairman and Australia’s shocking decline.

Rugby has treated the public, media and others such as the Pacific Islands with disdain. But the Northern Hemisphere cartel’s refusal to share the spoils means the game in this country is finally getting a taste of its own medicine.

Every time NZR pleads poverty, think what it is like for Samoan, Fijian and Tongan rugby fans,.

The Rugby Kremlin has kept an iron grip on the national sport and squeezed the life out of it. It has steadfastly tried to crush access to information and free speech. Its attitude is a disgrace, yet a fawning country tolerates it.

New Zealand put all its eggs in one basket, the World Cup, and now that egg is all over its face. NZR will blame World Rugby but they should take a good long look at themselves.

New Zealand Rugby chairman Brent Impey is now talking about private investment in tours as the answer. Yeah, but what will those private investors get back?

Rugby is a baffling game to watch with a startling lack of modern star power — remember Jonah Lomu? — and is run by people who still think what goes on is none of our business. Stuff them. What goes around comes around.