League: Players expect tough calls

Warriors prop Jacob Lillyman is sure to appreciate the call to arms from new coach Andrew McFadden. Photo / Getty Images

Mannering and Lillyman expect McFadden to be demanding in pursuit of excellence.

Andrew McFadden has promised a "tougher" approach as interim Warriors coach and it's exactly what senior players Simon Mannering and Jacob Lillyman want.

The message from both was they want a coach who demands higher expectations and accountability, with the inference being it wasn't enforced enough under Matt Elliott.

The former coach showed incredible loyalty to his players, even when they weren't performing, and was loath to make too many changes. Feleti Mateo, whose form has been mediocre at times over the past couple of years, played 79 consecutive games for the Warriors but was dropped in McFadden's first week in charge.

There were a handful of other changes to the Warriors side to face the Bulldogs at Eden Park on Sunday, with Chad Townsend also dropped for Thomas Leuluai and Siliva Havili, David Bhana, Dominique Peyroux and Charlie Gubb brought onto an extended bench. Ngani Laumape will start in place of the injured Glen Fisiiahi (shoulder).

"I know the way [McFadden's] going to approach it," Mannering said, predicting a tougher approach from the neophyte head coach. "Hopefully the guys thrive on it."

The captain agreed that if players weren't performing, they needed to be dropped.

"Yeah, that's Andrew's call.

"We simply can't perform like we did on the weekend [in the 37-6 defeat to the Sharks] ... You can't accept a performance like that and the coach is gone because of that. We have to have some pride in our own performance before we worry about who our perfect coach would be."

McFadden knows he's on trial for the remainder of the season and hopes he can do enough to convince the club to keep him on fulltime. Elliott was grooming him to take over next year but there are many who believe the Warriors need an experienced coach like Tim Sheens or Neil Henry.

Lillyman agreed they needed a tougher environment and has seen changes already in McFadden's short tenure. "We need higher expectations on us at training and performing at a higher level everywhere, not just on the field," he said.

"That's how we become better on the field and more consistent. Cappy [McFadden] has come in and said it's really going to be enforced. He's not going to accept mediocrity.

"When we are performing various tasks, if they're not done at the right level, we do them again ... Ultimately we need to be accountable for our performances."

It's been a whirlwind fortnight for McFadden, who was appointed and then had to resign as Kiwis assistant coach once he took over at the Warriors.

"My head has been spinning but I keep grounding myself by saying I have worked hard for this."