Warriors - 2013

The 2013 Warriors played some of their exhilarating best and barrel-bottom worst footy under incoming coach Matt Elliott.

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Matthew Elliott was certainly unlike any other Warriors coach before him. Drawing upon learnings from the Dalai Lama, Richard Branson and the sphere of quantum physics, the former St George back-rower was not afraid to think outside the traditional NRL box. He was ahead of the curve – in rugby league, at least – in introducing meditation, visualisation and mindfulness during his stint at Penrith.

Nor could the eccentric Elliott be accused of dishing up cookie-cutter responses to a Kiwi league media more accustomed to the likes of poker-faced Ivan Cleary. The veteran coach talked a strong game, about instilling passion and character back into the Warriors.

History unanimously regards Elliott’s season and a bit in charge at the Warriors as an abject failure – but the club undeniably played some its best-ever football under his direction in 2013…and some of its worst.