Warriors must let desperation be the driving force

Sam Tomkins is tackled during the round 21 NRL match between the New Zealand Warriors and the Cronulla Sharks at Mt Smart Stadium. Photo / Getty Images

It's getting hard to remain positive about the Warriors. I believe they have made advances this season - especially off the field - but that's not much consolation when results are on a downward spiral. It now looks ominous that they won't make the top eight, which makes it hard to judge the campaign as a success.

Essentially, the Warriors are still battling two major issues which have dogged them for the past few years. First, an inability to convert pressure and territory into points, epitomised by what happened against the Sharks last week. One or two more tries in the first half would have created a buffer before the inevitable fightback from Cronulla.

The second issue is the inability to hang on to leads; too many times this season the Warriors haven't been able to deal with possession and momentum changes. It occurred against the Sharks but also happened in the Roosters match in round 14, when the home side was unable to ultimately profit from a 20-6 lead.

Good teams can cope with ebbs and flows in a match. We've seen it with the Storm, Manly and the Roosters over the years and the Broncos and Cowboys this season have been incredibly resilient in tough situations.

It doesn't get much easier for the Warriors this weekend. Everybody knows about the Dragons' incredible historical record over the Warriors - 18 wins from 22 games - and St George are a tough team. They've always had a strong, workmanlike pack and this year have become a great defensive unit, helped by their no holds-barred training techniques.

But they've also got plenty of flair and pace in the backline. A lot will depend on Benji Marshall's game management; he's been a bit off over the past month but seems to have turned the corner again. Josh Dugan will be another key factor, the NSW fullback can be unstoppable if he is on his game.

Still, hopefully desperation will drive the Warriors tomorrow. They all know their season is over unless they get the two points in Wellington. That kind of situation can create anxiety but the players need to rise above that to get the job done. It's now or never.

Meanwhile, it's sad to see the continuing concussion problems of Souths forward Kyle Turner. Some players are just unlucky. Sport can be your best friend and your worst enemy.

It's a pivotal time in his career but these days there are systems around him to manage what is happening. As hard as it is, the only thing that matters in this situation is what is the best scenario for Kyle's long-term health? Everything else pales into insignificance.