KEY POINTS:
The fact they are second on this table has a lot to do with the Warriors' slide down the NRL table.
After 10 weeks of the competition, the Warriors (328) are second only to the hapless Roosters (334) in the average number of tackles made per match.
This number sits at 349 over the past six weeks, and it's little surprise it has coincided with three defeats on the trot for Ivan Cleary's side.
A high tackle count doesn't necessarily translate into defeats, especially if the opposition are asked to make a similar number of tackles, but this has not been the case for the Warriors.
Against the Sharks, for example, they made 413 tackles to the visitors' 291, while they made 294 to the Wests Tigers' 210 last weekend.
"I think it's fair to say [we're going to lose more than we win if we have to tackle more than the opposition]," Cleary said.
"It tips the balance in the opposition's favour. It doesn't always mean you are going to win or lose but the season is hard enough without making it any harder."
The reason the Warriors are making so many tackles is because they are making too many errors or giving away needless penalties, which hands possession to the opposition. They have conceded the third-most penalties in the league with 73.
Even four more errors and four more penalties than the opposition adds as many as 48 more tackles.
"It's a vicious cycle," Cleary explained. "If you're making more tackles, you get more fatigued and you're more prone to penalties and dropped ball.
"We have to break the cycle."
The first chance will come tomorrow night at Parramatta but the Eels have improved significantly since their 34-18 defeat at the hands of the Warriors in the season opener.
They have lost only once at home this season, a round six defeat by the Bulldogs, and come into the game on the back of a 44-14 hiding of the Cowboys last weekend.
They've also not lost to the Warriors at home since 1995.
Cleary's side looked anything but polished at Friday's training session, when dropped ball, errant passing and poor kicks were the order of the day.
The Warriors coach is aware of the pressure mounting on his side but is trying to shield his players from it.
"I just want to make sure we keep our self-belief," he said. "There's a bit of doubt from the outside, so we want to be sure on the inside we know what we're capable of."
TACKLE THIS
Average number of tackles a game (after 10 rounds)
334 Roosters
328 Warriors
323 Titans
317 Eels, Storm
311 Dragons
310 Broncos
309 Raiders, Sharks
308 Rabbitohs
306 Knights
298 Panthers
288 Wests Tigers
286 Manly
285 Bulldogs
282 Cowboys
