New Zealand Warriors 2009 season preview
February 16th 2009 19:53
The Lowdown
The New Zealand Warrior proved last season that any team who makes the eight is indeed a chance of going all the way.
The Warriors finished eighth last season, which was an achievement in itself, given they had to win eight of their last ten matches to get there.
Despite their inconsistent season, the Warriors managed to sneak into the 2008 finals and make history by becoming the first team from eighth position to upstage the Minor Premiers in the first week.
Indeed Ruben Wiki's imminent retirement was held up for two weeks, as the Warriors then went home and accounted for the Sydney Roosters to progress to the preliminary final against Manly.
Their fairytale run however ended against the eventual premiers, but not before signalling a warning for season 2009.
2009 prospects
The Warriors finished season 2008 on an upright spiral giving indications of terrific things to come from across the ditch.
They won eight of their last 10 games to reach the finals and ended up playing for a spot in the Grand Final such was their late season form.
Overall however, the Warriors were a very inconsistent outfit, especially away from home during the regular season, posting just four wins.
If the Warriors are to have realistic chances of lifting up their maiden premiership, they must learn to be more competitive on the road.
This is easier said than done when one team has to consistently travel back and forth from New Zealand every second or so week.
But after the Warriors defeated Melbourne in the first week of the finals, it showed to all that the New Zealand have it in them to win key matches away from home.
Although their away record was not up to standard, their record playing at home was up there with the very best.
The Warriors only managed three losses at Mt Smart stadium last year, placing them as the second best NRL unit in home wins for the season.
Along with Melbourne, making the trip across the Tasman is probably the hardest trip to make in the NRL for any team.
When the Warriors were on form during the end of last season, their left hand side attack was the best in the NRL, thanks mainly to the explosive form of winger Manu Vatuvei.
The Warriors scored 27 tries down their left hand corridor to make the most lethal team in the competition in that part of the field.
Prediction
The Warriors are a classy outfit and will be hell-bent on providing proof this season that their 2008 finals run was no fluke.
They played like men possessed last season and it is scary to think they were very inconsistent at the same time.
If the Warriors can start 2009 well, they will no doubt be in the running for a maiden NRL premiership at season's end. A real threat on their day.
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