Warriors anxious before match against

AUCKLAND: It is not the jitters, yet, but the Warriors admit they have left it late to lock down an NRL playoffs berth.

Relief will descend on Mt Smart Stadium if the eightplaced team can see off Penrith tonight, booking its first postseason campaign since 2011.

Lose and the Warriors may face a nerveracking finalround match against Canberra,

A run of yoyo performances have stopped the Warriors from sealing the deal, including last week’s dramatic 2726 loss to Canterbury.

Hooker Issac Luke said the prospect of their season hinging on a doordie clash with the Raiders was hard to stomach after sitting near the top of the ladder throughout 2018.

‘‘We sat back and said ‘bloody hell, we’ve got two big games on our hands now, rather than one game’,’’ he said.

‘‘And the Panthers gave us a hiding last time, so it’s definitely a game the boys are looking forward to.’’

The 346 hammering in Penrith in round 17 came against a depleted Panthers side steered brilliantly by rookie halfback Jarome Luai.

Nathan Cleary is back in the No 7 jersey and the Warriors will remember his impact in last year’s match.

The New South Wales Origin star bagged a hattrick and set up the three other tries in one of the finest individual displays in Auckland in recent seasons.

Coach Stephen Kearney is also concerned about the short turnaround for the Warriors.

His team’s only other game featuring five days’ preparation