![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/poster-fallback.png\"\/)
<\/p>\n
The return of Shaun Johnson brought back memories of better times. Of flashy footwork and dazzling dummies.<\/p>\n
And by the middle of the season, the Warriors were back home.<\/p>\n
But their previous head coach, Nathan Brown, was no longer there and by the end of the year neither were Reece Walsh, Chanel Harris-Tavita, Eliesa Katoa, Euan Aikten and Jesse Arthars.<\/p>\n
There were fresh faces. Luke Mectalf, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Mitch Barnett, Te Maire Martin, Dylan Walker and Marata Niukore were among the more recognisable ones.<\/p>\n
There was little fanfare though surrounding the arrival of the unassuming Webster. Although this wasn\u2019t so much an arrival as a return for the former Panthers assistant, who spent two years working under Andrew McFadden.<\/p>\n
This time around, however, he was the one calling the shots. This was his team; the hopes of an entire country weighing on his shoulders. <\/p>\n
So, the pre-season was the first chance for Webster to really start moulding the playing group to his vision. That started with a simple but cut-throat message. <\/p>\n
\u201cIn the years prior the club wasn\u2019t playing too well so he brought a new mentality to the team and if you weren\u2019t living up to that criteria he wasn\u2019t afraid to cut you and if you couldn\u2019t play to his standard then you weren\u2019t going play,\u201d Stowers-Smith told foxsports.com.au. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe was only picking players that were able to do that, so it was a really good mindset change that he brought to the club. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe made it quite clear what sort of team we were going to be and change into under his coaching.\u201d<\/p>\n
Get all the latest NRL news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports Sportmail. Sign up now!!!<\/a><\/p>\n Andrew Webster takes charge at a Warriors training session. Credit: Bodie Friend, warriors.kiwiSource: The Daily Telegraph<\/p>\n Keep in mind Stowers-Smith was only 18 years old at this point and hadn\u2019t even played in the NRL yet, having been recruited by the club ahead of their re-entry into the SG Ball competition in 2023. <\/p>\n So all of this was new to him and looking back at it now, he admitted it was a \u201cbig eye-opener\u201d. <\/p>\n \u201cThat was probably one of the hardest pre-seasons I\u2019ve done so far,\u201d Stowers-Smith added.<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe just because I wasn\u2019t as fit. But he definitely thrashed us and made us work hard and instilled the belief that hard work can go a long way and it showed with the success we had that year.\u201d<\/p>\n For the first time since 2018, the Warriors were back in the finals and they weren\u2019t just making up the numbers either. <\/p>\n Webster took the Warriors to a top-four finish in his first season in charge, although it wasn\u2019t much of an advantage that year because it meant a date with eventual premiers Penrith in the qualifying finals.<\/p>\n But still, the Warriors rebounded from that loss to reach the preliminary finals for the first time since 2011 and even though they were outclassed by Brisbane, there was a sense that this could be the rule and not the exception under Webster. <\/p>\n That after years of being the NRL\u2019s entertainers and not much more, Webster had set up the foundations for sustainable success.<\/p>\n Webster and now former Warriors halfback Shaun Johnson. (Photo by Fiona Goodall\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n Instead, a disappointing 13th place finish followed in a 2024 season which included a 66-6 loss on the Gold Coast. <\/p>\n So, when the Warriors returned to form last year, it was hard to buy all the way in again. <\/p>\n It\u2019s just a matter of faith, they would say, referring to the six words made famous by Lapi Mariner\u2019s New Zealand sport\u2019s anthem in 2001 and later adopted by Warriors fans as a way to make sense of it all. <\/p>\n One day that faith would be rewarded. It\u2019s now been 31 years since their inception, and finally it feels like that day could be coming. <\/p>\n It may not be this year as another cursed run with injuries looks set to leave Warriors fans wondering what could have been. <\/p>\n But Webster\u2019s hard line approach is once again bringing a consistency out of the Warriors that always seemed to be lacking, even from the most talented teams of years past. <\/p>\n It is a consistency that is only matched by that of the NRL\u2019s most passionate fan base, with the Warriors selling out their home season early last month. Not that it matters anyway given all Warriors games feel like home games. <\/p>\n That is the power of a team that stands for and represents so much more than just itself. <\/p>\n Ahead of Friday night\u2019s match of the round against Penrith, which will be live and exclusive on Fox League and Kayo Sports, foxsports.com.au looks at the identity shift the Warriors have undergone under Webster\u2019s watch and what it means for rugby league in New Zealand, both now and into the future.<\/p>\n The Warriors have taken over. (Photo by Chris Hyde\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n THE WEBSTER EFFECT <\/p>\n Any conversation of the Warriors\u2019 turnaround has to start with Webster, because before his arrival there was largely a revolving door of coaches that promised so much but failed to deliver. <\/p>\n In total, the Warriors cycled through six coaches in just over a decade before Webster took over.<\/p>\n He\u2019s now four years into the gig, and it\u2019s no coincidence the last coach to stick around that long was his former mentor at Penrith, Ivan Cleary.<\/p>\n It is also easy to draw similarities between the way the nonchalant Webster and Cleary go about things.<\/p>\n You only have to look at his interview on Fox League\u2019s NRL 360 earlier this week. Webster doesn\u2019t offer much. It\u2019s almost as if every answer is rehearsed.<\/p>\n That isn\u2019t to say he isn\u2019t genuine. In fact, ask any Warriors player and they will tell you the opposite is true behind closed doors \u2014 that Webster\u2019s ability to connect with them on a personal level is his superpower as a coach. <\/p>\n But when speaking with media, there is a quiet confidence to Andrew Webster. Every line sounds rehearsed because that\u2019s how in command he is. <\/p>\n Press conferences like the one after the loss to the Sharks<\/a> are rare. Cleary is similar. Blow-ups are few and far between. <\/p>\n But Webster isn\u2019t a simple carbon copy of Cleary. He has his own secret sauce. His own way of doing things. <\/p>\n Sure, he takes bits and pieces from the previous coaches he has worked under. Why wouldn\u2019t you when that list includes Cleary, Ricky Stuart and Michael Maguire? <\/p>\n That goes to Panthers legend Greg Alexander\u2019s point. He reckons there is a simple reason for Webster\u2019s success.<\/p>\n Watch the Warriors vs Panthers game exclusively LIVE with no ad-breaks during play on FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.<\/a><\/p>\n Webster during his Tigers days. Picture: Gregg PorteousSource: News Corp Australia<\/p>\n \u201cAndrew was always geared for success as a coach,\u201d Alexander told foxsports.com.au.<\/p>\n \u201cAndrew\u2019s had a lifetime of experience before he finally became a head coach and that\u2019s head coaching elsewhere in the UK. It might have been 20 years in the making. <\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s no secret to his success\u2026 it\u2019s the person he is, the knowledge of the game, the ability to handle situations and they\u2019ve been through it.\u201d<\/p>\n So, what in particular does Webster do well? Ask the Warriors players and the first thing they will tell you according to RNZ journalist Grant Chapman is that he is a \u201cpeople-first person\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cYou might hear that a lot about coaches, but the players genuinely seem to feel that about him is that he cares about them as people first,\u201d Chapman, who was a foundation Warriors member, told foxsports.com.au.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s a big a big draw card for these guys.\u201d<\/p>\n You only have to hear the way the Warriors players speak about Webster to realise just why that is so important.<\/p>\n Try-scoring machine Alofiana Khan-Pereira, who spent the start of the season in reserve grade, told Sport Nation NZ that Webster has \u201cunlocked some things I didn\u2019t think I had in my game\u201d. <\/p>\n Alofiana Khan-Pereira has gone to another level. (Photo by Chris Hyde\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n He\u2019s not the only one to say that either. How about Jackson Ford, who was in contention for the Dally M medal and a State of Origin bolter before a pectoral injury cut his season short?<\/p>\n Ford said he considered giving up rugby league entirely for a career in carpentry after a stint with the Dragons that left him questioning his place in the game.<\/p>\n He didn\u2019t have much on the table outside of a few small offers from the Raiders and Eels. That was, until Webster and the Warriors came calling and like Khan-Pereira, Ford said Webster told him \u201cstuff about myself that I didn\u2019t even know\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cI was in the Dragons system for a long time and he was telling me stuff that I hadn\u2019t even heard off them boys (like) you\u2019ve got a left-arm carry, I\u2019ve seen you doing this and I think we can fix this up… just some little things,\u201d Ford told SEN Radio. <\/p>\n \u201cIt just opened my eyes… I never really had much confidence leaving from that Dragons period. I was always sort of getting told I\u2019m not a first grader so I was just weighing up my options but as soon as I met Webby, I went to the pub and met him and as soon as I had a chat with him I thought, \u2018Let\u2019s just have a shot and we\u2019ll head over there and go all in\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n Chapman called Webster a \u201creal breath of fresh air\u201d, and it helped that he already had those two years serving as assistant coach to McFadden to draw on. <\/p>\n Get all the latest NRL news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports Sportmail. Sign up now!!!<\/a><\/p>\n Warriors lock down Jackson Ford | 00:40<\/p>\n \u201cHe knew exactly what he was stepping into,\u201d added Chapman. <\/p>\n \u201cBecause a lot of times, you look at some of the coaches they hire, and the big question is can that coach relate to the culture over here.<\/p>\n \u201cBearing in mind you also need to bring in that hardened attitude of this professional Australian veteran with some real tangible playoff experience, and Webster\u2019s not only brought that in from a coaching perspective from his time at Penrith, but he\u2019s also brought players across that have got that as well. <\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re really bought into what he\u2019s preaching.\u201d<\/p>\n That includes Stowers-Smith, who recalled one moment he was pulled into Webster\u2019s office in the 2025 season.<\/p>\n The young front rower \u201cwasn\u2019t playing the footy\u201d he wanted to the year prior, so he turned up in the summer of 2025 as soon as he could and Webster took notice of it. <\/p>\n \u201cHe told me to keep doing what I\u2019m doing and make the most of it,\u201d Stowers-Smith added.<\/p>\n Soon enough, he was mixing it with James Fisher-Harris, Mitch Barnett and the rest of the first-team forwards and then early in the 2025 season, he made his debut.<\/p>\n \u201cHe just said to bring what I bring and that\u2019s enough and he said that to me to this day \u2013 just don\u2019t change a thing of what you bring and that\u2019s what this team needs,\u201d Stowers-Smith said.<\/p>\n It isn\u2019t just the players either. Stowers-Smith said Webster takes the time to involve their partners and families as well, and also has worked closely with James Fisher-Harris to honour the team\u2019s M\u0101ori ties.<\/p>\n \u201cHe doesn\u2019t just brush it and go, \u2018Oh that\u2019s not for me or that\u2019s not my culture, who cares?\u2019 He genuinely wants to know more about it and actually takes care and notice to dive deeper into the meaning behind things and get to actually know the cultural side of things,\u201d Stowers-Smith added.<\/p>\n Cleary backs King for Blues job | 01:28<\/p>\n THE WARRIORS\u2019 NEW IDENTITY UNDER WEBSTER<\/p>\n On the field, the Warriors have also looked a completely different team under Webster this year. <\/p>\n It is shades of the team that went all the way to the preliminary final in Webster\u2019s first year at the helm. <\/p>\n Gone are the entertainers of old who were no chance of winning if they scored under 20 points. <\/p>\n This Warriors team has conceded more than 20 points on just three occasions this year. <\/p>\n With just five games left to play, that has the Warriors on track to make club history given their previous record for the least games conceding over 20 points in a season was eight. <\/p>\n As it stands, the 16.4 points the Warriors are giving up per game is a club record while their red zone conceded ratio of 14.5 (how many tackles opposition teams need to score against them in the 20) is the second-best mark in the competition only behind Penrith.<\/p>\n \u201cI think that\u2019s been a characteristic of Webster\u2019s team is they like getting in the grind, they try and wear down the opposition and then take advantage of any opportunities that come out of that,\u201d Chapman said.<\/p>\n Former Kiwis international Jared Waerea-Hargreaves told foxsports.com.au it is clear the Warriors are \u201cenjoying the hard parts of the game\u201d under Webster.<\/p>\n \u201cI just look at the style of footy, and it just looks like they like getting down and dirty,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a real toughness about this Warriors side.\u201d<\/p>\n The Warriors are flying. (Photo by Chris Hyde\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n Toughness isn\u2019t a word that would usually be associated with the Warriors. But that goes to the heart of their transformation under Webster, and it is four of the new recruits he brought to the club who are leading the way.<\/p>\n \u201cWe play a full different brand of footy now and the way we work as a team is completely different which I\u2019m really enjoying,\u201d Stowers-Smith said, pointing to Fisher-Harris, Erin Clark, Kurt Capewell and Mitch Barnett as examples of it on the field.<\/p>\n \u201cWe strive with ourselves on our effort areas and playing a hard-nosed brand of footy.\u201d<\/p>\n It is not as if the Warriors have abandoned their attack either. After all, they are averaging the third-most points (28.3) in the competition. <\/p>\n They are just scoring in a different way under Webster. It is no longer the expansive, offload-happy style of football from the unpredictable Warriors teams of old.<\/p>\n The emphasis is on a power game upfront and then the rest of it flows from there.<\/p>\n You don\u2019t have to look far to see the effectiveness of it either, with the Warriors running for 1,971 metres in their big win over the Titans last week. It was the most they had managed in a non-golden point game and second-highest ever on record.<\/p>\n Their completion rate of 83.1 per cent, meanwhile, is the best in the league while the Warriors rank 13th for offloads, which comes as a surprise given they are usually associated with a high-risk, high-reward brand of football.<\/p>\n MORE NRL NEWS<\/p>\n TALKING POINTS: Why Broncos must avoid \u2018disrespectful\u2019 move; Nathan truth in Ivan\u2019s ruthless axe call<\/a><\/p>\n CRAWLS: I\u2019ll put my hand up… Why its time to admit $2.5m truth over Galvin and the Bulldogs<\/a><\/p>\n The Warriors are playing tough footy. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n But again, Webster has simplified the approach since taking over and crucially, instead of stifling their attack it has only given the Warriors more try-scoring opportunities with the club ranking first in tackles inside the opposition 20 this year.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, they are third overall in points scored, fourth in linebreaks and fourth in total run metres.<\/p>\n \u201cAt the start of every year everyone says this is the Warriors\u2019 year,\u201d Chapman said. <\/p>\n But maybe this is actually the year? It certainly feels like it according to Chapman.<\/p>\n \u201cPut it this way, I\u2019m seriously starting to plan coming over for the grand final,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cI actually think our women\u2019s team could make the NRLW final as well. It does feel like that. \u201cI think a lot of that has to do with the young talent that\u2019s coming through in that team. The one little asterisk against it is that like last year when the Warriors were looking good, they\u2019ve they suffered a couple of key season ending injuries, and the same thing\u2019s happened again this year. <\/p>\n \u201cSo if they can overcome that, and so far it looks like they have the talent to do that, how that translates at the business end of the season remains to be seen. But I know there\u2019s a lot of faith in the players coming through.\u201d<\/p>\n THE BIG EXPANSION DEBATE<\/p>\n There is plenty of faith in the fanbase too. More than any other team in the NRL. <\/p>\n You only had to look at Magic Round, which sees tens of thousands of fans descend upon Suncorp Stadium. Although this year, it was largely a see of blue, red and green.<\/p>\n The Warriors cashed in by starting a pop-up store in Queen\u2019s Street, even if they weren\u2019t technically supposed to. <\/p>\n They were fined $10,000 a day for it according to Matty Johns. But it didn\u2019t matter. They were happy to pay it. Why?<\/p>\n \u201cThey were making $100,000 in merchandise sales every day,\u201d Johns declared.<\/p>\n Even when they last played the Panthers at CommBank Stadium earlier this year, any semblance of support for Penrith was drowned out by Warriors chants. <\/p>\n At this point, it doesn\u2019t feel like there is such a thing as an \u2018away game\u2019 when it comes to the Warriors. \u201cIt\u2019s pretty crazy,\u201d Stowers-Smith said. <\/p>\n It begs the question: is a second New Zealand team the logical next step for the NRL as it looks to bring a 20th team into the competition by 2030? <\/p>\n Should New Zealand have a second team? (Photo by Andy Jackson\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n The answer is far from straightforward. Webster\u2019s response to a question on the matter after the Warriors\u2019 win at Christchurch earlier this year was proof of that.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel we have enough talent in this country to have five teams, so talent is not an issue, talent from that area is not an issue,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cI suppose you have to ask Christchurch do they want to keep following the Warriors or do they want their own team? You have to ask them that, because there\u2019s no point putting the team in there, if everyone\u2019s still supporting the Warriors.<\/p>\n \u201cI just struggle personally, because I really enjoy the fact that the top of the (country) to the bottom are Warriors fans and they love their team.<\/p>\n \u201cWe never used to have that, but we\u2019ve got the whole country behind us now, not just the region.<\/p>\n \u201cWill it have that same feeling if we add a team? I\u2019m not sure.\u201d<\/p>\n Even Panthers coach Ivan Cleary shared similar concerns ahead of this Friday\u2019s game, telling reporters \u201cthe main thing is to consolidate the Warriors\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cBut the more and more I think about it, there\u2019s a pretty good chance (a second team) might be over here,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n \u201cThe game is growing, it\u2019s just (about) that balance between expanding too quickly and consolidating what\u2019s gone well so far.\u201d<\/p>\n “People pull out false stories!” | 00:36<\/p>\n Chapman said there is a \u201cblueprint\u201d to follow in the men\u2019s A-League, although that in itself gives credence to the Warriors\u2019 concern given the Wellington Phoenix followed up a second-place result with 11th and 8th-place finishes following Auckland FC\u2019s inception. <\/p>\n \u201cSo to me, that kind of indicates what could happen with the Warriors if the second team came into New Zealand. Suddenly you\u2019ve got a second team kind of undercutting them,\u201d Chapman said.<\/p>\n Alexander was the marquee signing for the Warriors during their inaugural season and said it was \u201csomething I didn\u2019t think was real\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was the excitement in New Zealand having their first side come into the NRL was remarkable. The whole country was behind the Warriors coming in,\u201d he added. <\/p>\n With that in mind, he said New Zealand is the \u201cideal place\u201d to have another team and former Kiwis enforcer Waerea-Hargreaves agreed. <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a must,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe game is thriving in New Zealand. It\u2019s the strongest it\u2019s ever been in our game, and we\u2019ve only seen a couple of months ago when the Warriors took a home game down to Christchurch that they got a sellout stadium. <\/p>\n \u201cI definitely think the game and the country\u2019s screaming for a second team because it\u2019s never been in a better position.\u201d<\/p>\n