COMMENT:

So what about them Warriors then? Yesterday’s win over Manly marked the official end of only the most unusual season ever. Five months after leaving NZ to relocate in Oz the team returns with heads held high.

The club deserving an A+ for a magnificent off-field effort that’s earned fulsome praise from everyone involved in the game. But what about the on-field side? Because ultimately that’s what really counts.

Eight wins in twenty games sounds like a typical Warriors season. Some promise, much disappointment and never quite consistent enough to make the playoffs. On-field I give the campaign a C+ and no more than that. And yes I realise many fans will think that’s a little low but when your aim is Top 8 and you finish 10th of 16 teams, I can’t see how it could possibly be graded any higher.

And again, when assessing the on-field side of the season I think you have to remove all the peripheral goings-on or else it simply sounds like more excuse making. Dumping the coach after 6 games didn’t help. Losing five players back to NZ because of homesickness didn’t help. Being forcibly domiciled in a bubble in Oz wasn’t ideal either.

But that’s just what had to be dealt with and quite conceivably could be more of the same next year too. I’m over excuses I want results.

Reality is the squad was nowhere near strong enough to be a Top 8 side let alone one of the elite teams capable of winning the comp and no amount of talk about sacrifices made and selfless contributions should change that.

Neither should the retirement of Adam Blair dilute the truth that he’s been largely disappointing these last three years. A fantastic career sure, but to say the Warriors saw the best of him is simply not true.

Off-field the club has been flawless. Not a hint of controversy, not one rogue headline, not a single Covid case to report upon. The campaign accomplished many great things, most bigger than the sport itself.

But 8 wins from 20 games and 10th out of 16 teams tells the actual tale. That is all that was achieved. Which is why I maintain the on-field side deserves a C+ and why that mark is entirely fair. As for next season repeat after me, you know the drill IT IS our year.