Round 12
Sharks 34 d. Warriors 20

2006 NRL Telstra Premiership Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

Location: Aus_NZ > National > First Grade Competition: NRL Telstra Premiership

No excuse for woeful Warriors
Mon May 29, 2006
There you have it, this weeks game review between the Warriors and the Sharks. Goodnight, Ladies and Gentleman.

Well, there actually was a lot more exciting action to report, but unfortunately for us Warriors fans, all of that excitement was provided courtesy of the Sharks.

The Warriors bounce back and forth more often than a ping pong ball in a blender, and leave all Warriors fans find themselves asking the same questions nearly as many times... why is there no consistency with this team? How can this team play so brilliantly one week and show up looking like the worst team in the N.R.L. the next week?

If Ivan Cleary and the players dont know the answer to these questions, then Im certainly not in any position to pretend to know them, either. However, I have noticed one consistent Warriors trait throughout this season, and its this... you can pretty much tell within the first 10 minutes of every game just what kind of night lies ahead for the Warriors.

When this team shows up to win, the signs are unmistakable. There`s confidence in the way they step onto the field, a serious sense of determination written all over their faces, and an air of confidence which projects straight through your television set and into your lounge. These are the nights when I know we`re going to be in for some serious Warriors action, and Ill put my money on our boys every time I see those signs.

Unfortunately, that lean, mean, killing machine Warriors team comes and goes all too often, and so were back to square one again... WHY My gut feeling on that one has been the same all year long, and its directly connected to the coaching staff... tougher training and instilling a sense of confidence in the Warriors as a well oiled and highly motivated team are absolute requirements for the coaching staff, week in and week out. A coachs job isnt only about practicing plays during the week, deciding which players will start in next weekends game, and then calling it a day. Of course, the best teams ARE the best because they train harder and play harder than other teams, plain and simple.

They practice so much during the week that by the time game day arrives, executing brilliant plays has become second nature for them. They work harder during the week than the average team, arrive on the field in top physical condition, and theyre ready to wear the opposition down both offensively and defensively. But there are also a couple of other traits which all championship teams share in common, as well, and those qualities are CONFIDENCE in themselves as a TEAM, first and foremost.

Theres a refuse to lose mentality within every consistently winning team, and an awareness that every player is in the game for the same reason... to play as a team, to play for the team, and to win as a team. Every player knows these things, of course, at some level, but I wonder just how many coaches there are out there reminding their players to focus on these goals day in and day out? Instilling these values and motivating a team to give their best effort 100% of the time should be the number one priority for every head coach and his training staff, and this should be the main focus of every coach 100% of the time.

The Warriors definitely possess enough talent to beat any team in the NRL... its up to Ivan Cleary and his staff to see that it happens, week in and week out.

Advanced Search