Like all new dawns, it doesn’t take long for the sun to rise or not to rise as the case may be.
In this case, the new era for the Warriors needed to start if not with a bang with a little momentum.
The only positive about the Warriors so far is that they haven’t thrown the towel in.
Mind you, most of the fans have and the Aussie media is right behind us.
It’s going to be a long season.
This story on Stuff really says it all – the Super 14 is quantity not quality.
Sadly, the rugby lords decided to bow to internal South African and Australian demands rather than look to the future.
Players like Marshall have already voted with their feet and by the looks of it so have the good burghers of Dunedin.
It will all be forgotten if/when the Crusaders or hopefully the Hurricane claim the big prize but it will simply paper over the cracks.
I had my appendix out late last year which is an interesting way to start a sports blog entry. But hear me out.
On the admission form, I was asked to state my religion. I wrote “Warriors”.
Now I don’t want to be picky, but I noticed some of the other patients got visits from players in their favourite team – and one was even wearing the Catholic team uniform! But no Warriors players visited me.
So I sat down today prepared for the usual but hoping for better, especially given the diabolical start to the season. Never before had a team started with negative points so well done to the Warriors for at least creating history.
Sadly, it was all too familiar.
Dropped ball.
Missed opportunities.
Slack defence leading to easy tries.
Tackles that will lead to suspensions.
At least the Warriors new uniform looks great.
I’ve been passionate about the Warriors over the past 10 seasons. However, unlike the Warriors, I’m starting to learn from my mistakes.
Watching a bit of SuperLeague (why would you willingly watch S14 when it has been as bad as it has been) and it didn’t take long to start playing spot the Warrior.
How’s this for a Warriors SuperLeague team?
1. Justin Murphy
2. Henry Fa’afili
3. Shontayne Hape
4. Vinnie Anderson
5. Francis Meli
6. Thomas Leuluai
7. Stacey Jones
8. Feka
9. Monty Betham
10. Jerry Seuseu
11. Ali
12. Karl Te Mata
13. Logan Swann
Bench
Mark Tookey (he’s not up to a full game)
Im sure I’ll find another 3!
Coach: Daniel Anderson
Actually it looks more like the Warriors team than whichever configuration will take the part against the Storm.
If I posted along the lines of what a bore the Super14 is, you would be excused for dismissing it as some crackpot blogster. Gee thanks.
But when the Granny Herald says so, you’ve got to sit up and take notice.
Interestingly, the players themselves were never enthused about the more or the same is better.
I’d add to the list of reasons why it’s been a bore so far the defences.
You can tell from my blog I like my league … and I’d like to see the league defence patterns stay in league. So far in the Super14, most teams commit a small number of players to the breakdown then have the rest of the team spread across the park a la league without the 10m gap and with 2 extra players to boot (or not to boot if you are a Hurricane player).
All of which reminds me that rugby is often the best advertisement for league … but then I’d say that, wouldn’t I?
The only positive thing you could say about the Blues losing to the Crusaders was that at least they must be getting used to it.
A solitary win – and that by a solitary point – doesn’t give the Blues much return almost a third of the season.
I’m no expert but since King Carlos abdicated, the Blues backs have never looked the same.
Joe Rocketman never seesm to get the ball with time or space. While I accept that the defences seem to be up in the opposition’s line more than ever, the role of the the halves is to create that space. It aint happening.
I’ve been interested in Flavell’s return. In the games he’s played, he’s looked the pick of the pack and has shown admirable restraint when provoked. On the other hand, Ali Williams looks like he needs Uncle Graham to help him find his mojo.
It may not be too late, but it would take a miracle to lift these Blues .
Like a lot of sports, racing involves tradition – the first Tuesday in November is synonymous with the Melbourne Cup.
Likewise, in New Zealand, the Derby had always been on Boxing Day and the Auckland Cup on New Year’s day.
However, the racing powers have taken on years of tradition and plumped for a spotlight on racing in March. Read the Herald’s article.
Along with the dogs and the trotters (actually pacers but we’re splitting hairs now), the idea is to create a racing carnival. The Dorklanders apparently don’t like the fact that Christchurch does it better.
Lets hope for the sake of racing it works.
Another change to tradition was made last year with the highlights of the jumping season – the Great Northern – moved from Queens Birthday to the end of the season. This makes a lot of sense.
It also takes a lot of balls to do this – tradition means a lot.
It will be more than interesting to see the way it pans out.
Apparently there has been some Olympic games this year.
Really.
It must be true because I read that it had closed in the Herald.
Stupid of them.
Why schedule something like the Winter Olympic games to conflict with the Super14?
I decided to take a day or two to think over this issue before blogging away.
It would be nice to think there is an easy way out.
Actually there is – I don’t know why the Aussie papers were going on about Kiwi cheats when the ex-manager was an Aussie. So really, it just confirms that the Aussies are cheats because a decent Kiwi wouldn’t have done it.
The other things that amazes me is that the only other team to get caught out this much actually seemed to benefit from the cheating. In fact, I’m sure if you got a lawyer to look into it, cheating by definition means doing something dodgy to get benefit.
So you’re trying to tell me that we cheat and STILL can’t make the last 8???
I feel sorry for the players – especially if the season is ended before it starts. I feel sorry for Clearly because he gets judged on the results and it won’t be pretty. I even feel sorry for the new management team having to clean up this mess.
I feel really really sorry for us fans – we’ve put up with more crap than almost any other team and apart from 2001, we’ve got nothing to show for it. I’m sick of the talk about the Warriors being the jewel in crown – at present, it’s more like another turd in the tank!
And finally, I feel very very very sorry for Mick Watson … particularly once Eric sends some of the boys around with a bonus for all his great work for the Warriors.
Yeah, right.