Are The Blues becoming Warriors 2.0?

[FlukeArtist]

I know its still early doors, but I just can't see this Blues team doing much of anything again this year.

As a Blues fan, I really despair about this team.
They are looking more and more like the Warriors league team each year.
ie: they lack ticker, brains and seem to have no pressure on them to succeed.

A family member was at the season launch breakfast a couple of weeks back.
JK apologised for the pi55-poor performances that have come under his watch and said how the region deserves better etc etc. But then he gets in front of the media after that game against the Chiefs and spouts the same old BS.
I for one, don't want to hear that 5hite about "taking positives from the match" etc. You couldn't even score a try FFS! Positives from a 6 penalty performance??
Its sad what the Blues have become.

 

[ENZED-88]

A bit offended by this the Blues have been ****house far longer than the warriors from 2007 to 2011 (the year we made grand final) we only missed out on finals football once in 2009 the year sonny fai died pre season. Since then Ivan Cleary left and bluey took over and didn't even see the season out as coach we are on to our third since then. Our juniors have won 3 out of 6,7 premierships and then our juniors get pillaged by every other NRL club. The blues have been **** longer than I care to remember.

 

[TRF_heineken]

I know its still early doors, but I just can't see this Blues team doing much of anything again this year.

As a Blues fan, I really despair about this team.
They are looking more and more like the Warriors league team each year.
ie: they lack ticker, brains and seem to have no pressure on them to succeed.

A family member was at the season launch breakfast a couple of weeks back.
JK apologised for the pi55-poor performances that have come under his watch and said how the region deserves better etc etc. But then he gets in front of the media after that game against the Chiefs and spouts the same old BS.
I for one, don't want to hear that 5hite about "taking positives from the match" etc. You couldn't even score a try FFS! Positives from a 6 penalty performance??
Its sad what the Blues have become.

Some teams just go through a lull at some stage. It happens.

Take the Bulls for example they were the wooden spooners for 3 years in a row, with one season only scoring 3 log points for the entire Super 12 tournament (at that stage). They kept most of their management team and players, and in a few seasons they went on to win the tournament on 2 occasions.

 

[FlukeArtist]

A bit offended by this the Blues have been ****house far longer than the warriors from 2007 to 2011 (the year we made grand final) we only missed out on finals football once in 2009 the year sonny fai died pre season. Since then Ivan Cleary left and bluey took over and didn't even see the season out as coach we are on to our third since then. Our juniors have won 3 out of 6,7 premierships and then our juniors get pillaged by every other NRL club. The blues have been **** longer than I care to remember.

Mate, If you think "making the finals" qualifies as success, then you are the personification of what I am talking about.
Making the finals isn't good enough.
This is what I mean by the teams (both Warriors and Blues) not having the pressure on them to succeed.
Near enough (ie: making the finals) is not good enough.
Winning the whole thing should be the goal.
That is simply BS to have any lesser goal. Especially after you are into your 3rd year in charge as coach.

I'm sick to death of hearing this cop-out BS that JK is spouting.

Pressure makes Diamonds.
And unless JK, the coaching staff and the players themselves start getting some pressure on them, then we will continue to under-achieve.
Just like the Warriors.
Sorry ENZED, but to excuse the Warriors never having won the title in 20 years is an absolute cop-out. Near enough is not good enough. the ONLY time they have really been good is when Australians have shown them how (I'm thinking Campion, Cleary, and to a lesser degree, Luck here)

That flat out sucks when you consider the talent in the region.
...but then again, I question the selection of talent in the region.

Like the under 20s Warriors, they succeed at Age-grade because they are basically bigger than the other teams (due to the majority of the players being of Polynesian descent, and growing up in Auckland I know myself that he poly kids were generally bigger at the same age than the other kids)
That's all well and good until a couple of years later when the other kids catch up in growth, and all that that time that the poly kids spent steam rolling iover opposition, the other kids learnt how to run into spaces, and not faces.
This is actually something that was acknowledged by Auckland Rugby when I attended one of their coaching courses.
They are working on developing this now, so HOPEFULLY we might see some change in the next 5 years or so.

But NOTHING will change unless we start putting real pressure on the teams to perform.
Not just to make the finals etc.
That's just BS

 

[steblin]

The Blues just have an intangible feeling of resignation about them this year. Don't know what it is, I don't see any real growth in squad strength, as I said in the game day posts I just don't see any improvement in game planning, execution or precision. Just plodding along in mediocrity. No doubt we will show flashes of brilliance that will give us hope, but these will be individuals excelling, the likes of huge games we saw from Rene Ranger in 2013 where he put the team on his back.

The Blues have some exciting individuals in there, but when I see the team sheet I can't help but thinking ... meh

 

[ENZED-88]

Mate, If you think "making the finals" qualifies as success, then you are the personification of what I am talking about.
Making the finals isn't good enough.
This is what I mean by the teams (both Warriors and Blues) not having the pressure on them to succeed.
Near enough (ie: making the finals) is not good enough.
Winning the whole thing should be the goal.
That is simply BS to have any lesser goal. Especially after you are into your 3rd year in charge as coach.

I'm sick to death of hearing this cop-out BS that JK is spouting.

Pressure makes Diamonds.
And unless JK, the coaching staff and the players themselves start getting some pressure on them, then we will continue to under-achieve.
Just like the Warriors.
Sorry ENZED, but to excuse the Warriors never having won the title in 20 years is an absolute cop-out. Near enough is not good enough. the ONLY time they have really been good is when Australians have shown them how (I'm thinking Campion, Cleary, and to a lesser degree, Luck here)

That flat out sucks when you consider the talent in the region.
...but then again, I question the selection of talent in the region.

Like the under 20s Warriors, they succeed at Age-grade because they are basically bigger than the other teams (due to the majority of the players being of Polynesian descent, and growing up in Auckland I know myself that he poly kids were generally bigger at the same age than the other kids)
That's all well and good until a couple of years later when the other kids catch up in growth, and all that that time that the poly kids spent steam rolling iover opposition, the other kids learnt how to run into spaces, and not faces.
This is actually something that was acknowledged by Auckland Rugby when I attended one of their coaching courses.
They are working on developing this now, so HOPEFULLY we might see some change in the next 5 years or so.

But NOTHING will change unless we start putting real pressure on the teams to perform.
Not just to make the finals etc.
That's just BS

I never said making the finals is a success, but I said the warriors in recent years have been better compared to their union counterparts,I watch every warriors game and I never expect them to lose knowing they have it in them to win on any given day against any team same can't be said for when I watch the blues,I'm calling bull**** on your polynesian theory you mustn't watch much jnr warriors if you think it's all about the running over people, we have the best creators in the game at jnr level so I don't know where you get the idea they just run over the smaller aussie teams( which are packed with big Polynesians)
It's sad we haven't won a premeirship before I agree with you there we do have the talent and the money to win the thing (the coaching and board on the other hand) but it's not the easiest comp to win up until last year Souths hadn't won it since 71, the cowboys have never won it neither cronulla who have been in the comp since 67, parra haven't win it since 87, tigers went through a 44 year drought and St george went through a 39 year drought all teams with a lot more history in the game, but don't get me wrong man, I'm a warriors supporter through and through have been since 95 and every year they let us down but to compare them to the blues? Who have one of the biggest rugby nursaries in the world and still at the bottom of NZ rugby is BS man.

 

[FlukeArtist]

I never said making the finals is a success, but I said the warriors in recent years have been better compared to their union counterparts,I watch every warriors game and I never expect them to lose knowing they have it in them to win on any given day against any team same can't be said for when I watch the blues,I'm calling bull**** on your polynesian theory you mustn't watch much jnr warriors if you think it's all about the running over people, we have the best creators in the game at jnr level so I don't know where you get the idea they just run over the smaller aussie teams( which are packed with big Polynesians)
It's sad we haven't won a premeirship before I agree with you there we do have the talent and the money to win the thing (the coaching and board on the other hand) but it's not the easiest comp to win up until last year Souths hadn't won it since 71, the cowboys have never won it neither cronulla who have been in the comp since 67, parra haven't win it since 87, tigers went through a 44 year drought and St george went through a 39 year drought all teams with a lot more history in the game, but don't get me wrong man, I'm a warriors supporter through and through have been since 95 and every year they let us down but to compare them to the blues? Who have one of the biggest rugby nursaries in the world and still at the bottom of NZ rugby is BS man.

I think its an apt comparison.
Warriors also have THE biggest League nursery in the country. Same as the Blues do for rugby.
The problem in both teams lies in mental application and ticker. I'm sorry, but that's my opinion, and it is one that is shared by many. Call it BS if you want.

I love how Warriors fans have every excuse in the book for their team. I guess if you are willing to make excuses for their performances, you'll just end up getting more of the same from them.
So what if there are other teams in the NRL that haven't won the comp. There are other Super Rugby Teams that haven't won the title either. Doesn't mean "its just a hard comp" and there isn't something wrong with their franchises that needs sorting.

My original point here is that BOTH the Warriors and The Blues have massive culture issues
Also issues with administration, management and selection.

If I was The Blues or Warriors boards, I would be looking at how (and who) turned the culture around at Canterbury in the late 90s, and try to emulate what they did.

 

[steblin]

Warriors also have THE biggest League nursery in the country. Same as the Blues do for rugby.

You've hit on the thing that bugs me the most, I don't know what the problem with either lack of development or retention, whether its a problem with the clubs or grass roots level, but its very frustrating. You have to look no further than the Blues current midfield issues and watching Fekitoa plying his trade for the Highlanders ...

 

[FlukeArtist]

You've hit on the thing that bugs me the most, I don't know what the problem with either lack of development or retention, whether its a problem with the clubs or grass roots level, but its very frustrating. You have to look no further than the Blues current midfield issues and watching Fekitoa plying his trade for the Highlanders ...

Spot on - good example of the guys in the selection roles missing the boat.
And the Blues do this time and time again. Even this year they let Polwart go. He was a stand out at ITM level and should have been given a shot.
Taking Nonu back, Benji over Barrett etc.. the list goes on.