NRL 2020: Knights in tears as Todd Payten praised the Warriors’ ‘miraculous’ turn

The New Zealand Warriors are incredibly still in contention with just four weeks left in the NRL season after a surprising 36-6 win over the Newcastle Knights.

The victory was the Warriors’ first win over a top eight this season and also the biggest, while it was the biggest loss of the season for the Knights.

But while it is the fact that it has been continually mentioned throughout the season, the Warriors have been playing away from home all season and the game brought Tamworth to thank the local community.

The Warriors stayed in Tamworth after arriving in Australia for the preseason and were welcomed by the local community.

After coach Stephen Kearney was fired and Todd Payten took over as coach in the sixth round, the team has won five wins, including four of the last five games.

Before the Sharks and Cowboys game, New Zealand was just two points behind the top eight.

Payten, who sensationally revealed that he had turned down the Warriors’ head coach offer before the club signed Nathan Brown, admitted that the team had not discussed the possibility of a final.

“There’s a good feeling in the place right now. There certainly is some trust and some faith, and that’s a pretty lethal combination,” Payten said.

“I see the connection within the group right now. All families spend a lot of time together.

“You can see the way they are playing and the pleasure they have with each other.”

But his coaching performance made the NRL world want Payten a shot at one of the vacant coaching positions.

The positions are still vacant in the Dragons, Broncos and Cowboys after five NRL coaches were fired in 2020.

The great rugby league player Mark Geyer was one of them.

“Surely Todd Payten gets the Cowboys concert? What he’s done with the Warriors is nothing short of miraculous,” he tweeted.

AAP sportswriter Pam Whaley tweeted, “Have you ever seen a better audition for a job as an NRL coach than Todd Payten is offering us right now? Just the man’s management is extraordinary.” his colleague Ed Jackson replied: “The radar of those clubs looking for a new coach should be steady. I understand why he and the Warriors will be nothing after 2021, but it’s sad. He’s done an excellent job.”

Former NRL star Joel Caine added: “If I’m TODD PAYTEN’s manager, guys, you’ve seen enough. Todd is signing as head coach today, Dragons, write your number, Cowboys & Broncos too, for the best. bidder he see you in October “.

The Warriors scored first and held an 8-6 lead at halftime against the Knights, but the second half was one-way traffic as the team racked up five second-half attempts to leave Newcastle in shock. .

Knights captain Mitchell Pearce was furious at his team’s performance after full time.

“It was terrible. We weren’t there from the beginning of the game,” Pearce told Fox League.

“A lot of mistakes and bad defense. We got what we deserved in the second half.”

Coach Adam O’Brien then added that “It’s quite shameful as a club to have that” admitting there will be a lot of searching for conscience before next week’s game against the Sharks on Friday.

The in-form Warriors will face the out-of-form Eels on Sunday afternoon in what should be an intriguing clash.