Excuse me but Kidwell has no excuses

David Kidwell doesn’t deserve to escape any blame for New Zealand’s dismal Rugby League World Cup performance. He’s talked absolute rubbish from the day he was appointed, in 2016, and the team have been garbage on the park too. Never mind this twaddle about culture. Coaches get judged on what they say and how their teams play and, on that basis, Kidwell’s tenure has been a disaster.

This is a critical juncture for rugby league in NZ and itemising Kidwell’s mistakes or deficiencies serves no purpose. He was never up to the job and we all need to move on.

The only way that’s going to happen is if people get real. Sadly, the early indications aren’t good.

We’ve had New Zealand Rugby League (NZRL) chairman Reon Edwards come out and defend Kidwell, captain Adam Blair and halfback Shaun Johnson for their bizarre reaction to the 4-2 quarterfinal defeat to Fiji, by saying they were caught up in the heat of the moment.

Bubblegum Blair, Gum Chewer in-Chief – call the skipper what you will – did a television interview at a tricky time. He’s not an experienced captain and, you assume, would play it differently next time.

But when he and Kidwell used their press conference to assert this team was in superb heart and they were immensely proud of the campaign, there was no heat. Nor when Johnson appeared for a media standup or when Kidwell fronted again the following day.

This might seem trivial but it plays to the culture of excuses that permeates the game in this country. Edwards has excused these guys, Johnson has had a couple of goes at excusing himself and we should all give them a break too.

The reality is Kidwell and Blair said ridiculous, even insulting, things all tournament.

Whether it was lambasting New Zealand fans for not supporting the team or insisting they were so much better off without the suspended Jesse Bromwich and Kevin Proctor, or questioning the manhood of Tonga forward Jason Taumalolo the pair were serial offenders.

And all while supported by their fans in the media. Prior to New Zealand’s 28-22 loss to Tonga, for instance, Kidwell was being congratulated for his, so-called, ‘‘Kiwi style’’ of play and exemplary coaching, while Taumalolo was branded a coward for not responding to Kidwell’s every jibe.

You might argue the most memorable moment of this tournament was TV pundit Brian McClennan breaking ranks and saying something honest, for a change.

No-one seems to accept – or be made to accept – any failings in this sport. And so we have the undignified sight of the New Zealand Warriors blundering along from one NRL calamity to the next and now the Kiwis embarrassing themselves as well.

Yet never is heard a discouraging word. Except from those who – as Johnson put it – just want to ‘‘hate on’’ the players.

Rugby league is a great sport and New Zealand churns out some exceptional players. It’s just a shame their best performances seem to be reserved for Australian club sides.

That won’t change until a few folk learn to accept and acknowledge their deficiencies.

‘‘Coaches get judged on what they say and how their teams play and, on that basis, Kidwell’s tenure has been a disaster.’’

Hamish Bidwell

‘‘There is not much faith that the current New Zealand Rugby League (NZRL) setup can steer the game out of this mess.’’

Marvin France