We’re all in this together, says Foran of Warriors

Ever since Kieran Foran started playing for the Warriors, he’s talked about how much he’s enjoying it, but even he has to admit that the last couple of weeks have been hard going.

The Warriors have been simply dreadful in the last game and a half, conceding 60 points and scoring just 14.

They are not the performances Warriors fans or Foran were hoping for and he admits it’s been a tough couple of weeks.

‘‘Probably because we know we haven’t played to our standards and this isn’t the expectations we want to set,’’ Foran said.

‘‘We’ve all been rather disappointed in the way things have gone and we’re trying really hard to turn it around.’’

Foran is one of the leaders at the Warriors, his experiences in the NRL make him that and playing at fiveeighth he’s one of the keys to the club turning around their fortunes against the Broncos at Mt Smart Stadium on Saturday evening.

However, a revival of fortunes won’t solely depend on Foran, or the returning Simon Mannering. ‘‘It’s a collective effort,’’ Foran said. ‘‘We’re all in this together and only ourselves can get ourselves out of it.

‘‘There is still plenty of belief amongst the group, we know we just need to get back in the winners’ circle and that starts this Saturday against Brisbane.’’ Foran said it had been hard to work out exactly what had gone wrong over the past 120 minutes of footy, but they were continuing to search for answers.

‘‘It’s something that we’ve been talking about the last couple of weeks,’’ he said. ’’We’ve just got to knuckle down as hard as we can and hopefully we turn the corner on Saturday.’’

Much has been made of Kieran Foran’s impact on the Warriors, but if the past two losses have shown anything it is that Simon Mannering remains the heart and soul of the side.

Without their workhorse in the middle, the Warriors have been horribly exposed in defence - first during the second-half meltdown against Penrith and then in the poor response against the Dragons last Friday in Hamilton.

It is not just his stats, though. Mannering’s leadership is equally, if not more, important than the mountain of work he gets through, which is why his return from a hamstring injury to face the Broncos on Saturday would have been a calming sight for all involved at Mt Smart.

Stephen Kearney knows Mannering’s value as much as anyone. But, as glad as he is to have him back for what is approaching must-win territory for the Warriors, he is only one player. And the coach is wary of not expecting too much from the 267-game veteran.

‘‘What I’m very mindful of is not for Simon to come back and fix the issue,’’ Kearney said.

‘‘We’ve got individuals that have to fix themselves so that’s been a priority this week, everyone owning their performances over the last week and a bit and making sure we move forward and improving.

‘‘Simon will help but it’s about everyone else making sure that they’ve got their games right.’’

Mannering’s inclusion was one of just a few changes as Kearney again opted against swinging the axe after another disappointing display.

James Gavet has come into the starting side for Queensland State of Origin forward Jacob Lillyman, while prop Albert Vete has replaced Charlie Gubb on the bench.

But Kearney is backing the players to rediscover the form that served them well in April. With confidence already low, Kearney believes making wholesale changes may only make it worse.

‘‘We’ve made a couple of subtle adjustments and made a couple of changes but the last thing I want to do is send panic through the foundation.

‘‘It’s important that we get them focusing on the task of getting their job done out on the field which we haven’t done a good enough job of the last couple of weeks. That’s how you build confidence.’’

Brisbane, meanwhile, arrive in Auckland sitting second in the standings but the Origin factor means the Warriors meet them at the best possible time.

Queensland has robbed Wayne Bennett of six of his best players, including including key trio Darius Boyd, Anthony Milford and Sam Thaiday, while influential hooker Andrew McCullough has been ruled out due to concussion.

That has led bookmakers to instil the Warriors as $1.45 favourites, despite their woeful form of late, with the visitors $2.60 outsiders.

But having worked as an assistant to Bennett for four years before joining the Warriors, Kearney knows all too well that the Brisbane super coach will have his team primed for a big performance.