A furious Stephen Kearney has unleashed on his NZ Warriors side after their 46-12 capitulation against the Canberra Raiders in Auckland.
In past weeks Kearney has taken aim at the referees after numerous controversial calls went against the Warriors, but he had no option but to unload on his squad following one of their worst performances of the season.
The match was a must-win for the Warriors, who needed the two points to keep their slim finals hopes alive. And it was clear after just seconds it was going to be a long night for the side when Adam Blair dropped the ball in the first set of the match.
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The Warriors found themselves down 30-0 at the break and Kearney didn't hold back, cameras catching his animated halftime spray, which included many hand signals and even kicking a towel at one of his players.
Speaking about it after the match, Kearney admitted that was probably the angriest he's ever been during his coaching career.
"I can't remember the last time I was that angry," Kearney said.
"I don't think [it was] anything tactical or technical tonight. I thought it was about a real lack of attitude, which is disappointing.
"I was disappointed with the fact that we worked so hard over the last six weeks to build, we endured a fair bit along the way… and we created some really good habits.
"That's what I was pissed off about. I thought the first half we got bullied off the park, so that's why I was pretty animated [at halftime].
"To come here tonight and get belted up like that is really disappointing. I was surprised, I didn't picture any of that happening."
With five games remaining this season, the Warriors find themselves three points outside the top eight.
The loss on Friday was the Warriors sixth-straight at Mt Smart, equalling their worst run there more than 20 years ago.
Three of their remaining games are on the road (Sydney Roosters, Cronulla Sharks, Canberra Raiders) while they have two more at Mt Smart Stadium (Manly Sea Eagles, South Sydney Rabbitohs).
Five-eighth Kodi Nikorima (ankle) and hooker Karl Lawton (shoulder) didn't finish the contest, with both having potentially aggravated injuries that had kept them sidelined in recent weeks.
Kearney was unable to provide an injured update on the duo.
"I wasn't in the mood to check out how they were feeling."
Despite the loss, there were a couple of posties for Kearney including Nikorima's replacement, Chanel Harris-Tavita, who scored all of the Warriors' 12 points, while there was also praise for forward Josh Curran who made his club debut off the bench.
"He did well," Kearney said of Curran. "He carried the ball well, made a little error at the back end of the game, but I'll go a bit easy on him, because he tried his hardest."
The Warriors face the Sea Eagles next Friday in Auckland - a team they haven't beaten at Mt Smart since 2013.
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