NRL: Cleary agrees things have to change

Warriors coach Ivan Cleary has no problems with the club calling in outside help. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Coach Ivan Cleary has no qualms about the New Zealand Warriors' calling in outside help, saying changes are needed at the National Rugby League club.

After plenty of pre-season fanfare, the Warriors go into their final match against Melbourne on Saturday night languishing 14th among the 16 teams.

The club, whose playoff hopes were extinguished a month ago, yesterday announced that there would be a more detailed than usual end-of-season football review.

It would include having a group of former sporting internationals observe the Warriors' build-up against the Storm.

Cleary said a robust process was "absolutely justified".

"All we really want to do is improve and find out the best ways we can," he said.

"Obviously I've already got some ideas on that. The main thing for all of us here is to improve and deliver a much better performance next year."

The four observers recruited are former Kiwis Hugh McGahan, Awen Guttenbeil and Monty Betham, and world championship-winning softballer Dean Rice. Guttenbeil and Betham are also ex-Warriors.

"I don't think it can hurt," Cleary said of getting an outside opinion.

"You just never know what you're going to get.

"We're pretty open to finding out better ways to do things and obviously change is something that's going to have to happen around here."

McGahan said the quartet's brief was to look at the way the side prepared for a match, including team meetings and video sessions.

They would offer advice on what improvements could be made or comments on what they thought was being done well.

McGahan said he had already noted a couple of issues, but declined to elaborate as they would be contained in the report to be presented to the club next week.

"What they do with the report and if they implement any changes is in their court."

McGahan added that, like everyone else, he was disappointed with how the Warriors had gone this season, given the anticipation at the start of the year.

But he could understand how factors like injuries, player movements and the death of Sonny Fai could have had an effect.

"It could be a raft of things, and not one particular thing, as to why they have ended up where they are."

The Warriors' season finale will also mark the 261st and last time that halfback Stacey Jones, 33, appears for the club.

The "Little General" came out of retirement to return to the NRL after a three-year break and he has attracted mixed reviews.

McGahan said that, "irrespective of some comments I've made before", Jones' contribution to the Warriors and to New Zealand rugby league had been enormous, both on and off the field.

"It's a sad day for him," he said.

"But I'm happy for him that he's going to be able to sit back and enjoy his reputation the way it should be."

Last November, McGahan wrote in the Herald on Sunday that Jones' return was "a huge risk" for all concerned.

In July, he called on the Warriors to drop the playmaker and blood a replacement.

- NZPA