On the face of it, the Warriors don't stand a chance against the Melbourne Storm on Thursday night - which is why they will try to take the game to the defending NRL champions.
The Warriors sit in 15th on the ladder, above only the Bulldogs by virtue of a slightly superior points differential, and are 10 points behind the undefeated Storm. They have won only one game this season - although they have lost four by four points or less - and are in danger of losing touch with the top eight even though it is still early in the season.
What is boosting their confidence of an upset is the fact they have historically done well against the Storm in Melbourne, not least of all their dramatic win in the first round of the 2008 playoffs. Punters, however, give them little chance with Melbourne listed at short-priced odds to continue their winning streak.
The Warriors will be without winger Manu Vatuvei and centre Dane Nielsen and captain Simon Mannering is a major doubt. Coach Matt Elliott is hopeful Mannering, who injured a calf in the leadup to last week's Anzac test, will recover in time and he will be given until Thursday morning to prove his fitness.
"He's extremely unlikely but, while there's some possibility, we are going to take him away with us,'' Elliott said. "At this stage he's not playing. The physio tells me he's not chance of playing but I'm the optimist.
