He was never going to get much time to prove he should be the next Warriors coach, but Tony Iro has clearly decided not to waste a moment.
Iro's selections for his second - and possibly final - match in charge since taking the helm from the deposed Brian McClennan have sent the strongest possible message to the club's players, management and ownership.
In axing star halfback Shaun Johnson - who may suffer the ignominy of playing out his season for the Vulcans on Mt Smart's No2 pitch on Saturday - and potentially denying farewell appearances to James Maloney and Lewis Brown, Iro has shown he is not to be trifled with.
Last Saturday night's limp defeat to the Dragons has been deemed unacceptable, with the individuals responsible bladed with little compunction.
"I hope it is a bit of a shot," Iro said. "It is a really important game and most parts of our performance on Saturday were pretty unacceptable. The players are aware of that. The players who aren't selected aren't alone. Everyone needs to improve. We've got one final chance to make amends. This is a case of us picking the side we think will give us the best chance of winning against the Raiders."
