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They won't be in this year's play-offs but coach Ivan Cleary feels that if the Warriors are to return to the finals in 2010, the hard work starts now.
Even the eternal optimists have dropped off the scent of a Warriors trip to the post-season as they wallow in 14th, six points outside the eight with only four rounds remaining.
Mentions have been made of a potential wooden spoon but they are saved by two dreadful sides, the Roosters and Sharks, battling it out for the bottom spot four points below.
Any assertions that the Warriors therefore have nothing left to play for in 2009 fly firmly in the face of Cleary's outlook.
"The next four games is effectively our pre-season, really," Cleary said. "How we finish will be a marker on how we start the next year. That's the way I'm looking at it.
"It's a different feeling and a different dynamic I suppose but it's a lot to play for."
That mindset means tinkering is left to a minimum for Saturday's trip to Parramatta. Players down on form such as centre Jerome Ropati have been recalled in the hope of recapturing some confidence to take into next season.
Whether or not that can be done against the red-hot Eels, who have won four in a row to lie one point outside the eight, is another story.
Featuring arguably both the NRL's form back in Jarryd Hayne and forward in Fuifui Moimoi, Parramatta is coming home with a wet sail in a remarkably similar run to the one that saw the Warriors fall one short of the grand final last year.
"I'd rather be in their position but the reality is we're not," Cleary said.
"They've certainly got some guys in form and they're playing with confidence. We're under no illusions of the task in front of us.
"They've played some football on the back of a lot of offloads and that sort of thing so there's an opportunity there where we can upset the apple cart a little bit, maybe.
"They've been playing with such confidence you've got to hope it can't keep continuing."
A poor opening 20 minutes in last Sunday's home loss to the Titans, falling 0-14 behind, resulted in Cleary making a number of changes to travel to Parramatta.
The experiment of Lewis Brown at hooker is put on the backburner after one week, allowing Ian Henderson a reprieve from initially being dropped against Gold Coast to regaining his No.9 jersey almost immediately.
Despite impressing his coach last Sunday, Kevin Locke pushes back to the wing to allow the benefits of Wade McKinnon's 'experience and leadership' at fullback.
The biggest casualty is second-rower Ben Matulino, who is sent back to Toyota Cup duty and replaced by the raw but explosive talents of Ukuma Ta'ai.
"Ben's not contributing as much as he was earlier in the season or what we can," Cleary said. "He's still a young fella. He probably needs to go back and get some more game time and find a bit of form.
"(Ta'ai) runs the ball aggressively and he's a big, strong guy. It was his best game last week in terms of accuracy at NRL level.
"(He was) very green early in the year and he's come on reasonably well. He's been very consistent for the Vulcans. He earns a start and another crack."
There is still no sign of Steve Price as he continues to battle the effects of a rib cartilage injury but Cleary hopes his skipper will be available for the home match against Canberra the following week.
http://www.skysport.co.nz/Default.aspx?tabid=55&cid=11020
Even the eternal optimists have dropped off the scent of a Warriors trip to the post-season as they wallow in 14th, six points outside the eight with only four rounds remaining.
Mentions have been made of a potential wooden spoon but they are saved by two dreadful sides, the Roosters and Sharks, battling it out for the bottom spot four points below.
Any assertions that the Warriors therefore have nothing left to play for in 2009 fly firmly in the face of Cleary's outlook.
"The next four games is effectively our pre-season, really," Cleary said. "How we finish will be a marker on how we start the next year. That's the way I'm looking at it.
"It's a different feeling and a different dynamic I suppose but it's a lot to play for."
That mindset means tinkering is left to a minimum for Saturday's trip to Parramatta. Players down on form such as centre Jerome Ropati have been recalled in the hope of recapturing some confidence to take into next season.
Whether or not that can be done against the red-hot Eels, who have won four in a row to lie one point outside the eight, is another story.
Featuring arguably both the NRL's form back in Jarryd Hayne and forward in Fuifui Moimoi, Parramatta is coming home with a wet sail in a remarkably similar run to the one that saw the Warriors fall one short of the grand final last year.
"I'd rather be in their position but the reality is we're not," Cleary said.
"They've certainly got some guys in form and they're playing with confidence. We're under no illusions of the task in front of us.
"They've played some football on the back of a lot of offloads and that sort of thing so there's an opportunity there where we can upset the apple cart a little bit, maybe.
"They've been playing with such confidence you've got to hope it can't keep continuing."
A poor opening 20 minutes in last Sunday's home loss to the Titans, falling 0-14 behind, resulted in Cleary making a number of changes to travel to Parramatta.
The experiment of Lewis Brown at hooker is put on the backburner after one week, allowing Ian Henderson a reprieve from initially being dropped against Gold Coast to regaining his No.9 jersey almost immediately.
Despite impressing his coach last Sunday, Kevin Locke pushes back to the wing to allow the benefits of Wade McKinnon's 'experience and leadership' at fullback.
The biggest casualty is second-rower Ben Matulino, who is sent back to Toyota Cup duty and replaced by the raw but explosive talents of Ukuma Ta'ai.
"Ben's not contributing as much as he was earlier in the season or what we can," Cleary said. "He's still a young fella. He probably needs to go back and get some more game time and find a bit of form.
"(Ta'ai) runs the ball aggressively and he's a big, strong guy. It was his best game last week in terms of accuracy at NRL level.
"(He was) very green early in the year and he's come on reasonably well. He's been very consistent for the Vulcans. He earns a start and another crack."
There is still no sign of Steve Price as he continues to battle the effects of a rib cartilage injury but Cleary hopes his skipper will be available for the home match against Canberra the following week.
http://www.skysport.co.nz/Default.aspx?tabid=55&cid=11020
