This is not the Warriors' year. The more pertinent question is will it ever be? Photo / Getty
OPINION:
Keep the faith. Or faith no more? This recurring paradox returns to our doorstep.
That time of year has arrived where hope springs eternal; when you begin to hear those three dreaded words: "It's our year."
Only, it never is. Listen closely and the tone has evolved from one of genuine belief to mythical hope or, in some cases, an increasing sense of mocking.
A more apt slogan for the Warriors might be "mathematical chance". Can we please not do that charade this year.
Sure, great sympathy extends to the Warriors' plight – that shouldered by the Breakers and Phoenix too - of being marooned in Australia for the past two years.
Such recent sacrifice does not, however, justify one top eight finish in the last decade. Consistently reaching the finals by finishing midtable should not be too much to ask.
Excuse the indulgence, but bear with me in briefly detailing my loyal allegiance. I'm a long-suffering, day one Warriors fan.
Prior to the Warriors I was drawn to the Bulldogs. Their affiliation with Kiwis – from John Timu to Daryl Halligan, Nigel Vagana, Paul Rauhihi, Matt Utai, Roy Asotasi, Sonny Bill Williams, Greg Eastwood and Frank Pritchard – cemented their status as my second-favourite NRL team.
Thus, I now follow two battling teams.
Since the Warriors inception 27 years ago, though, I have ridden the emotional 'coaster now best described as an unhealthy relationship.
Footage from the 2002 halcyon season of John Carlaw claiming Stacey Jones' grubber for the match-winning try in the semifinal victory against the Sharks evokes memories of leaping into a mate's arms and being promptly slammed into the family home ceiling.
Who could ever forget Ruben Wiki launching off the back fence to knock out Sia Soliola in the sold-out home finals match in 2008, or those memorable Melbourne upsets.
Ah, those fleeting glory days.
Such blissful ventures down nostalgia lane serve only to mask reality.
Despite the many rock-bottom lows; the litany of coaches, owners and failed game-changing recruitment experiments, somehow I keep coming back for more.
Call me delusional, but how can you not support New Zealand's only league franchise?
While in recent years they got seriously carried away on the merchandise front the Warriors' original jerseys make a strong case for New Zealand's best in any code.
And nothing quite compares to the Mt Smart Stadium atmosphere. The eventual return home will be an occasion to savour.
Grievances, I hold many.
Not retaining Ivan Cleary, who led the club to four playoffs in five attempts including the grand final in his final year, sits near top of the queue. All Cleary wanted were assurances beyond the last year of his contract.
As far as tactical, technical and inspirational coaching nous goes, I have no faith in Nathan Brown's transformative ability.
Recruitment is another gripe. How can you expect fans to be heavily invested in a captivating talent such as Reece Walsh when he is certain to leave within the next two years?
The Warriors recruitment strategy is akin to a sugar hit; a rapid high followed by the inevitable crash and burn that requires a rebuild every two years.
What good is the next big thing on borrowed time?
Where are the development pathways? When the Warriors made the grand final under Cleary in 2011, eight of the team emerged through the now defunct under-20s ranks.
Where is the next Ben Matulino, Shaun Johnson, Kevin Locke and Russell Packer coming from?
Quick fix signings do not win titles. Building the core of any squad in any code takes time, patience and investment. The Panthers and Storm are not necessarily fair comparisons but their success is built on the foundations of keeping the essence of their squad and head coach together.
Two-time Premiership-winning coach Phil Gould made bold statements about addressing development pathways, only to ditch the Warriors after less than a year for a similar role at the Bulldogs.
Unfortunately the there-one-minute-gone-the-next is an all too familiar theme.
The Warriors, for all their faults, remain box office viewing. It's just that often translates to throwing objects at the television or holding your head in disbelief viewing.
Maybe that's part of the lure. Perhaps that's why I hate to love the Warriors.
Saturday night, 7.30pm, I'll be watching. Only this season with a healthy dose of insulated self-protection.
This is not the Warriors' year. The more pertinent question is will it ever be?
"Maybe, it'll sound sentimental, but my soul belongs to the lord and my body and my honour belong to my country, to my family. So there is no fear, absolutely no fear. There's just bafflement – how could this be in the 21st century?"
That's Oleksandr Usyk, the IBF, WBA, WBO and IBO world heavyweight champion, one of four boxers to join the Ukrainian battalion, speaking to CNN.
Vasiliy Lomachenko, a world champion in three different weight divisions, trekked from Greece to Romania en route to his home Ukrainian city, Odessa.
The Klitschko brothers, Vitali and Wladimir, both former world heavyweight champions, are likewise entrenched in the conflict.
Vitali, known as Dr Ironfist and now the mayor of Ukraine capital Kyiv, told CNN: "We're not interested in how strong the Russian army is, we're ready to fight. And we're ready to die for our home country and for our families, because it's our home. It's our future and somebody wants to come to our home and steal our future from us."
War should never be glorified. Lives are lost and destroyed. Citizens become refugees overnight. But it is heartening to see prominent athletes using their status and reach for the greater good.
When a captured Russian commander says his doubts about the war were solidified when he saw two of his favourite boxers - Usyk and Lomachenko - agreeing to fight for the resistance, it shows their efforts are not in vain.
Record: 0/4 (-$40)
Sometimes one can only admit to having a shocker. Last week's tip on the Crusaders to blowout Moana Pasifika was exactly that. Given its strike rate, or lack of, I considered ditching this segment. If only for comedic value, the curse of The Sauce gets a stay of execution for now.
To prove I'm not a total mug, and to try restore some form of credibility, I've included evidence of three successive Super Rugby wins on Saturday night.
This week we're backing the Fijian Drua, after their maiden upset over the Rebels, to cover 26 points (+25.5 start) against the unbeaten Reds at $1.87. I would've liked to have gone the Drua to score over 13 points, but there are no options available for that as yet.
England as $2.10 underdogs against Ireland at Twickenham also seems great value.
With the White Ferns' shock opening loss at the World Cup and Covid wreaking havoc on Super Rugby Aupiki and the ANZ Championship it's been a downer of a week for women's sport. Is there any good news on the horizon? Monty, Ashburton
Yes, there is. It comes in the form of increased crowds – from 10 to 20 per cent capacity - for the Cricket World Cup. It's a timely boost for the White Ferns as they approach India in Hamilton on Thursday, and Australia in Wellington on Sunday.
While still vastly reduced crowds, the trend is at least positive.
Organisers expect to release tickets for the Eden Park double header in the coming days, and will create a waitlist for fans keen to attend the semifinals in Wellington and Christchurch and the final at Hagley Oval on April 3.
"We're really optimistic that conditions will continue to improve, allowing us to cater for more fans at the knockout games," CWC chief executive Andrea Nelson said.
Send in your thoughts and questions to liam.napier@nzme.co.nz
On the surface, the Warriors draw for the 2025 season is quite kind