Mental strength a focus for Warriors
Addin Fonua-Blake says the Warriors want to change their mentality this season, with the players being able to grind out wins.
The Warriors kick off their NRL campaign with a home fixture against the Knights in Wellington tonight.
After a win and a loss in the club’s two trial games, against Wests Tigers and the Storm, fans will get to see how good this year’s team is when it plays a match where points are up for grabs.
Andrew Webster has brought a no-nonsense approach with him to the club and the rookie head coach has looked to lift the team after last year’s disappointing campaign.
As well as the technical and tactical side to how they play, Fonua Blake says they’ve also worked on the mental side of the game.
‘‘A few times last year we’d get teams into an arm wrestle and we’d be the first ones to fold,’’ Fonua-Blake said.
‘‘Webby [Webster] has come in and he’s addressed that with the squad. We want to take that fighting mentality into the game and when our backs are against the wall, keep fighting and not throw in the towel.
‘‘A few times last year we just rolled over and let teams run away with the game. This year, there is new personnel and hopefully we can swing some of those moments our way.’’
The Warriors were at their weakest mentally last year in their final game of the season, against the Titans, when they blew a 14-point lead with just 61⁄2 minutes left on the clock.
For the Warriors to have success, they can’t afford to continue to let things like that happen.
‘‘It’s a rollercoaster in a game and things are going to get tough, you’ve just got to ride it out and fight your way out of it,’’ the prop said.
‘‘When things are going good, you’ve got to keep applying the pressure and don’t get too comfortable with where you’re at.’’
None of the leading Australian pundits are picking the Warriors to make the top eight.
While they don’t have a squad which looks strong enough to finish in the top four, they are a wellbalanced team.
The experience players like Mitch Barnett, Te Maire Martin, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Marata Niukore and Dylan Walker bring with them will be invaluable and finishing somewhere between fifth and eighth isn’t out of the question.
‘‘Obviously, a top-eight finish is what every team wants to achieve and we’ve really worked hard on what we can get right with ourselves, not looking at other teams or base anything off other teams,’’ Fonua-Blake said.
‘‘Our mentality has got to be a lot stronger and off the back of what we’ve learned off Webby and what the new boys have brought to the team, we’re really confident we can turn it around this year.’’
By his own admission, FonuaBlake didn’t have as good a 2022 season as he wanted. His front row combination with Matt Lodge was outstanding at times, but when Lodge walked out of the club, Fonua-Blake wasn’t able to replicate that form with anyone else.
‘‘I felt like I dipped a bit towards the back end of last year,’’ he said.
‘‘But this year working with Tohu Harris and Mitch Barnett, they’re great leaders of the pack and I feel like I can lean on them a bit.’’