Warriors show faith in coach Cleary - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Warriors show faith in coach Cleary

By Robert Lowe 04/06/2009 05:02:16 PM Comments (0)

The Warriors stop-start opening to the NRL season has done little to deter the club's faith in coach Ivan Cleary after re-signing him for another two years.

Cleary, who started at the club in 2006, will now have the top job through to the end of the 2012 season.

"I feel really privileged to have this job," Cleary said.

"For the club to have so much faith in me is really nice."

Cleary was handed the reins in difficult circumstances, and his first season was blighted by the fallout from salary cap breaches under the Warriors' previous management.

However, both in 2007 and last year, he guided the club to the finals.

The announcement of his contract extension comes after the Warriors ended a three-match losing streak last weekend with a 14-0 win over the Wests Tigers to move up to 10th on the table.

They are away this Sunday to cellar dwellers Cronulla, where the off-field storms continued this week with the resignation of chairman Barry Pierce.

The move followed lock Paul Gallen's decision to quit as club captain over his racial abuse of St George Illawarra forward Mickey Paea during a match.

The financially-strapped Sharks have also been reeling from revelations of a group sex scandal in Christchurch in 2002.

Cleary said the dramas at Cronulla hadn't played any part in the Warriors' preparations.

"It's been the last thing I've been thinking of," he said.

"It's just another NRL team and they're all tough in their own way."

He believed the Sharks would be boosted by their victory last weekend over Parramatta, a result that snapped a run of nine losses in a row.

Cleary said skipper Steve Price, part of Queensland's win over NSW on Wednesday night, appeared to have come through the State of Origin opener in Melbourne in good shape.

"He's got a few bumps and bruises and we'll monitor him in the next few days," he said.

"At this stage, he should be okay."

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