Warriors Look Impressive While New Coaches Have Mixed First Round
The 2007 season of the NRL is well and truly about fresh starts. With the Gold Coast Titans entering the fray for the first time, numerous players have scattered far and wide to find new teams, new homes, and new contracts. But another group of people have been spinning the turnstiles into overdrive in the off season: coaches. Of the sixteen teams contesting the Premiership, only half have retained their head coaches from the previous season. The other eight, comprising of the Eels, Knights, Sharks, Roosters, Titans, Rabbitohs, Raiders, and Panthers, have a fresh face at the helm, and after one round they have brought about mixed results.
Only the Knights, (25-24 over the Bulldogs), the Sharks, (18-0 over the Panthers), and the Rabbitohs, (18-6 over the Roosters), were victorious in their first non-trial game under the helm of new coaches, but it is far too early to predict how these teams might fare throughout a full 25-round competition.
However, it could be said that the added stability that other teams have could count in their favour. Warriors captain Steve Price cited this steadiness as a contributing factor to the club’s opening 34-18 victory over the Eels.
With greater depth in the squad and a more believable desire to put together genuinely solid performances, the Warriors are already looking like potential top eight material. And with an even starting position in 2007, they are already six points ahead of where they were this time last year.
The game day experience has also improved, with local band The Black Seeds entertaining the crowd shortly after the Auckland Lions ran out 27-8 victors over the Paramatta Eels Premier League team. A three hundred member kapa haka group performed to a respectfully silent crowd who soaked in the impressive display, and fireworks were set off above the Eastern Stand shortly before the two teams took to the field.
All of these things are contributing to the atmosphere of seeing a game live at Mt Smart Stadium – an atmosphere that has waned over recent years.
With better performances on the field, and better entertainment off it, the Warriors are working hard to win back fans. A sizeable crowd for their round two match against reigning Premiers the Broncos would be just desserts for a solid pre-season from the players and staff alike.
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