All for one and one for all, the Warriors in a huddle. Photo / Michael Craig
All for one and one for all, the Warriors in a huddle. Photo / Michael Craig
The Auckland Nines is seen as something of a carnival but the prizemoney and prestige make it something worth fighting for. David Skipwith got a rare look behind the scenes as the Warriors prepared for their opening game yesterday.
2pm: Time to switch on
Entering the inner sanctum of the players dressing room under the main grandstand, it's surprisingly quiet.
The atmosphere is tense but everyone appears focused and captain Shaun Johnson looks relaxed and at ease as coach Andrew McFadden observes from the periphery.
The players are grouped around the room in the order of their field positions, with Suaia Matagi, Ben Matulino and Nathan Friend together beside halves Johnson and Tui Lolohea. The left-edge players, Ryan Hoffman and Chad Townsend, are in quiet discussion.
Image 1 of 20: Manu Vatuvei. Photo / Michael Craig
Doc Mayhew and the training staff are working their way around the room, checking on individuals offering strapping tape, water and any assistance.
McFadden eventually speaks as the players continue their preparations. "I want you ready to warm-up in 10," he says sternly. McFadden has a reputation of a calm but firm individual and that persona is the same behind the scenes. In another life, he might have made a good poker player.
At this stage, only Friend and Matulino are fully kitted up and both have a steely thousand-yard stare look about them. The big prop is the only player wearing headphones, listening to music as he finishes his stretches.
McFadden reiterates some key points. "Stick with our systems, you know your roles. Be aware of the interchange. On defence, stay in the line and keep your eyes up. When we have the ball, have a look and if it's not on then hold it. Keep staying on task."
Johnson addresses the group sharply as they form a line to make their way outside to the warm-up area on Eden Park's No 2 field. "Are we sweet, boys? Are we all good?" Nods all-round confirm they are.
2.15pm: Warm-up
Their arrival on the back field is quickly noticed by hordes of fans above on the western concourse and the "Warriors all day!" call and other encouraging words ring out.
The players start off in groups of three doing some light drills. There's plenty of talk as they start stretching but, over in the corner of the park, McFadden remains quiet as he watches.
The pumping sounds from a Sandringham Road house party is audible as the warm-up tempo increases.
Warriors captain, Shaun Johnson leads teammates to the warm up pitch. Photo / Michael Craig
Warriors and Raiders great Ruben Wiki discovers a stray Canberra sock on the field and wonders if it's a pointer ahead of the Warriors' last game of the day. "Is this an omen?" he says with a chuckle. How right he was.
Soon after, legendary Broncos coach Wayne Bennett and former halfback Allan Langer wander over to greet Wiki, and the trio chat casually as the Warriors gather into a huddle.
As the team make their way back to the main grandstand, they pass Panthers coach and former Warriors mentor Ivan Cleary, who exchanges polite greetings with several players and staff.
2.40pm: Inside the tunnel
Johnson meets match officials and Titans skipper Will Zillman for the coin toss before telling his team-mates: "It's our kick-off and we're going to go long and straight into our structures."
The 24-year-old is pumped and looks every bit the leader, while other senior men, Manu Vatuvei and Ryan Hoffman, move forward to join him at the front of the line.
New recruit Bodene Thompson looks like a man possessed as he alternates banging his shoulders into a defenseless concrete pillar, and Sione Lousi bows his head and crosses himself in a shared moment with the man upstairs.
The players come together one last time in the hallway and put their hands in together in the centre of the huddle before breaking off to make their entrance with Johnson reminding them to enjoy the experience.
Walking down the tunnel, Hoffman is shouting encouragement and back-slapping those around him, looking determined to impress in his first outing in Warriors colours.
Walking out behind them is an incredible experience, and the hairs on the back of my neck stand up as almost 45,000 fans roar their approval with a tremendous welcome for the home side.
I can only wonder what the players are thinking but there's little time to do that as the game gets under way.
2.45pm: Game time
The Warriors start with great urgency and aggression in defence to dominate the early stages but a lack of fluency in their attacking play looks to have McFadden on edge.
Ryan Hoffman's try seems to settle them down but some unnecessary passes and handling errors draw concerned looks from the bench.
The crowd noise is so loud it's difficult to hear what messages are being sent out to the trainers and players but it's obvious McFadden wants more composure on attack.
Solomone Kata's try and Johnson's conversion gives them some breathing space and at halftime it's the No 7 doing all the talking.
Warriors head coach, Andrew McFadden, speaks to players at half time. Photo / Michael Craig
Warriors player Solomone Kata dives over to score a try. Photo / Photosport
"Don't push the pass or try to score off every play. Let's remember our processes and stick to them."
McFadden chooses his words carefully and worries more about reiterating the basics of their game plan, while new assistant Andrew Webster chimes in with some simple key phrases.
However, a couple more missed chances and a second Titans try early in the second half have him clearly frustrated, while Wiki and other staff are yelling at the players to maintain possession.
After a couple of misfires, Lolohea's attacking intent eventually pays dividends with a vital try, bringing what might have been something close to a smile to McFadden's face, albeit fleetingly.
The final whistle brings relief and, while the players briefly celebrate, some stern words from Hoffman and Johnson make it clear they have plenty to work on.
"It's a start boys. It's a win but we've got to step it up," Johnson says.
3.07pm: Back in the sheds
After making their way through the media obligations, the players sit in a semi-circle inside a second changing room. The mood is again quiet and introspective as they await the verdict from their coach.
"Happy that's out of the way? So what did we learn from it?" McFadden begins.
He turns to Nathan Friend, who is nursing a badly bloodied nose, and the veteran No9 details the need for patience and composure.
The coach is firm and direct in his analysis and he probes them with questions to make them produce the answers, so he's certain they absorb his message.
"What did you learn from your best carry? There were two offloads and they were completely different, what was the difference [in those runs]?" he asks Matulino.
"Running hard and with more aggression," comes the willing reply.
Young gun Lolohea is next under the spotlight but, like a good parent, McFadden provides some constructive criticism to fuel his players' desire to do better next time.
"Tui, [you] came up with a couple of errors. What came next? You stayed on task and came up with the match-winning try. We needed that."
Johnson watches as his No6 quietly responds, obviously having some empathy for the 20-year-old's feelings, but proud of the manner in which he accepts his coach's advice.
"So that's what we need to do. We need to stay on task and stick with our systems. We also need to make sure we're composed, with controlled aggression, yeah?"
Defensive improvements are next.
"At the start of the game, our defence, how did that feel? What did it start with? Aggression!" McFadden continues.
"Commit to your play. If we have numbers, commit to it. It doesn't mean we have to score off it but just commit to it. That's what we have got to learn from that."
It's what you get from McFadden. He doesn't mince words - and there would have been a few choice ones to go with the spray Johnson gave his team-mates when the Warriors conceded three late tries to go down to the Raiders in their second game - but also doesn't waste words. He doesn't say something to fill space unless it needs to be said.
It's a show of trust in his players because he knows the work has been done and he relies on the leaders around him to reiterate his messages.
Johnson was the most vocal of those. He embraced the responsibilities that captaincy brought and carried himself as a leader, which isn't always easy given the hype around him.
But he seems to understand the expectations and is comfortable knowing he needs to deliver in the big games. He's not the newcomer any more - that's Lolohea - and the signs are there that they'll form a potent partnership for years to come.
It's clear the Warriors will shoulder great expectations each time the nines carnival comes to town, and each time they take the park in front of their legion of fans. Whether those shoulders are broad enough to carry that load all the way to the winner's podium remains to be seen, but the next 12 hours should reveal plenty about their character.
