League: Sterling words for the Warriors

Before the season kicked off, the one thing that Tony Kemp wished for from his Warriors outfit was consistency.

The only thing they've achieved is that they're consistently inconsistent, however, and their season has come to something of a crossroads - get on a roll and the playoffs beckon, continue to stutter and mid-table mediocrity looms.

With Kemp having mapped out his road to Top eight-ville, which has on it seven wins from their final 12 games, today's match-up with the Melbourne Storm looms as a must-win.

It's perhaps ironic that, considering the Warriors have built a reputation as unpredictable flash Harrys, they are now too predictable. Sure, they've considerably tightened their defence - that clearly needed to happen - but it's perhaps been to the detriment of their attacking game.

They now rely too heavily on one-out running and it's something Warriors consultant and former Australian halfback Peter Sterling has alerted the club about.

"I think too much one-out football early in the tackle count is hurting for the rest of the count," Sterling said.

"If you send one bloke up he becomes a target and he's getting dominated by three or four tacklers early in the count. Unfortunately, the Warriors' play-the-ball later in the count is as slow as it was for the first or second - but that's when you need to get more bodies in motion, it puts more heat on opposition defences."

Sterling is not advocating a return to chucking the football around like a hot potato, rather using a single pass or decoy runners which puts uncertainty in the minds of the opposition.

It also gives Stacey Jones the room to run at defences when the ball is played more quickly, rather than just relying on the luck of a cross-field bomb.

Kemp has clearly advocated a game plan based on doing the basics well but it seems to be strangling some of their natural instincts. Jones has shown only glimpses of what he's capable of, Sione Faumuina has been sporadic because of injuries and suspensions while both Clinton Toopi and Francis Meli have been below par.

Sterling would like to see more talk from the Warriors. It's a problem that has plagued the club for some time but it's something that needs to be addressed quickly.

"One thing the Warriors suffer from is a lack of talk," Sterling explained. "They are leaders by example but they probably need a couple of guys to come out of their shell and talk their way through a game. There aren't a lot of blokes to do that but if some are more vocal, like Nathan Fien or Lance Hohaia, then others will respond."

The Warriors have clearly indicated they don't envisage heading into the market in the off-season, believing they have the talent within their ranks to return to the lofty heights of 2002.

Although Jones is departing to France and leaving his $400,000 pay-packet behind, the Warriors have discovered there is no room to fit anyone else under the salary cap because of the arrivals of Steve Price, Ruben Wiki, Fien and Todd Byrne and the retention of the likes of Wairangi Koopu and Jerome Ropati on improved contracts.

They also have a number of promising up-and-coming players on their books whom they need to look after for fear of other clubs ferreting around.

While they appear they could be short of a quality five-eighth for next season with Fien shifting to halfback, there are hopes Ropati will step into the role. It's part of the reason why he's playing in the centres this season so he can gain more NRL experience.

Sterling agrees that the Warriors have the basis of a very good side but feels it could be improved by the arrival of a couple more players.

"They are not far off the mark and probably only need one or two more players," he said.

"Maybe one quality back and one quality forward."

Of course, that's next season and they still have the small matter of 2005 to wrap up.

Kemp accepts his side has been underachieving but says he's still a long way away from pushing the panic button.

"We are probably four points off where we should be," he said.

"We are still in touch and as long as you're in touch you're in with a show."

Today will reveal if they are actually still in touch.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY