Richie Barnett: Former Kiwis Captain previews the Warriors v Dragons clash

The Warriors’ season hinges on tonight's match against the Dragons, crucial for playoff chances. 

Injuries and missed opportunities have plagued the Warriors, who have won only two of their last seven games. 

A win at Mt Smart would make them a shoo-in for a playoff spot, while a loss could see them slip as low as seventh to finish the round.  

Former Kiwis Captain Richie Barnett told Mike Hosking the injury crisis has done a number on the team this season, but they need to get the chemistry back and this is a perfect opportunity. 

He says the Warriors have to bring their old game back —their discipline, their aggression— and they need to play a bit more football. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
So back home tonight for the Warriors. Of course, Dragons
Penrith as a mention demarment to go before the break.
They lost last night, so that means if we win tonight,
we leap for them. We're back in the top four.
Win also means we've got a playoff. Locke apparently lost
means we could fall as low as seven. But that's
just sports journalists being negative. I'm known to that. Richie
Barnett's former Keewis captain, of course, is back with us
on the program, Richie Morning, Good morning.

Speaker 2 (00:21):
See in a.

Speaker 1 (00:21):
Way, if we can't beat the Dragons, that would be
foreign iran. We don't really deserve to be anywhere, do we.
I mean, we can't keep losing.

Speaker 2 (00:29):
We've been saying that for the last couple of weeks,
haven't we really to be honest, And I think, you know,
with the injuries, the injury crisis that we've seen, you know,
the I guess, the combinations, that the chemistry between players,
I think that's really who curtailed this season. But they
need to get it back and this is a perfect
opportunity against the Dragon's side that's just starting to edge

(00:50):
their way through. They haven't been all that bad this
year as well, So I've got a lot of grunt
and a lot of threat there. The Warrior's just got
to bring their old game back, their discipline, their aggression,
and then to play a bit of more football.

Speaker 1 (01:01):
You use the word crisis, so that's what you would
equate the injuries too. So this is major as opposed
to just a few problems.

Speaker 2 (01:09):
Yeah, I just think it's just quality players out of
the system and it's just difficult for the structure, particularly
in defense and the style of player they want to play.
It's happened the Dragons have also had the same issue
this year as well, and they start to climb. You know,
at the end of the season, you want a general
health bill of the side, and the Warriors hopefully start

(01:30):
to hit some consistency in their players and that'll certainly help.

Speaker 1 (01:35):
Can they will webbe be talking to them about the
three and around the psychology of that and don't let
that weigh you down.

Speaker 2 (01:42):
I think they wouldn't be talking so much about that.
I think they've been talking about their role as each player,
each individual player playing to their best. They can possibly
be stick to the plan, of course and highlight and
identify these strengths and make sure that these players around it.
You know, Gutho's an amazing player, can tongue incredible the
way he shapes. They play a lot on the left lately.

(02:04):
In the last month of football, eighteen of their tries
scored eleven of them on the left hand side, so
predominantly that's where the Warriors are having trouble. So they're
running at a dummy half more than ever in the
last five weeks. So Cook is an amazing runner of
the ball, so they just have to go out with
their old defense. We're seeing what the blueprint has been
for the Warriors. That's really aggressive. Their kick chaser's got

(02:26):
to be on form. They've got to really nail them
down there and make it real hard and suffocate them
as much as they can. And I think that's the
recipe with the success. But I also think they need
to start expanding the way they play and show creativity
Wig Egan or give that creativity. They just need to
roll on the back of it. Herely on the back
he's such a creator and a fearless player. What time

(02:49):
they bring him into the game will be important as well.

Speaker 1 (02:51):
Fantastic. I love the way you talk you're building up
ahead of steam that Richie Barnett for mc keewy's Captain
of course, and with Skysport these days, so it's an
easy ish right in the top four is very really
still a possibility.

Speaker 2 (03:05):
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