Warrington players warned: Leave the toys in the pram and show you care
Warrington must pull together after a stunning Magic Weekend win over Catalans as some players haven’t looked bothered this season according to their former captain Adrian Morley.
An impressive 36-10 victory over the title-chasing Dragons eased some of the pressure on under-fire boss Daryl Powell ahead of a return to former club Castleford this weekend. It ended a run of one win in seven games that had seen Warrington looking over their shoulder at relegation rivals Wakefield and Toulouse rather than upwards at the playoff places.
And according to legend Morley, who captained the Wolves to three Challenge Cup Final wins in four seasons between 2009-2012, the players must shoulder the blame for their disappointing season so far.
“It’s been a bit of a shock, with Daryl Powell going over I’d expected Warrington to be one of the stronger teams again,” said Morley.
“It’s a star-studded squad but looking at some of the performances they just don’t look like they are putting it in. Rugby league is an honest sport and all the players have it in the DNA to really have a go and they don’t look like they are bothered half the time.
“It pains me, that’s the team I played most games for, seven fantastic seasons there. It doesn’t sit well the way they have been performing.”
‘Daryl has a great pedigree as a coach’
Speaking exclusively on this week’s Love Rugby League podcast, Morley recounts times he has played in struggling big-name squads, but has never seen a lack of effort from the playing staff that he feels has epitomised Warrington’s struggles so far this year.
“Even when I have played in teams who are really low on confidence and their form is not great, there is still effort there and people having a dig.
“Even if players are moving on surely they want to show other clubs that they are good players. Just because they might have had a fall out with the club or the coach you certainly wouldn’t throw your toys out of the pram and let it affect your performances.
“That is not to say they can’t turn it round and Daryl has a great pedigree as a coach. You have to keep the faith and next year is the real test as he’s had two years to bring in his own players and there can be no more excuses. Hopefully they can be one of the big boys again.”
PODCAST: Adrian Morley on enforcer Morgan Knowles, disciplinary tightropes & NRL memories
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