KEY POINTS:
The Warriors go to Canberra on Saturday needing another win to keep their top-four aspirations alive.
They will face a Raiders side humiliated 52-4 by the Bulldogs yesterday.
The Raiders were without their captain and tackling machine Alan Tongue who had surgery mid-week to clear blockages in his nose. He is expected back next weekend.
They'll need him - they missed 45 tackles and let in 10 tries yesterday.
Kiwi Sonny Bill Williams was in devastating form for the Dogs, scoring three tries, making a try-saving tackle and then producing an offload that helped Hazem El Masri become the fourth NRL player to score 2000 points.
Canberra were ordinary in attack, with little variation and five-eighth Todd Carney their only threat.
They will be a better team at home, where they have a big reputation.
But they have beaten teams around their own level in the bottom third of the NRL table - the Knights, Roosters, Dragons, Eels, Titans and Panthers - and been beaten by those above them - the Storm, Eagles, Tigers and Cowboys.
It is another good away test for the Warriors after their hometown blitz of the Gold Coast Titans, whose season is over after a 30-6 hiding.
A blistering tailwind propelled the Warriors as they unleashed an early fury on the Titans to be up 18-0 in as many minutes. Then rain came, the ball and ground turned greasy and the chances of the Coast coming back ended.
If the Warriors can produce that fury in Canberra, the locals will not have an answer.
As the standard slipped on Saturday because of fatigue and the weather there were dropped balls and knock-ons - even by captain Steve Price.
But, as with the Roosters game of the weekend before, this one may have taught the Warriors lessons as they prepare for the Raiders.
Canberra on a Saturday night in August is likely to be colder than Auckland, with a similar chance of rain.
The Warriors need to keep winning if they are to earn a home playoff - and Saturday's turnout proved the value of winning.
The 20,609 people at the game were the biggest crowd since 2003 which was the last time they made the top eight.
In 2002 when they won the minor premiership 21,570 watched them beat the Bulldogs in round 22, and 22,125 saw the victory over Brisbane in the next round.
The playoff game against Canberra drew 25,800 spectators and the Warriors won 36-20 on their way to the grand final.
Wade McKinnon is expected to return as fullback on Saturday.
Todd Byrne was an able stand-by against the Titans. He and opposite Preston Campbell secured the high balls when under pressure.
Wing replacement Patrick Ah Van was generally solid, though he rushed to a couple of errors.
But the Warriors' depth looks good and they will again have a full squad of 25 to choose from this week.
Heavy defence that set the tone for the Warriors early - gang-tackles, good kick-chase and a solid defensive line.
It was halfback Grant Rovelli who shredded the Titans and he finished with three tries.
Titans coach John Cartwright said the fast start from the Warriors beat his team.
"Mentally, it's very hard to recover from that," he said.
"Apart from that period I didn't think there was a lot in the game, but they scored some really good creative tries and they do that to sides - they score back-to-back tries.
"It was a bit slippery and greasy and it got a bit scrappy, it wasn't a free-flowing game, but they still came up with their five tries.
"That is the sign of a good team," he said.
Warriors coach Ivan Cleary said Rovelli's speed and support play gave another attacking dimension. "It is a huge part of what we do."
So was Price's ground gain - as usual, his 208m was the Warriors' best.
There are other constants in the Warriors' game too - Micheal Luck's 44 tackles, Ruben Wiki's ground-gain and tackle count, and Simon Mannering's line breaks.
* The Auckland Lions are making a late streak for the premier league playoffs, beating top side the Bulldogs 27-26 in the curtainraiser on Saturday.
The Dogs started with a flash and were up 12-0 after 10 minutes but the home team came back and it was 14-18 at halftime.
It was 26-all in the last minutes, until Hohaia slotted a 40m field goal to give the Lions their fourth consecutive victory. They are now one point outside the top eight.
The run home
Melbourne (1st, 38pts): Eels (h), Bulldogs (a), Titans (h)
Manly (2nd, 36): Rabbitohs (a), Warriors (a), Dragons (h)
Eels (3rd, 26): Storm (a), Dragons (a), Broncos (h)
Warriors (4th, 25): Raiders (a), Sea Eagles (h), Panthers (a)
Bulldogs (5th, 24): Broncos (a), Storm (h), Cowboys (a)
Cowboys (6th, 24): Panthers (a), Dragons (h), Knights (a), Bulldogs (h)
Broncos (7th, 22): Bulldogs (h) Raiders (h), Eels (a)
Wests Tigers (8th, 22): Sharks (a), Rabbitohs (h), Knights (h)
Rabbitohs (9th, 22): Sea Eagles (h), Tigers (a), Roosters (h)
Roosters (10th, 21): Titans (a), Panthers (h), Rabbitohs (a)
Gold Coast (11th, 20): Roosters (h), Sharks (a), Storm (a)
