Warriors can’t let season slip away
A few weeks ago it looked all but certain that the Warriors would end their long run of not making the NRL playoffs.
But that’s not so clear now and a defeat to the Dragons in Wollongong today would leave the eighth-placed team with plenty of other teams breathing down their necks.
To make it beyond the regular season for the first time since 2011, the Warriors need to do something they’ve failed to achieve in recent years
– finish strongly.
Of their last 10 games in each of the previous three seasons, they’ve won just six games in total and lost 24.
Things haven’t been going well lately either, with three losses in their last four encounters. Their 11-win eight loss record is propped up by the five straight wins they had to begin the season.
They have never won at WIN Stadium, but one factor in their favour is that they’ve invariably bounced back from bad defeats this season, and the 36-12 loss to the Titans last weekend was certainly one of those.
‘‘It’s easy to bounce back from a loss, because as a team it can put you back on track,’’ Warriors centre Gerard Beale said.
‘‘The hard thing is when we know things are going well, to keep improving and keep being harsh on ourselves. We probably saw that last weekend, letting our guard down against the Titans and they got us.
‘‘So it’s important we bounce back.’’
The second-half capitulation against the Titans has to be regarded as one of the lowest points of the season and Beale said the players needed to deal with what happened.
‘While the Warriors have lost three of their last four games, they have at times played exceptional footy this year and have registered impressive wins against the likes of the Rabbitohs, Roosters, Dragons and Broncos.
‘‘The hard thing is when we know things are going well, to keep improving.’’ Warriors centre Gerard Beale
However Warriors back-rower Tohu Harris’ injury woes have continued after being ruled out of Saturday’s clash against the Dragons with another knee issue.
Harris was due to play his first game in five weeks after recovering from an injury to his left knee he picked up during the round 16 defeat to the Sharks.
He has now injured his right knee in a field session and will return home immediately for minor surgery. It is yet to be determined how long the 26-year-old Kiwis international will spend on the sideline.
❚ The Canterbury Bulldogs have put a massive dent in Brisbane’s topfour hopes, shocking the finalsbound Broncos 36-22 at ANZ Stadium on Thursday night.
After they leapt to a 14-0 lead early, the Bulldogs withstood a late first-half fightback from Brisbane before scoring three second-half tries in seven minutes to wrap up the win.
It completed their first back-toback wins of the year and put them one step further away from the wooden spoon.
And it also left Brisbane vulnerable with the possibility they could be two wins outside the top four at the end of the round.