Warriors Coach Andrew Webster On NRL Premierships, Leadership And Never Lowering The Bar

Andrew Webster (aka Webby) is the coach of the One.NZ Warriors.

This podcast first came out in January 2024. I thought I’d reshare it in case you missed it because the Warriors, under Andrew Webster, have just completed their best season in 15 years.

Since arriving at Mount Smart to coach the Warriors three years ago, this guy has given fans plenty to get excited about.

But I wanted to find out who he is away from the game.

We talk about his wife Emily, becoming a dad, and the years he spent doing whatever work he could to keep chasing a coaching career.

Webby explains why he left Ivan Clary and the Penrith Panthers to coach the Warriors and what he learnt from Ivan, why he’s comfortable telling his players he loves them, the up the Wahs movement which started during his tenure, how long he plans to stay in New Zealand, his reason for making the players walk past his office every day and much more.

This podcast is a pretty good insight into the mind of one of rugby leagues truly great coaches. And beyond sport, just a very nice guy.

CHAPTERS: 0:00 Introduction and Podcast Invitation 1:46 How Webster Decides on Podcast Invites 2:42 Who is Andrew Webster? 3:17 The Identity Confusion with the Sports Writer 3:42 Early Life and Playing Career 5:06 Childhood Coaching and Siblings 6:07 Passion for Horse Racing 7:11 Food and Favorite Dining Spots 7:36 Emily and Life in New Zealand 10:11 The Birth of Sean and Kayla's Baby 11:22 Meeting Emily and Her Role at the Club 13:19 Winning the Dally M Coach of the Year 15:24 Keeping Speeches Authentic 19:26 Coaching Philosophy and Influences 20:26 Simplifying Attack and Coaching Focus 21:29 The Role of a Head Coach as a Counselor 23:25 The "Open Door" Policy 25:29 Empowering Leadership Groups 26:38 Can a League Coach Switch to Rugby Union? 27:55 The Influence of Ted Lasso 30:38 Emotional Intelligence and Family Upbringing 32:23 Coaching Players with Flair 33:31 Revitalizing Sean Johnson 35:59 Why He Joined the Warriors 36:39 Strategic Rebuilding and KPIs 40:15 Handling Pressure and Wayne Bennett 43:26 The Importance of Reflecting and Having Fun 44:09 An Average Workday for the Coaching Staff 46:29 Implementing Penrith Panthers IP 47:34 Early Career as a Player-Coach in the USA 49:35 Understanding Extreme Ownership 51:06 Cornerstones of the Warriors Culture 52:33 The Team Pranksters and Competitive Spirit 53:07 Tohu Harris and Body Management 53:48 Thoughts on the Bunker and Refereeing 55:16 Jason Paris and Fan Passion 56:15 Cultural Impact and Fan Support 59:50 Building Personal Resilience 1:00:43 Long-term Goals and Contract Extension 1:03:52 Team Welfare and Psychological Support 1:05:11 The "Shoey" Challenge and Closing Thoughts