KEY POINTS:
I'm not sure I attended the same Warriors-Sharks fixture as a number of other people last Saturday at Mt Smart Stadium.
I attended a game where the Warriors played poorly against a team they were expected to beat - but they were certainly not the disgraceful, pathetic bunch of hobos described by all who wanted to vent their anger or frustration on radio talkback.
Had you not known the result, you'd have thought the team had lost by 40 points, not two. Of course we should be disappointed when our team loses but please analyse the performance with a view of the whole game, not just the result.
I heard claims of the Warriors "returning to their old ways" and "here we go again".
When was the last time the Warriors played that poorly?
Certainly not in the past two seasons and this shows the improvement of the club.
Prior to the past two seasons, a number of supporters and critics would have been pleased to have been within reach of winning right up to the final hooter but somehow we have set our expectations a little too high.
Sure, the team has played better against classier opposition but give them a chance to have one bad day.
When they start to repeat the performances week after week, then questioning their form is warranted - but to lash out as viciously as some people did this last week was a little harsh.
I have certainly been guilty previously of unsympathetic comments towards the team and club but they were judged on prior playing performances linked to off-field dilemmas.
Then a change in administration brought a different focus and I have observed a different demeanour with more openness.
Hence my perspective has altered, with a view to extending a chance for the club to prove their claims.
There have been no outlandish claims of grandeur like those of the preceding administration.
I have no reason to be critical of a club that has displayed such openness to the public, media and critics.
I do not think there is much wrong with the club other than a couple of deficiencies in positions and I am certainly not panicking about the club and the loss last week to the Sharks.
Those who see it differently to me, take a chill pill and view it like this - at best, the Warriors played a game they still had a chance of winning with seconds left on the clock. At worst, they played uninspired, mistake-ridden footy.
How many years has it been since we were able to say such things and still have the team in the top eight?
The club is not as bad as some made out and it will take more than another couple of losses for me to change my opinion.
