After being “dead-set outclassed” by Canberra in Las Vegas, One New Zealand Warriors head coach Andrew Webster says “we’ll fix it quick” before the club’s first home game of the season against Manly Warringah on Friday, March 14 (8.00pm kick-off).
After an extraordinary week-long build-up to launch the 2025 season, the Warriors had a disappointing night as they slumped to an 8-30 loss to the Raiders at Allegiant Stadium yesterday.
“We were dead set outclassed tonight, 100 per cent outclassed,” said Webster.
“We were too sideways in attack, we didn't build enough momentum. We didn't earn enough stuff to play off the back of it but we'll fix it quick.
“We have to celebrate anything good we did and we'll look at it with the right-coloured glasses on; where there are things we're not happy with we'll address them.
“We have to look at everything the way we normally would so we can move onto our next task.
Match: Warriors v Sea Eagles
Round 2 -
home Team
Warriors
11th Position
away Team
Sea Eagles
9th Position
Venue: Go Media Stadium, Auckland
“We can't just sweep it under and say: 'Hey boys, that was Vegas, the real comp starts now' because that was two points tonight.
“We've got plenty of things to look at but we're not going to be reactive.”
The prospect of playing at home for the first time this season provided an immediate antidote to the setback in Vegas.
“We can't wait to get home to Go Media and give them something to be happy about. It's a long 14 days or whatever it is between now and the next game,” said Webster.
Co-captain Mitchell Barnett had a simple message as the Warriors look ahead to Manly: “We've got to calm our heads a little bit moving into our next game and tighten our defence up.”
As the Warriors eyed the flight home, Webster said the Las Vegas experience had left such a mark with thousands of travelling fans making their presence seen and heard all week (and helping to create a club record crowd of 45,209 for a first-round match).
“It means everything,” he said.
“To walk around this week and see all the jerseys ... maybe I'm biased and I'm looking for our jerseys but you see them everywhere, and hats.
“We know we're well supported and loved as long as they see us trying. I know they'll be disappointed in the result but to hear them cheering and supporting the boys is always special.”
