Kearney keeps faith in squad

Stephen Kearney says he still has faith in this Warriors side, despite the club gradually falling out of contention to make the top eight.

The Warriors have lost three of their last four games and are in 12th place on the ladder.

Saturday’s game against the Titans on the Gold Coast has something of a must-win feel to it if they’re to get back into contention.

However, despite the team’s poor form Kearney is resisting the urge to make selection changes.

Instead he hopes the players will be able to return to the form displayed in the 28-10 win over the Broncos two weeks ago, rather than the limp effort in the 32-24 loss to the Eels last weekend.

‘‘I thought the group of players did a pretty good job the week before,’’ Kearney said.

‘‘It gets frustrating for everyone. But it’s important I set a standard and set a tone. To make wholesale changes in my eyes isn’t the thing to do.’’

While Kearney still has belief in the current crop of players running out each week, he doesn’t have many options on who to bring in.

Charnze Nicoll-klokstad, Ligi Sao and Charlie Gubb are the only players in the reserve grade team who could possibly push for higher honours.

This is a squad Kearney inherited, rather than created, but he doesn’t believe there’s a lack of depth in it.

‘‘The guys who are in the NRL squad now, I know they can do the job,’’ he said.

‘‘The ISP [reserve] team are playing really well and there are some guys in there that have had opportunities, Charnze, Ligi, guys like that.

‘‘For me, it’s making sure I try to educate and give some of these guys that are in the group an awareness and sometimes it’s hard to do that when you’re playing in the toughest competition that there is.

‘‘But my job is to persevere with them and make sure I give them the education and awareness so they do become consistent NRL players.’’

Kearney didn’t agree with the view the players have let him down. ‘‘It’s not about letting me down,’’ he said. ‘‘They’re disappointed and frustrated too and it’s an education we’re trying to do on the run.

‘‘I don’t feel they’ve let me down. We have a certain standard and expectation we want to play to next week. I didn’t think we did that on Friday.’’