Now is Foran’s time to lead

OPINION: Forgive me. I wrote, perhaps with a hint of sarcasm, that the Warriors would be fourth in the NRL by now.

Instead the State of Origin period – for so long the club’s greatest source of competition points – has passed without the Warriors even being able to crack the top-eight. Friday’s 34-22 loss to Penrith leaves the Warriors eleventh with the Cowboys, Sharks, Knights, Raiders, Rabbitohs, Sea Eagles and Tigers left to play.

Let’s dwell on the Panthers result. Noone likes to see people get injured so what happened to Shaun Johnson was a shame.

But, with the best will in the world, the halfback was taking the Warriors nowhere this year. Johnson’s talent is not in question, but it’s not yielding the results you’d expect from a player of his standing and seven-figure contract extension.

If Johnson’s season is over, then it’s not too late for Kieran Foran to try and mould the team in his image. If they can play straight and play tough, then sneaking into the playoffs isn’t beyond them. For now, though, the Foran signing has not paid the dividends that many hoped for or predicted. A low-key exit Good on the Warriors for re-naming their stadium in Manu Vatuvei’s honour for a night and performing a haka for him, at fulltime in the Panthers’ game. But actually winning the match might’ve been a greater show of respect. Unlike in Brisbane Queensland’s 22-6 win over New South Wales, in the State of Origin decider, was sweet on a variety of levels.

The Blues’ annual post-series witch hunt never gets old and this one has been especially hilarious. Andrew Johns and Brad Fittler are genuine Origin greats, just maybe not the dream coaching team their beleaguered state are after. Would’ve been a beaut couple of bonding nights, though, as many have said already.

While NSW continually epitomise the phrase paralysis by analysis, Queensland quietly go about the business of winning. And celebrating the contribution of their finest.

Johnathan Thurston would’ve been bitterly disappointed not to see out his last State of Origin series. But the team’s performance in game three and the way captain Cameron Smith paid tribute to Thurston afterwards spoke volumes of the esteem in which he’s held. Back in club land The Knights and Tigers might occupy the last two rungs on the competition ladder, but they continue to have a dig and continue to make themselves hard to beat. The Warriors, for example, could learn a little from that.