Feleti Mateo and Manu Vatuvei of the Warriors look dejected after losing to the Panthers. Photo / Getty Images
Was 2014 a failure or not? It is one of many questions that can be asked of the Warriors, and is the easiest to answer. It was a failure all right, with a capital F.
Even coach Andrew McFadden, in an interview with the Herald, said it would be a
failed season if they missed the top eight from the position they had worked themselves into not so long ago.
The Warriors were awful in their do-or-die bid against the Penrith Panthers last night, lacking heart and organisation, making stupid errors and showing naivete. The Panthers are badly injury hit. The Warriors were in much better shape. They were plagued by an inferior kicking game. Even a stirring Manu Vatuvei try couldn't shift them.
Match report: Season over for Warriors
McFadden, who took over as head coach mid-season, deserves a slightly better mark than the club does overall. The Warriors were in bad shape when he took over, including a public spat between the owners. McFadden got them back on course, demanding tougher standards during high-intensity spells at training. And yet, it came to a bad end.
