League: Warriors' promise going nowhere

Warriors prop Ruben Wiki is tackled by North Queensland Cowboys' Mitchell Sargent at Mt Smart Stadium on Saturday. Phil Walter / Getty Images

Warriors 26 Cowboys 0

Would they have, could they have?

Two wins in succession do not turn a wintry season into a sunny one. The Warriors, care of four missing points thanks to their salary cap breach, are still plonked in NRL never-never land.

But having seen off two fading forces of the season, Cronulla and North Queensland, you are almost compelled to delve into the ifs, buts and maybes of the 2006 Warriors.

The result is encouraging and disheartening - that they were definitely top-eight material, that the gloomy atmosphere at Mt Smart Stadium right now should instead have been a scene of hope and balloons.

Leaving aside the tricky sticking point that, had the club played by the rules, the combination of Steve Price and Ruben Wiki was unlikely to have ended up in Auckland, the frustrating conclusion is that 2006 is a grand opportunity missed.

Not Grand Final, mind you. These Warriors lack the verve of their grand final predecessors, and the wizardry of the Wests Tigers and Cowboys of 2006.

They have neither the proven panache of the best Roosters, nor the unfailing muscle and attitude of the top Bulldogs teams.

At best, the Warriors of 2006 would have snuck into the top eight, and not gone much further. But there's no disgrace in that, and it would have given the fans a ride to enjoy.

Ivan Cleary's Warriors have bludgeoning power up front which, combined with sufficient strength and experience and Brent Webb's tackle-beating prowess in the backs, would have made them definite playoff contenders.

What of the points table right now? Throw in the four lost points plus the added momentum they would have had without that punishment ball-and-chain, and it looks promising, even though one of their final three games is in Melbourne.

It was frustrating to reflect on the lost possibilities as they coasted past North Queensland on Saturday night, dismissing what must have been one of the most pathetic displays by a visiting side to Auckland.

A single foray by Cowboys prop Carl Webb, which was halted about five metres from the line, was the only time Graham Murray's side threatened to score.

Their best player, Luke O'Donnell, was also sent off for a ridiculous late hit on a prone Lance Hohaia, having already lowered the converted centre with a high tackle. It hinted at the divisions that lie beneath.

The Cowboys are missing outstanding players such as playmaker Johnathan Thurston, but the sum of their sinking is far lower than the problem parts.

The Warriors' demolition job, led by props Price and Wiki, should have been cause for celebration.

The circumstances, which drew a crowd of just over 5000, dictate that, whatever the result, there are mixed feelings.

The atmosphere before the game was dreadful. That scourge of New Zealand sport, the inflatable thundersticks favoured by netball spectators, arrived at the park for the first time and only added to the misery.

In the early stages, it sounded like a scene from the Hitchcock horror The Birds, an eerie flapping sound accompanying the action.

As the Warriors warmed to their task, some genuine cheering and applause did manage to partially drown out these happy-clappy advertising tools.

Hohaia, filling in for the injured Tony Martin, was among the stars. The little half is, apparently, on one of the bigger Warriors contracts yet has found himself unwanted by coach Cleary.

Despite his lack of size, Hohaia showed canny instincts playing at right centre, and finished off the Cowboys with two tries, one of which came moments after O'Donnell's attack on him.

One of the great sights in the turbulent times of the Warriors has been watching Price and Wiki go to work, delivering a foundation almost without fail.

It only adds to the disappointment, knowing the Warriors have wasted a season when this ageing pair are still in their prime.

WARRIORS' RUN HOME

v Storm, Melbourne

v Roosters, Auckland

v Broncos, Brisbane