This is why they play the games, we suppose.
The New Zealand Warriors let an easy one get away from them, losing 36 – 12 to the Gold Coast Titans in which the Warriors failed to score after the main break.
They held a 12 – 8 lead at halftime, but apparently did not come out for the second half.
It would be one thing if this sort of performance came against one of the elite squads in the Telstra 2018 NRL Premiership competition, but losing to Gold Coast is the sort of thing that sinks a club that is aiming for its best finish and playing finals for the first time in a number of years.
Warriors’ Coach Stephen Kearney was diplomatic following the loss, with regard to his players at least, and said that the Warriors were soft in the second half, despite his first stating that he was reluctant to use the word soft.
“I don’t like using the word but I thought it was pretty soft in the second half,” the Warriors coach said after watching his team concede 28 unanswered points after the break.”There was a fair bit on the line today and to produce a second half of that standard makes it very disappointing.”
On the line for the Warriors was a step in the direction of playing finals for the first time in seven years. The opportunity to advance might be proving too large, as the Warriors got off to an impressive start on the year, but they have lost four of their last five matches. They have some margin from their eighth rung, four points, to the ninth-placed Wests Tigers, but they have a tough road ahead of them, including a meeting with the fourth-placed Dragons in the next round.
The Warriors are in full damage-control mode and Kearney was quick to point out that worry about a spot in the finals is premature at this point.
“What we’ve got to do is address what happened today,” he said. “To produce the second half that we did was really disappointing. We’ve got to stare that in the face.”