Louisa Wall: Warriors staying staunch in shaky times

Every week has been a trial of persistence and the call to keep the faith has been difficult as the Warriors have lost the close ones more times than not.

So last weekend coach Tony Kemp was certain they needed to win only four from the last six games to make the top eight.

And with captain fantastic Steve Price back, they did just that.

The week before against the Roosters was tough, as the performance of the referees left a lot to be desired.

In fact, it seemed the touch judges were replicating the efforts of Stuart Dickinson in the third Lions test, which was almost unbearable. However, most of us kept the faith and didn't switch channels.

It was great to see the team step up to the mark and there were fine performances from Brent Webb, Lance Hohaia and Awen Guttenbeil, with Ruben Wiki and Iafeta Palea'aesina inspirational.

It was excellent to see that Stacey Jones was not alone in the crusade, and it seems the team are most effective when the others, too, put their hands up to secure victory.

This is Jones' 10th and last season and I for one want him to end this tenure having had a reasonably successful season and leaving the club in good stead for next year and beyond.

But this season might just go down as what might have been. In five of the 10 losses up to round 18 they have lost by six points or less, and four of these games were played at home.

But against the Raiders at Ericsson Stadium last Saturday, the home crowd were fully supportive and that winning style returned with a vengeance.

It was the second time this season that they had strung together two wins in a row, and it was basic league that made the difference. That is, completing the sets of six and taking advantage of scoring opportunities.

The defensive game was solid, although there is room for improvement in the marker defence from the outsides, and we had runners consistently challenging the opposition line, with the back-up play the key to scoring those tries.

Tonight the Warriors play Penrith at Panther park and they will be gunning for three in a row. If they win the remaining five games then they will match the Broncos' seven-match winning streak this season.

The NRL is highly competitive and the Warriors are building a great team for the future.

However, it is tough not to be continually disappointed, as we can all see their potential.

They need to win to stay in the hunt, and I hope Kemp's assessment that "the best is yet to come" is true.

The Warriors need to use the pressure constructively, and to dig deep and think about how Jones must be feeling in his last season, and about the honour of wearing a Warriors jersey. They should all play as if it were their last game, for this is psychologically what Jones has been building towards all season.

Let's hope all the players can emulate his performances and passion.

* Louisa Wall is a former New Zealand rugby and netball representative