Too many Kiwis in dismal Warriors - Australian league pundit Paul Kent

Warriors forward Bunty Afoa - an inferior junior system is dragging the Auckland club down says Aussie league pundit Paul Kent. Photo / Photosport

The Warriors' problem is simple - they've got too many New Zealanders in the side.

That is the call from leading Sydney league journalist Paul Kent, who said the development system in New Zealand produced soft players unable to tough it out in the NRL.

"The fundamental problem, and this will sound absurd, but there are too many Kiwis in the side," Kent said on Fox Sport's NRL 360.

When co-host Ben Ikin interjected to say the New Zealand factor didn't seem to hurt the All Blacks, Kent said the comparison was erroneous.

"The All Blacks come through a different junior system to the Warriors, (with a) harder edge. The Warriors...when the game gets tough, they get going."

Former State of Origin player Ikin found it hard to understand why the Warriors had put up such a lame effort this season.

"I struggle to get my head around what happened...this is an organisation with quality people almost from top to bottom," he said.

"(owner) Eric Watson is hugely successful, Jim Doyle the CEO is one of the best in the business who did a lot before he arrived in rugby league, they've got a world class spine, (plus) people of the ilk of Simon Mannering and Ryan Hoffman.

"I just look at the team play and I'm left scratching my head - there aren't too many good judges in the NRL who didn't have them close to the top four with the people they had assembled."

Guest panellist James Graham, the great English and Bulldogs forward, was also scratching his head.

"It's a tough one. On paper their roster is phenomenal. You've seen some of the individual brilliance that some of those players can bring, there's some Origin experience thrown in there with (Jacob) Lillyman and (Ryan) Hoffman...people are a little bit puzzled. Are there too many excuses?," Graham said.

Doyle has been trying to build a new club by recruiting Kiwis such as Roger Tuivasa-
Sheck and Tohu Harris who have been developed by Australian clubs.