New campaign, new mentor, new era: Behind the scenes of Webby's Warriors

By Michael Burgess

Former Penrith assistant coach Andrew Webster is the Warriors’ new mentor for 2023 as they return home after three seasons of Covid-enforced exile. Ahead of the new NRL campaign, Michael Burgess spent a day with him and the team.

7am: Coaches’ meeting
Wearing a white T-shirt and gym shorts, Andrew Webster sits at the head of a large table, flanked by head of physical performance Balin Cupples.

We’re inside the heart of the Warriors’ Mt Smart base, the coaches’ meeting room, which overlooks the gym.

Also present are assistants Justin Morgan, Stacey Jones, Richard Agar and Slade Griffin. Agar gets flak for his caramel latte, before giving some back to Webster - “I can’t remember the last time you got the coffees.”

Webster has come straight from the gym. His alarm goes off at 4.40am, before an F45 workout at 5.10am. He gets to the Warriors headquarters about 6.30am.

“Pretty full-on days - but that’s the same for everyone,” he tells the Herald. “Most of the staff are here doing workouts at 5am or 5.30am, too.”

To start, there’s an update on injured and sick players - one player has been sent home by the doctor - before Morgan, Jones and Agar review clips to be used at the team meeting. The group run through the training plan, sketched out the day before. There’s all kinds of jargon - it’s “predator” day and they will use the “pendulum game”. The field is divided into six sections and the coaches decide where the different skill sessions will be performed. Webster previews the upcoming squad meeting, telling his colleagues he will focus on ownership and feedback today.

“It’s all about mindset,” says Webster. “Growth, rather than being defensive.”

As the meeting concludes, Cupples is not impressed by a new nickname offered by Agar.

“That’s not going to stick,” he says with a laugh.

Downstairs, players have started to arrive. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak stretches on a mat, while fellow winger Edward Kosi bends his large frame sideways with an orange mobility stick.

7.45am: Team meeting
Players assemble in the Stacey Jones Room, next to the gym. No one is late. They sit in grandstand-style tiered seating, in front of a large screen, with a green footy field painted on the floor. There’s a large map on one wall depicting the origins of those within the squad, while a framed photo of the late Sonny Fai is prominent inside the door, along with a Jones poster. A sign warns: No phones in this room at all times.

Webster begins, asking selected players what they want from the day. “Love it,” he says enthusiastically, as answers came in.

“We ask different people every day,” Webster explains later. “They need to talk about two or three intentions they have. Not just ‘train hard’.”

Team manager Dan Floyd informs of a club-wide meeting later, where an alliance with the Pasifika Aotearoa Collective will be announced. All players will attend, in club gear. No jandals.

“What about rainbow crocs?” someone pipes up, in reference to the footwear of a senior player in the front row. No.

“Boys, this new agreement is really important,” summarises Webster. “We want to be as home-grown as we can. Everybody is coming here to raid our players. We need to be big on pathways and keep kids in New Zealand.”

A video is played on “extreme ownership”, based on the United States Special Forces. It’s about driving accountability and responsibility (victors), instead of blame, excuses and denial (victims).

Webster says everyone should be constantly looking for growth and able to accept feedback. It will come from everywhere, including media and family, but the most important is from within the club.

“As a group, we can keep each other accountable - in a really respectful way,” says Webster.

Players need to get used to hearing about how - and why - they can improve.

“Our job as coaches is to put things in perspective,” adds Webster. “But it is all coming from a good place in terms of feedback and acceptance. We need to move on and get better. Don’t let that moment on the field define you.

“We want to be all rowing in the same direction, no ruining the direction we are rowing. You have got no idea how powerful that is.”

It’s a short speech, but Webster goes deep. He discusses vulnerability and says that on an individual basis, the acceptance of criticism or feedback is some of the best he has seen. But it needs to be better in a group environment.

“Accountability has to be a team thing,” continues Webster. “It’s okay to say, ‘hey, boys, that’s not good enough’. We want to be the best.”

The subject concludes with a role play exercise, with Te Maire Martin, Bayley Sironen, Kosi and Dylan Walker called up to act out various scenarios. There is plenty of laughter from their peers but they do well.

8.15-8.45am: Team preparation
In two groups, the team go through various balance and stretching exercises. Shaun Johnson and Watene-Zelezniak enjoy a laugh as they complete activations, while captain Tohu Harris works on the wobble board. Walker shares a story with teammates.

9am: Club meeting
In a lounge overlooking the field, the Warriors’ partnership with Pasifika Aotearoa Collective is officially launched. There are speeches from officials of the seven groups, as well as club management, while player representatives are also included. The squad watch from the back of the room.

10am: Pre-training meeting
Morgan introduces the plan - “It’s tackle day, boys” - while Agar tells the group about a new drill, the pendulum game, “which will hurt your lungs”. The assistants review the defensive “launchpad” drills, which was focused on line speed.

Webster takes the floor. After thanking the group for their patience upstairs, he talks through video from the day before.

“We need to celebrate the efforts here, boys,” says Webster, amid laughter at the determination shown by one new recruit. The training plan is outlined, step by step, with seven different phases across the session. “If players have an idea of what is coming, they can be more focused,” Webster tells the Herald.

He emphasises thinking quickly and being proactive - “Attack spaces, not faces” - while asking the team to be cautious during the full contact, one of the first of this pre-season.

“We don’t want big collisions at this stage - be sensible.”

10.15am: Team activations
The squad warms up by shuffling over hurdles, while another contingent go through exercises on the wrestling mat, assisted by the physios. Mitch Barnett does a few quick weights, as players put on their training jerseys and GPS devices. “Webby wants everybody ready by the time we run on to the field,” says one staff member. “All strapping done, ready to go.”

10.30am: Training
Groups are scattered across the field. In tackling drills, Martin is smashed by a teammate, while Johnson is upended later, though with a soft landing on to high jump mats. During kick and catch exercises, Watene-Zelezniak and Marcelo Montoya are particularly vocal. “Great kick SJ - f**king nudge. Yes ‘Wets’, great competing. Nice Shauny, the flag.”

The backs and forwards go through positional skills, before a full contact game of 10 versus 10, where each team has only three tackles. It’s exhausting but errors come, before a debrief. Senior player Wayde Egan asks for more.

“It’s just like a game - we have to get heaps better,” says Egan. “We can’t afford that.”

After some work with opposing edges, the session finishes with instalments of the dreaded lung-busting 40-second runs - Montoya and Watene-Zelezniak lead the way - before a huddle. Various players have their say, before Webster concludes.

“This was our first footy day - football intensive,” says Webster. “We threw you in at the deep end. But we have set a foundation and we will improve from here.”

12pm: Recovery
In a small area next to the dressing room, players stand in ice baths, set frigidly cold. This is a ritual after every field session. Adorning the wall - perhaps as inspiration - are photos of the legendary 2002 and 2011 Warriors teams that reached the NRL grand final.

12.30pm: Lunch
Under the East Stand is the new players’ lounge. There’s an Xbox, a television, a couple of couches and two large tables.

Owner Mark Robinson introduced subsidised meals at his Autex factory several years ago and that Avondale kitchen now caters for Warriors’ players. Lunches, which players pay for, are delivered two or three times a week, with a club-wide barbecue once a week. Today’s menu includes meatballs or chicken and several massive salads, while the kitchen is laden with fruit, healthy snacks and protein powder.

“It’s a great system,” says prop Bunty Afoa. “Especially for the younger guys, making sure they get what they need.”

1.30-3.45pm: Individual reviews
Morgan, Jones, Agar and Griffin sit upstairs in four cubicles, scanning through video of the just-completed session, checking the work of their designated sub-groups.

Downstairs, some players are sitting beside computers, going through their own clips, saving footage to their individual folders.

“We want them to cut between three and five clips - the good, the bad and the ugly,” explains Webster. “Then come up and talk about it. Often, they are choosing the same ones, seeing eye to eye with the coaches.”

As well as improving, it’s also about dealing with feedback. As we talk, various players file upstairs, before sitting with one of the coaches. Johnson chats with Agar, while Walker checks in with Morgan. One NRL veteran is impressed.

“It’s good, especially for the young boys,” he tells the Herald. “But even us older boys, we are learning something. I had seen some of it before but most of it is new.”

It adds another layer to a full-on day but it is intentional. Other clubs ask players to do video and reviews in the evening, something Webster is not a fan of.

“I want players to go home and switch off,” says Webster. “Not physically, not with their stretching or recovery, which is part of being a full-time athlete. But mentally - that is very important, like any job.”

1.45-3.45pm: Gym session
The strength training begins downstairs, split across two groups. Some load on ridiculous-looking weights, perhaps eyeing up the club records displayed on one wall, many of which are held by Manu Vatuvei, Solomone Kata and Isaiah Papali’I, while Afoa has a more recent inscription. Other players complete box jumps. Outside backs Luke Metcalf and Rocco Berry float effortlessly upwards with a bounce.

There’s some consternation over the music, as INXS and John Farnham pump through the speakers. “What’s with these sounds?” asks one player. As they conclude, some head off for an optional massage upstairs.

4pm: Coaches’ meeting
The coaching group review the day and seem content. There’s more footy jargon - “moving slabs”, “pancakes”, “sirens” and “anchors” - as Webster puts together tomorrow’s training plan, which includes a separate wrestling session.

Barnett pops his head in to say goodbye, before young halfback Ronald Volkman yells “See ya, legends” as he wanders past.

There is discussion of various injury niggles and the progress.

6pm: ‘Fun’ club
Most players have long departed, aside from the few left for the “fun club”, a bi-weekly extra session for those who have not met skinfold or running targets. There were nine at the start of pre-season, though that figure is now down to four. They’ll do boxing or cycling or use the standing ski machines “mainly keeping them off their feet”, Cupples tells the Herald.

Afoa graduated but has returned to support those remaining to finish.

“We have a few guys like that coming along, wanting to help their mates get through,” says Cupples. “That’s pretty impressive.”

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission