Richie Barnett: Storming win season-defining for Warriors

Feleti Mateo played his best game yet for the Warriors against the Storm on Monday, getting the basics right and making yards before offloading. Photo / Getty Images

Opinion

The Warriors' winning performance over the Storm on Monday could be the kind of all-out performance that gets a season back on track.

It's amazing the difference a few players can make when they're doing their job properly, because beating the Storm in Melbourne is not rocket science. It's actually a matter of solid football; the basics done well with a cool head - and a little desperation to get over the line.

The Warriors' kicking game was excellent in Melbourne; Brett Seymour and James Maloney both kicked accurately, with smart options on the fifth tackle. But it's the little things that count, and the kick-chase made good kicks look great.

The Warriors hunted every ball, putting heat on the Storm back three and ultimately pinning them deep in their own territory.

Crucially, the Warriors handled the Storm's kicks well. The Warriors back three diffused the Melbourne bombs neatly, meaning less pressure on the earlier tackles in a set - and no fluffed catches.

Krisnan Inu showed his class under the high balls and Kevin Locke was particularly impressive, contesting everything in the air when Melbourne tested his wing.

We saw something special from Feleti Mateo, who played his best game in a Warriors jersey. And he was special without trying to be special.

The key to Mateo's game was - again - doing the basics. We all know he can offload and put men into space, but against the Storm he played a key role in the tight, maintaining momentum. I'd like to see more of this from Mateo in the next few weeks - getting the ball in his hands and making yards before looking for the offload.

There's an assumption that he needed to come out and be a ball-player every time; that's the sign he's got hanging around his neck.

There's a time and place for the miracle ball, but Mateo's surging no-nonsense effort on Monday night had greater value for his side and hinted at the more well-rounded player he could become.

Now they must capitalise. Ending a 10-match home winning streak for a good side like Melbourne could be season-defining, if they don't blow it at Mt Smart against Penrith on Sunday.

Penrith have been poor, but their forward power is still huge with the likes of Sam McKendry, Petero Civoniceva and Tim Grant, and Trent Waterhouse on the fringes. They've lost a lot of attacking impetus in the shape of Luke Lewis and Frank Pritchard and the ability to convert attacking kicks into points without fullback Lachlan Coote contesting the ball. So they're still trying to find ways to score.

Waterhouse with his offloads is their preferred option for putting men away. So expect a lot of work for Micheal Luck containing the Penrith pack.

After such a great win over the Storm, the Warriors should see a game like this as a chance to shine.

If they can continue on from that performance, they'll have a field day against the Panthers. Get it wrong and the one Penrith strength, a sizeable pack, could roll through the middle of them. Don't forget the Panthers made monkeys of the Warriors last season.

They need to go in with the same all-out attitude and Monday's game might turn out to have been the template for the rest of the season.