The Auckland Warriors were a disjointed, lethargic rabble as they crashed to a club record 56-12 loss to Canberra last night in a pathetic display that must raise questions about the on-field effect of off-field managerial changes.
They were devoid of ideas when they got to the sixth tackle - the ball frequently delivered to non-kicking players or run to a halt. Little was offered on attack.
A ragged Warriors defensive line opened all sorts of scoring options, the Raiders taking them for 11 touchdowns.
The home team had done their homework, replicating the attack with which the Brisbane Broncos dumped Auckland.
They preyed on continuing defensive frailties under the high ball, Laurie Daley repeatedly bombing Nigel Vagana's wing for a two-try start inside the opening 10 minutes.
Yet again, a poor decision from a match official had an unnecessarily heavy impact, a touch judge's failure giving the Raiders possession they turned to points late in the half when territory and the ball should have been for Auckland.
But there could be no bitching this time. The Warriors were simply lousy - as bad as they have ever been.
The Raiders had all the territory and possession for the opening quarter, aided by Warriors turnovers, but it was in the next period where they won the game and it was defence that did it.
Auckland camped on their line for four sets of six but could not score and that failure looked to break their confidence while setting Canberra's in stone.
The Warriors' big men were starting from a standstill, there was little decoy running and few alternatives for the off-load. It was all so easy to read, with skipper John Simon's grubber the only plan.
Daley waltzed straight past Ali Lauiti'iti and through Matt Spence to make it 14-0. Just when the Warriors looked like coming back and went 6-14 thanks to a Tony Tuimavave dive for a Simon kick, the touchie took a hand.
Canberra wing Rod Jensen was in play when he knocked the ball dead but the linesman's ruling gave the ball to Canberra to restart on the 22.
The Warriors were still moving in slow and confused circles when fresh replacement Mark McLinden accelerated past an ineffectual Spence tackle in the next set, and it was 20-6 at the break.
The Warriors held out for a whole four minutes after the break before Daley got behind them. Two minutes later McLinden made a 60m gain from dummy-half, second-rower David Furner carried tacklers over and with 34 minutes to go it was all over. Brett Mullins, Anthony Cloella, Jason Croker and Lesley Vainikolo cashed in with more points.
The stats were telling: the Warriors made 308 tackles but missed 34 (around 11 per cent) while the Raiders made 272, missed 10 (4 per cent). The Raiders made 15 line breaks, Auckland only four.
There are no easy options for change, the second-choice players having also turned in shockers at the weekend.
Coach Mark Graham maintained pre-game that the dumping of club chairman Graham Lowe and director Malcolm Boyle would not unsettle the players.
But it may be a psychologist's input the team need to get their heads in the right space, judging by last night's capitulation.
Auckland Warriors: Tony Tuimavave 2 tries, Ivan Cleary 2 conversions.
Canberra Raiders: Brett Mullins (2), Simon Woolford, Laurie Daley (2), Mark McLinden, David Furner, Anthony Cloella, Jason Croker, Lesley Vainikolo (2) tries, Furner 5 conversions, Brandon Costin goal. Halftime 20-6.
Rugby League: Raiders thrash Warriors
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