What To Expect From Aotearoa Warriors Coach Andrew Webster
Aotearoa Warriors have a new coach for the 2023 NRL season with Andrew Webster leading their return to Aotearoa after a few years away wandering. Webster has the profile of a good coach and this role suits his needs with Warriors maintaining a solid business despite the pandemic, along with ownership that has invested in all levels of the franchise.
Warriors have had 14 coaches in their existence, Webster will be the 15th. Let's keep it a full steak and cheese pie here, most Warriors coaches aren't very good. Of the 14 coaches since 1995, only two have won more than half of their games. Ivan Cleary went a smidge below 50 percent and along with Daniel Anderson, they took Warriors to Grand Finals. John Monie won half of his games so big ups to him.
During the pandemic, Warriors churned through four coaches.
Warriors started with Stephen Kearney and despite a fabulous patch of Warriors footy prior to the pandemic, Kearney led Warriors in two horrible performances to start 2020. Kearney didn't survive the turmoil of the pandemic leaving Warriors to flow through Todd Payten, Nathan Brown and Stacey Jones.
The impact of the pandemic is under-stated in plenty of Warriors coverage. This was evident in Warriors footy and different coaches rotated through the role. Webster now enjoys the same starting point as every other NRL coach, an advantage that none of the pandemic coaches had.
Warriors need a long-term presence to lead their footy and re-connect with Aotearoa. The best way to survive as a coach is winning footy games and this will be Webster's primary objective. Warriors expectations are tricky though and starting with no expectations is the healthiest perspective.
Will Webster lead Warriors to a GF this season? No.
There is no evidence to suggest that Warriors will be in the championship tier. There is very little (no) evidence to suggest Warriors will be in top-five team either. A good season for Webster and Warriors will be cracking the top-eight, gaining finals experience and setting a standard of winning footy.
Missing the finals while showing flashes of competitive NRL footy, as well as promising local juniors will be a solid season. Anything in the Warriors zone of consistency (9th-15th) will make Warriors folk question their existence, de ja vu and whatever Warriors did to upset Papatuanuku/Ranginui.
Webster is a better coach than he was a player - lovely. Webster has junior coaching experience in a culturally diverse area of Sydney, along with assistant coaching experience in Australia, England and Aotearoa. Webster previously worked with Warriors as an assistant coach to Andrew McFadden and McFadden has returned from successful stint with Ricky Stuart at Raiders as 'General Manager of Recruitment, Development and Pathways'.
Webster and McFadden have felt Warriors mana before, what Warriors turangawaewae looks like. Both left Warriors to gain experience in other situations and Webster's most recent excursion saw him work with Ivan Cleary at Panthers. Cleary's Warriors experience laid foundations for success with Panthers as the culture and community vibes are similar, giving Webster a chance to deepen his Warriors know-how while also learning from a championship coach.
Panthers success came during Webster's two years as assistant coach, leading their attack. Back to back championships merely feature Webster playing his role and even in his attacking pocket, Panthers seeds of shape and style were already in place prior to Webster’s arrival. Webster may have helped developed some things, most notably the James Fisher-Harris passing nugget, but winning experience and learning from Cleary are equally as beneficial.
This sets up an intriguing comparison with Cameron Ciraldo who is now Bulldogs coach after working as a Panthers assistant coach. Ciraldo was with Panthers before Webster arrived and was instrumental in developing the local juniors, before leading the Panthers defence in recent years. Ciraldo was the trendy coach while Webster didn’t feature in headlines, both are now rebuilding teams that have made similar moves throughout their organisation.
Part of this comparison revolves around each team's identity. Bulldogs defence should be legit with Ciraldo's expertise. Warriors should be able to average 20-ish points with Webster and a skillful team. Maybe they shine in the other aspect. Other wrinkles of playing style and identity will emerge as well.
Defence wins championships. Warriors won't be winning championships next season and while Webster's coaching quality will be assessed on the attitude of his players, which is most evident in defensive mahi, Warriors can be a finals team with good-enough defence. That level of defence requires effort and care, showing up for the comrades and coach on every play. Webster can tap into that with a strong connection to his players and brewing his culture that is then showcased on the field.
Key indicators for Webster's influence will be passing forwards, crisp attacking shapes, execution of basic skills and game control. Warriors have skillful forward pack leaders in Tohu Harris and Addin Fonua-Blake. Shaun Johnson has scope to flourish as a manager with his communication, kicking and control. Webster can help someone like Te Maire Martin operate in his best spots, perhaps even extracting extra funk out of Viliami Vailea who played as a #10 in 1st 15 rugby.
How Webster drives skill development will dictate what Warriors are capable of this season. If Warriors players show improvement, Webster has established a connection with his players and this connection will be the seed for better defence. Engaging culture and community will also be evident in Webster's connection with players. Webster's experience allows him to understand what recruits such as Marata Niukore, Te Maire Martin and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad want in returning to Aotearoa. Dylan Walker wants to connect with Aotearoa, while Webster can also help young Aussies such as Ronald Volkman, Jackson Ford and Luke Metcalf feel the Aotearoa flavour.
Webster has the tools to be a successful Warriors coach, which for this season means competing in finals footy. Everything is set up for a coach with hefty assistant experience, even interim head coach experience, to have an immediate impact. Warriors are back home at Mt Smart and that should boost Webster’s impact, while also laying foundations of development at all levels.
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