Graham Lowe: Lack of ideas real concern for Warriors

If there was ever any doubt that coaching is a cruel business, it was dispelled during last Saturday's drenching and disassembling of the Warriors at Jade Stadium.

During my career I certainly coached some dumb players. At one club in Australia I reckon we should have had a spanner in the team kit to turn some of the players round at half-time.

One Great Britain international I coached was so devoid of intellectual matter that he could only learn one play a game that involved him. The trouble was his enthusiasm was such that he wanted to do the same play 80 times a match.

On Saturday night, Warriors coach Tony Kemp must have wondered where his players' minds were during the relentless four months of pre-season training. His team had practised for hours daily, perfecting almost instinctive routines for every possible game-day situation.

I can understand his frustration. I am amazed that a team who have obviously spent so much time in training cannot come up with any bigger threat when attacking their opponents' goal line than a crossfield kick.

Against Brisbane, and the second half against Souths, the Warriors played a brand of football, and it delivered the results. But this was instinct; draw and pass "hot-potato" football.

However, on Saturday night against the Wests Tigers, when it came to something as simple as getting organised in an attacking position, they looked completely devoid of ideas.

Their ground kicking was poor, their inside running almost non-existent.

And I would defy any defence to stop a rampaging Iafeta Paleaaesina two passes out from the ruck and 10 or 15 metres from the line.

Like many others, I despair when I see Paleaaesina receiving the ball almost standing still and only four or five metres from the defensive line.

The Warriors are fast gaining a reputation as a spoiling team. A team who drag the level and the pace of the game down - which is far removed from the tag of entertainers they enjoyed not too long ago.

You just have to compare the Warriors games with the rest of the NRL - invariably they look a lot slower. More is expected of a team who are crammed full of players with international experience. And if more isn't forthcoming soon, it's going to be finger-pointing time.

Warriors chief executive Mick Watson must be starting to worry. He has already indicated he will be held accountable for the club's performance, just as the coaching staff have to hold their hands up.

The club has a great squad of players, but there is something missing in the level of intensity and consistency week to week. Unless it is sorted out quickly, another horror season is inevitable.

One of the most obvious problems the club has is a distinct lack of top-level coaching experience. The coaches have a great deal of playing experience but there is not a proven NRL coach among them.

There is a lot of pressure on head coach Kemp. If the results continue, I predict it won't be long before Watson will wield his axe once more.

This is a very unsettling environment to work in, and cannot be helping Kemp or his players.

I can't help thinking there's too much emphasis being placed on statistics.

I wonder what has happened to the skill of the coach watching a game and being able to make a confident assessment without having to refer to the video and all the stats.

But one statistic creating a lot of interest with the Warriors at present is the number of metres captain Steve Price is gaining each week, and it is a consistently impressive total.

Sure, it's a telling stat, but you have to look beyond it if it is going to mean anything at all.

But what's not being shown is the number of times he is going forward on his own.

Price should have the opportunity and choice to off-load to support runners backing him up every time he goes forward. But this is just not happening and I think his hit-ups are too often being wasted.

It is only six rounds into the season but some troubling signs are already emerging. 

There has been quite a bit of speculation surrounding the possible signing of Anthony Mundine to the Warriors, and a few other clubs.

Mundine is a great little bloke and was a talented player, but I have my doubts about him joining the Auckland club because he is such an individual player.

Not long before Mundine retired from footy to concentrate on his boxing, he announced in the media he was going to refrain from sex from the Tuesday before each week's game.

I remember interviewing him for TV and asking him about this, and to my surprise he confirmed it. But when I asked him, tongue-in-cheek, whether 30 to 60 seconds was going to make any difference to his game, he fell about laughing.

Luckily for me, he saw the amusing side of my question. But he was, and still is I imagine, a very different character and one who would add plenty of colour to whichever club he plays for.