NRL: Warriors in supreme shape for Titans clash

Ivan Cleary. Photo / Greg Bowker

They have been blown away twice by the Titans this season, but the Warriors have some serious wind in their sails heading into Friday night's third meeting in the opening match of the NRL finals on the Gold Coast.

Saturday night's trouncing of a full-strength Eels side saw the Warriors end the regular season with a 14-10 record. Nine of those wins came from their final 12 matches. That's championship pace.

Coach Ivan Cleary will also have a near-full squad to choose from, with hookers Ian Henderson and Alehana Mara the only injury concerns. Henderson is recovering from an ankle injury, while Mara also tweaked an ankle against the Eels.

Dead long before the final round last season, the Warriors ended 2009 having their corpse kicked around Mt Smart Stadium by a sentiment-free Melbourne Storm side that ended Stacey Jones' illustrious career with a 30-0 drubbing.

A year on from those dark times and the Warriors can claim to be the strongest overall club in the NRL, having pocketed the club championship - the trophy awarded to the club with the highest number of combined points from the NRL and NYC competitions. The Junior Warriors provided the win that the club needed to claim the title, thrashing Parramatta 52-6.

"I'm really proud of that, that's an awesome achievement by the club," Cleary said. "It was only a few years ago one particular genius [Mark Geyer] was saying we should be kicked out of the comp. This just shows how important we are and how much we can bring to the game."

On Saturday night, it was the Warriors' turn to play party pooper for a departing legend, a resolute defence ensuring Nathan Cayless went into retirement with nothing more than a dubious late try to celebrate.

For a time, it seemed Cayless' contentious score might cost the Warriors a ladder place, but the Roosters were listless against the Cowboys, their 18-8 win seeing them fall four points short of the Warriors' +53 differential.

Securing fifth spot could provide the Warriors with a second life if they trip up on the Gold Coast, however they were more focused on the fact that a victory would earn them home advantage for a semifinal in week two, captain Simon Mannering said.

"We are just happy to have a chance at the big prize at the end. It's game on from here on in. This is where it all counts. I am not going to make any promises, but we are going to give it our best shot."

Mannering remained in Sydney for the captain's press call today. He will arrive in Auckland late tonight and fly out with the team for the Gold Coast on Wednesday.

"Before we know it we will be playing again," he said. "We just have to do everything we can to look after ourselves so we know come Friday we have done everything we can off the field to be right on it."

The Titans might have had the Warriors' number this season but, given the short turnaround, drawing afamiliar opponent was helpful, Cleary said.

The Titans defeated the Warriors 24-18 in the opening round of the competition and then 28-20 at Mt Smart Stadium five weeks ago.

"They are the most experienced team in the comp and they are very good in close games," Cleary said. "They will be really tough in finals games. But we've played them twice this year and both times we came away feeling like we weren't too far away. If we prepare well and put our best foot forward, I think we are a chance."

On Saturday night, the Warriors rode a solid defensive effort to a comfortable victory over an Eels side throwing the ball around with reckless abandon.

The saying "playing like a millionaire" dates back to the early days of English cricket, when county teams consisted of hard-bitten paid professional "players" and upper-class gentlemen who played for larks - often with all the care of millionaires.

On Saturday night, the Eels had a genuine gentleman in captain Cayless and plenty of blokes playing with all the concern of Bill Gates in a low-stakes poker game.

On the evidence of the Eels' season, a host of millionaire-types does not make for a great NRL team. Against the Warriors they could hardly have displayed more contempt for possession had they set the ball on fire and thrown their purple boots at it.

The Eels coughed up a ridiculous 18 errors and the Warriors made them pay, running in five tries to two to book their Friday night date on the Gold Coast.