NRL: Lewis Brown on Warriors 2011 trip to finals and what team needs to do to beat Brisbane Broncos

In a recent trip down memory lane, former New Zealand Warriors player Lewis Brown revised the iconic 2011 NRL season where he etched his name into Warriors folklore by scoring the winning try in the preliminary final against the Melbourne Storm.

Speaking on NZME’s Big League Podcast, Brown reflected on the 2011 Storm match: “You know how ironic it is? That was obviously 12 years ago and the man that set that try for me is the man that’s orchestrating this finals run, and that’s Shaun Johnson.”

He acknowledged the striking similarities between the 2011 and 2023 Warriors sides, emphasising the importance of belief and camaraderie in a footy team. He praised current coach Andrew Webster’s influence, drawing from his experience under Penrith Panthers’ coach Ivan Cleary’s guidance.

Looking ahead to the upcoming clash against the Broncos on Saturday night, Brown emphasised the significance of 1 per cent efforts and getting the basics right. He also highlighted the importance of the battle in the middle, the kicking game of playmaker Johnson, and the team’s kick chance.

With an optimistic outlook for the Warriors’ chances, Brown concluded it was key for the Warriors to worry about themselves first and foremost.

“The boys just need to worry about themselves and I’m sure that’s the message that Webby will be getting through to them. Let’s do everything we can to make sure we put in our best performance, 80-minute performance or 90-minute performance if we have to on Saturday night.”

Listen to the full podcast here:

Luke Kirkness is an Online Sports Editor for the NZ Herald. He previously covered consumer affairs for the Herald and was an assistant news director in the Bay of Plenty. He won Student Journalist of the Year in 2019.