‘No one respects us’: Wahs against the world in finals
Jasper Bruce |
A defiant James Fisher-Harris says he loves that the doubters are dismissing the Warriors’ premiership chances as the NRL finals series approaches.
The Warriors enter next weekend’s elimination final struggling for the form that had them entrenched in the top four for 16 consecutive rounds earlier in the season.
Of the top eight, the Warriors are at the longest odds to win the premiership, with Friday’s 27-26 loss to Manly installing them as $71 outsiders with one bookmaker.
The defeat was the Warriors’ fifth in seven games, consigning them to a sixth-placed finish and a date with either Penrith or the Sydney Roosters in week one of the finals.
Season-ending injuries to Luke Metcalf and Mitch Barnett have weakened the Warriors’ premiership chances and errors conspired against them against Manly.
But for captain Fisher-Harris, the external doubts are fuel to the fire.
“No one really respects us, no-one gives us any hope or anything like that and I actually love that,” the prop said.
“We’re the only team from New Zealand. Let’s just see what our actions can do.”
Coach Andrew Webster insisted the Warriors had become used to the nay-sayers this season, which began with a huge loss to eventual minor premiers Canberra in Las Vegas.
But Webster remained bullish about what his side could achieve now that a “new competition” was beginning.
“No one’s given us a chance since day one. We’re used to that,” he said.
“We believe in what we can do in that dressing room, back home all our fans believe it. We’re going to have a full house at Mount Smart Stadium.
“Lots of people at the start of the season would do anything to have a home semi. The people who don’t believe, that’s fine, but we believe in ourselves.
“New competition starts now and we’ve got to get excited.”
Webster felt the Warriors had plenty of time to recover from a sloppy performance against Manly.
“I just said to the boys, we’re actually in control of this. We’re the ones beating ourselves at the moment. A day in rugby league is a long time, let alone a week,” he said.
“If we play our best football, let’s see where that takes us, instead of walking away from the season after a lot of hard work to get ourselves here and not turn up and give ourselves a chance.”
Rocco Berry will miss the next week’s match with a dislocated shoulder, the latest in a series of injuries for the centre this season.
“Real shame for Rocco, he just can’t string any games together,” Webster said.
Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad is an option to replace Berry and pass fullback duties to Taine Tuaupiki, or Webster could move Kurt Capewell to the centres.
AAP
