KEY POINTS:
The Warriors have made a late dash into the NRL finals yet it's hard not to have that too-little-too-late-feeling about their season.
The strong victory over Parramatta was a decent effort under self-imposed pressure but the proviso has to be added that the dishevelled Eels of 2008 are
a poor measure of success.
The Warriors' chances of getting anywhere near the grand final remain minimal, and they'll have to do it without their number one strikeforce, Wade McKinnon.
By the standards set by the various forms of the Warriors since 1995, they have done pretty well.
By the hopes and dreams attached to this club at its inception, the 2008 season is just another dodgy year for now.
But there is one over-riding fact that dominates Ivan Cleary's side over three seasons - they hardly ever beat good teams across the ditch.
That means the Warriors' chances of a high finish are low, with 2007 a major exception rather than the rule.
Any loss to a lower ranked side - such as a double dose against South Sydney this year - becomes a season-breaking disaster.
This lack of wins in Australia means that even if they do make the finals, the Warriors are likely to be drawn against a leading side away from home in a sudden-death situation.
The capitulation against St George Illawarra prior to the win against Parramatta on Saturday night summed up why the Warriors are so frustrating. It was a game with so much on the line, yet the Warriors were listless.
It brought back reminders of 2007, when they were downright embarrassing in a playoff against the Cowboys. Last year, it was sometimes a case of close but no cigar against good sides away.
But the Warriors have slipped backwards in the travel department this year.
They have had a fair old disaster, in terms of results and scorelines, away from Mt Smart.
This week provides a massive test of Cleary's coaching. The former first grader is in danger of treading water as a so-near-but yet-so-far coach without the x-factor that can take a club to titles. He must find new buttons to push.
At the risk of making excuses, I still sometimes wonder whether the constant travel affects the Warriors more than is realised.
Over the years, sports teams have suggested that for every hour of time zone difference, a day away is needed to acclimatise. The Warriors make such repetitive trips that the body clocks must take a bit of a hammering. It has to be a factor, but away blues are caused by more than just that.
The continual recruitment straight out of New Zealand ranks is also a major worry, because the success rate for these players is staggeringly low. Stacey Jones - a mega talent before the Warriors got hold of him _ remains the one homegrown star of lasting quality to have emerged in 14 seasons.
Compare that to the Broncos, from Wally Lewis to Karmichael Hunt and many, many star-studded points in between and you get an idea about the scale of this Auckland failure.
Back to the problem about playing in Australia.
It desperately needs sorting, starting this week.
At least we can still live in hope.
Highpoint: Qualification (though qualified) success for the Warriors and All Whites.
Lowpoint: The drab Ranfurly Shield clash between Auckland and Southland.
