NRL: Ten things that went wrong for the Warriors

Steve Price was the best prop in the NRL for the first half of the season - but he's hardly played since. Photo / Getty Images

From the loss of Sonny Fai to five different halves combinations, there was plenty going on this season to rattle the NZ franchise.

1 The Jones factor

We'll never know what would have happened had the All Blacks ever brought back Buck, but at least we aren't left wondering about Stacey Jones. It may have been based on sound thinking, with Jones expected to fix the team's greatest deficiency - last-tackle kick plays - but it simply didn't work. As much as there is merit in the "you can't just blame Stacey" argument, neither can Jones be absolved of all responsibility. As the team's guiding force and playmaker, Jones has to carry the can for its deficient attack. He didn't create much himself and he failed to draw much creativity from those around him. By punting the likes of Grant Rovelli and Nathan Fien mid-season, the Warriors put all of their eggs in the Jones basket. That was the real mistake.

2 The tragic loss of Sonny Fai

It's hard to know how good Sonny Fai would have been. This was to be the season where we found out. Fai was a big part of last season's turnaround, when he was used in the centres for an extended run. Big and fast, he scored tries by overpowering defenders close to the line. The Warriors produced precious little of that type of play this season. Then there is the human element of Fai's death. The players were determined to use it as an emotional spur, but such an approach is not sustainable over a long period. And what effect did Fai's death have on his teammates? How could footy at times not appear trivial? As captain Steve Price pointed out recently, the full effect of Fai's death on his teammates cannot be measured. It is something that will never really be known.

3 Wade's woes

Wade McKinnon's early deeds in a Warriors shirt made him an instant hero when he joined the club from Parramatta. Back then, all the talk was about whether McKinnon could fill Brent Webb's boots. The fiery fullback made it clear to reporters he didn't much like that line of questioning, but he did most of his talking with his boots. At times, McKinnon seemed almost unstoppable, bouncing out of tackles like a supercharged pinball. Then he ruptured an ACL. He hasn't been the same player since. The sight of McKinnon labouring in Josh Morris' wake as the Bulldogs scored a 105m try last Sunday highlighted his loss of pace. The question is, can he get it back? Does the fire still burn? With Kevin Locke breathing down his neck, McKinnon needs a big season next year. The Warriors will be desperately hoping he delivers it.

4 Tate that

If there's one thing the Warriors have consistently lacked since the club's inception it is the presence of enough good ol' fashioned cold steel in their line-up. Kevin Campion was the first to bring some genuine Aussie toughness to the club and Brent Tate is cut from the same slab of granite. As much as the Warriors missed Tate's touches of class in the centres, they missed his snarling, demanding and ruthless attitude even more. You can't legislate for injuries and losing a player like Tate would hurt any side. If there is a positive, Tate has now blown out the ACLs in both knees. The injury is fixed with a tendon graft, and typically such injuries don't recur. He came back strongly from the first reconstruction and would be expected to do so again.

5 Wonder kid turns into blunder kid

Denan Kemp was one of the breakthrough players of 2008, running in 19 tries for the Broncos. He possessed blinding pace, mercurial skills and was touted as a top-draw goal-kicker. His 75m try on debut in 2007 was voted the NRL's try of the season. His Warriors career, however, was a tale of woe from the beginning. His goal-kicking didn't live up to its billing. Following in Micheal Witt's footsteps couldn't have helped, but that's hardly an excuse. And the tries simply dried up. Chances seldom came his way and he crossed the chalk just once, in a heavy loss to the Cowboys in round 10. The final straw came in round 17. Kemp was recalled to face his former club and, with the game in the balance, he dropped a sitter of a pass with the line begging. It turned out to be his last act, with the club granting him an early release from his contract.

6 The only constant is change

It took Ivan Cleary most of 2008 to settle on a halves combination. Michael Witt and Grant Rovelli started the season, Jerome Ropati replaced the injured Witt, then Nathan Fien had a go alongside Rovelli. Finally, with eight games remaining, Fien switched from five-eighth to halfback and Witt returned to the six jersey. It seemed to work, with the team making it to within a game of the grand final. Fast forward to this year and, once again, it's musical jerseys. Fien started the first three games at halfback but was replaced by Jones, who has been ever-present since. But Jones has had five different five-eighths to work with - Joel Moon, Lance Hohaia, Fien, Isaac John and Aaron Heremaia. Jones' longest consecutive run alongside any player is four matches. When it comes to chopping and changing, Cleary can't be accused of doing things by halves. Going off half-cocked? That's another story.

7 Tell your story walking, pals

The Warriors won't have broken too many records this season, but they have almost certainly set a club high for mid-season releases. Sending Nathan Fien, Michael Witt and Grant Rovelli off on their bikes may have prevented too many dead men walking cluttering up the clubhouse, but that was a problem entirely of the club's making. All three were told well in advance of their final years that their contracts would not be extended. While that may be a compassionate thing to do in that it at least gives the players some certainty, the negatives outweigh the positives. It's hardly good for morale, and disaffection can spread through teams like a cancer. There's also the matter of the disruption caused when the players finally leave. And the small matter of looking like complete dicks when those players get good jobs at better-performing clubs. A lesson must surely have been learned.

8 The Price is too high

Steve Price was the best prop in the NRL for the first half of the season - but he's hardly played since. Time is catching up with the 35-year-old. State of Origin took too great a toll. But Price is a not a simple case. When he plays, it's not just about what he brings to the table: his teammates lift too, making the Warriors a much better side. The flipside is that when he is missing, they become a much worse side, resulting in a boom-and-bust cycle. Some have suggested Price was re-signed for next year with indecent haste, but the NRL's contracting rules meant the club had little choice if they wanted to keep him. If they had waited until now and then decided to cut their captain, who would they replace him with? All the top players were snapped up long ago. The reality is the club needs to make a decision on Price for 2011 right now. They will almost certainly decide to invest his salary elsewhere. If Price wants to go around again after next year, he will probably have to leave to accept much reduced terms.

9 The 14-point barrier

You won't win many games in the NRL by scoring 14 points or less. The Warriors actually managed the feat twice, nailing the Knights and the Tigers in successive home games. But between rounds seven and 18, when they failed to top 14 points, those were their only victories. In all it was a 10-match run that yielded two wins, seven losses and a draw, effectively killing their season. Heading into the final round, the Warriors have scored 377 points - an average of 15.08 a game. Only once, in 1997 when they played just 18 games, has the club managed fewer points. This year only the Sharks and Roosters - the two teams below them on the ladder - have been less productive. It ain't rocket surgery.

10 I can see Cleary now ...

When things go this badly, clubs will do one of two things - back or sack the coach. The Warriors opted for the former. At the same time players were being frogmarched out of the door, Ivan Cleary was handed a contract extension. Sometimes such a move can have a positive effect. The coach can operate without fear and adopt a long-term outlook, while the players are sent the message that no white knight is about to ride into town to save them. But there are also negatives. New coaches bring new ideas and fresh energy, players who have gone stale can be revitalised, while those on the outer can find themselves back in favour. By far the biggest danger is that things don't improve. That leaves the club having wasted another year and facing a potentially costly payout if they change their mind. It has been suggested that Cleary can be the Warriors' Wayne Bennett. Maybe he will be. But the bloke in charge of St George at the moment would appear to be more qualified for that role.