Defending champions far too good for Andrew Webster’s challengers. Video / Sky Sport
Across this season, Warriors’ coach Andrew Webster has got just about everything right: from his early messages to the players to the planning and execution of the pre-season bloc, along with the way he has navigated arguably the most demanding competition in professional sport.
The most eye-catching aspectof his tenure is the way he has reshaped standards at the Mt Smart club, with levels of individual and collective accountability that haven’t been seen for years.
He has also impressed as a selector. Knowing when to hold, when to fold and when to take the occasional gamble.
But the mix wasn’t right against Penrith on Saturday. The bench was underpowered, lacking a third specialist prop, and having Bayley Sironen and Freddie Lussick in the 17 was an extravagance, considering the opposition. Using Dylan Walker in the halves made sense – for his experience and defensive qualities – but it didn’t work, while not enough of the back five performed to the levels of earlier this season.
It leaves Webster in a difficult situation, as he tries to assess the best 17 for next weekend’s knockout game.
Were some of the underwhelming individual performances down to extreme fatigue – the Warriors were pushed to unprecedented levels of exhaustion, especially in the first half – or symptomatic of a loss of form?
Does he stick with the status quo, which has served him so well throughout the season and now has had a taste of finals football, or roll the dice in search of a more cohesive performance?
Either way, it is Webster’s biggest selectorial test of the season. He will have to combine analysis, training feedback and gut instinct to get it right, with several big dilemmas.
The Warriors remain hopeful that Shaun Johnson will be back but it’s far from guaranteed. Maybe they were ultra-cautious ahead of Saturday’s match – knowing it was an uphill battle anyway against the minor premiers, with or without him – and have put all their stocks on this weekend. But even minor calf strains can be complicated and Johnson won’t be able to play at less than 100 per cent.
If he doesn’t make the cut, surely Ronald Volkman is the option. He’s a specialist halfback and behind Johnson, has the best kicking game in the club. The Warriors can’t afford a repeat of last Saturday, where their yardage kicking and fifth tackle options were limited.
There was logic behind using Walker and he added ballast to the left edge with some tremendous defence. It had also worked adequately as a four-game mid-season experiment, even against Penrith, which would have been on Webster’s mind. But that was alongside Johnson, who ran the show, allowing Walker to perform a secondary role at five-eighth. Using Walker in the halves also drastically dilutes the Warriors’ interchange impact, given his value as a bench weapon this season.
The return of Shaun Johnson is far from guaranteed. Photo / Photosport
Will there be changes in the outside backs?
The quartet of Marcelo Montoya, Adam Pompey, Rocco Berry and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak have been rock solid this year, especially in the second half of the campaign. But they were blunted on Saturday, plagued by missed tackles, errors and poor options. Their job was made more difficult as the team were rarely on the front foot but it was still a harrowing evening on both edges.
The temptation will be to stick with the status quo – and there won’t be widespread changes – but Webster does have options. Edward Kosi was the incumbent winger before injury and impressed against the Dolphins last week while centre Ali Leiataua must be under consideration, with memories of his compelling debut in Canberra in June.
The Warriors wanted to play a fast game in Penrith, which influenced a lightweight bench of Jazz Tevaga, Sironen, Josh Curran and Lussick. But they were monstered by the heavy artillery that the Panthers had at their disposal, with no respite through the ruck.
It’s always a tricky equation – as the Warriors need backline cover and also backup for Wayde Egan among the quartet but Webster may mix things up. Bunty Afoa or Tom Ale could add more size, while Taine Tuaupiki might be a wildcard if pace and late points are needed. Curran will also be pushing for a starting spot, with Jackson Ford now under pressure.
Warriors v Knights: 6pm, Saturday – Alternative Commentary Collective on Sky Sport 9
Michael Burgess has been a sports journalist since 2005, winning several national awards and covering Olympics, Fifa World Cups and America’s Cup campaigns. A football aficionado, Burgess will never forget the noise that greeted Rory Fallon’s goal against Bahrain in Wellington in 2009.
