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SYDNEY - Ivan Cleary eyes his fourth year as New Zealand Warriors coach facing the eternal question: can he turn them from nearly men into National Rugby League (NRL) premiers?
The Warriors returned to Auckland last night, their stunning NRL revival finally at an end after a 32-6 hiding from Manly who booked a repeat grand final against Melbourne.
It was a second consecutive season of so near, so far, for Cleary after his side finished fourth in 2007 but lost consecutive playoff matches to bow out. In 13 years in the NRL, the club's only grand final appearance remains 2002.
In recent weeks they beat defending premiers Melbourne twice, but were no match for the Matt Orford-inspired Manly in the white-hot intensity of Saturday's grand final qualifier.
But the Warriors feel next year could be theirs, based on their own late-season form and the Toyota Cup showing of the Junior Warriors who eyeballed their own grand final but lost 26-28 after a heartbreaking Brisbane try with 26 seconds left.
"Our defence has really come along in leaps and bounds and that's how the game is now, you've got to be able to turn opposition sides around," halfback Nathan Fien said.
"We're going to have to continue that next year and just be a little bit more clinical on our attacking plays, try to just build a bit more pressure like Manly did to us.
"Look at the under-20s, we've got some great kids coming through. We've all showed we can play some really good football, we'll be another year wiser and the squad will hopefully kick on again."
Fien slotted in well to halfback mid-season but the Warriors are still looking for a gun playmaker in the Stacey Jones mould, and signed Junior Kiwi and up-and-coming Melbourne halfback Liam Foran with that view this year.
Veteran prop Ruben Wiki will leave a big hole next year while Logan Swann is the only other first team regular departing.
Otherwise it's the bulk of this year's side with unbreakable captain Steve Price poised for his 300th NRL game, ably backed by the likes of Simon Mannering, Micheal Luck, Brent Tate and Manu Vatuvei.
Fien said a quick glance at the Junior Warriors, who contained part-time seniors Russell Packer, Sonny Fai and Patrick Ah Van, was heart-warming for club officials. The form team of the playoffs, the Junior Warriors were a shattered bunch with Packer seen shedding tears after Saturday's defeat.
"All those kids did exceptionally well this year. It's a tough comp and for those young guys to make the preliminary final and just go down in the last 30 seconds is great. The future's bright for the Warriors."
Cleary conceded Manly and Melbourne were the best two sides all year, but the rest of the field was getting closer.
He felt he'd improved the club in his three years to date, which was evidenced by their two playoff victories over the Storm and Roosters.
"We're slowly building over the last three years, we've made the finals twice and would have made it in 2006 apart from the four points deducted, so we're gradually getting there.
"It's a mix of guys improving and we've certainly got some good kids coming through. I certainly believe we can get a little bit better next year.
"The aim is to have a consistent club and I think we're getting that. It's all about improvement."
- NZPA
