D'Arcy Waldegrave: Standing Addin down was a no brainer

The All Sport Breakfast

Addin Fonua-Blake packed a sad and has been sent to the naughty corner. Good.

Go to your room and think about what you've done.

Scuttlebutt and water cooler theorizing would have you believe that his petulance wasn’t the only driver in Andrew Webster’s decision to discipline him. There may well be truth to those musings after his departure call late last year and his imminent move to the Sharks.

But as it stands, a pork chop sulking episode is more than enough of a reason to send him to bed without dinner.

Team. Simple concept, easily explained, but sometimes not as easy to implement. Individuals do not win team sports. They can be enormously influential in positive results, but equally so when the wheels fall off.

Addin is a highly paid, very talented figurehead of the Warriors. If he can throw his not-so-insignificant weight around, set a standard only for himself, and play fast and loose with team protocols, the only result will be a disconnect within the playing group.

Webster is well aware of this. He is also cognisant of his role in the organisation.

The most important individual in a team is the coach. They set the standard. They make the tough selection calls. They provide the structure and framework for success, on and off the park.

It was a no brainer to stand Addin down. If this behavioural spark is allowed to smoulder then eventually reignite, the resulting bonfire has the potential to burn the Warriors whare to the ground.

Coach knows this. As uncomfortable as it may be for the fans —having the exceptional talent of AFB in the stands— Webster’s flex was necessary.

His team will react positively to this move, the question now is how will Addin respond?

That’ll do.

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