Veteran centre Gerard Beale insists it's time for the NZ Warriors to put the drama of the last week behind them and redirect their energy into a bounce back performance against the Melbourne Storm on Friday.
The sudden sacking of head coach Stephen Kearney on Saturday had left many of the squad shaking their heads. But having now openly addressed and discussed the issue, Beale says it's critical the squad now regroups and sets its sights on the Storm.
"It's obviously been an emotional few days," Beale says.
"But [interim head coach] Toddy [Payten] spoke about it… we all had the utmost respect for Steve [Kearney] and all the effort he put in but we also recognise we have to refocus.
"We have a game in a few days against Melbourne who are always tough. Hopefully we can channel that motivation onto the field."
Beale admits their first training session sans Kearney on Tuesday had an odd feel to it, but represented an important step ahead.
"It was obviously strange, that's for sure," he notes.
"Before we went out on the field we spoke about it and the importance of us sticking together and, without sounding cold, we needed to still move forward."
The first training of the week is typically a lighter run, with Wednesday's more intensive session set to provide a better indication of how well the team has managed to put the recent drama behind them.
"That's when we really start to nail down and put all our energy into what's going to help the situation - and that's performing.
"We're slowly regrouping, but hopefully tomorrow when we step on that training field we can really get stuck into training and prepare well for Melbourne."
The Storm are fresh off a loss to the Penrith Panthers, which make them an even more daunting proposition for the Warriors. The perennial NRL contenders haven't lost consecutive games since August 2018.
Meanwhile, the Warriors are looking to regather after a heavy 40-12 defeat at the hands of the Rabbitohs, with the added challenges of moving ahead without Kearney, alongside their unique accommodation and training situation.
"We were all in together and Steve was leading from the front.
"Our situation is quite different and full of challenges at the moment but for the younger guys, it's probably more important they're okay during this period… making sure everyone can refocus and look forward to the next game and the season."
Friday's game has been relocated from Melbourne's AAMI Park to Sydney's Jubilee Stadium due to a recent surge of COVID-19 cases in Victoria, which beale believes works to his team's advantage.
"It probably works out in our favour. We don't have to get on a plane. Travelling the morning of the game, that helps us a bit.
"The scoreboard didn't really reflect how close we were [against the Rabbitohs], but I suppose that's the NRL - you have to be on at every moment.
"There are still lessons to be learned and things that we can work on but can take into Melbourne this week."
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