Michael Burgess: Next month could define Warriors' season

The next month could define the Warriors' season. Even after all they have achieved this year — with their best start and a couple of spellbinding victories — it's only the beginning.

Six wins at this stage of the season is the stuff of dreams for most fans, but the NRL season is unforgiving and if they don't get things right throughout May, it could unravel.

That's because the Warriors have a brutal schedule in June and July. The Origin period has typically been a time of harvest for the Warriors, but it might be different this year. They have only two home matches during that period, against the Sharks (round 16) and Storm (round 19).

During that time, they've got trips to Townsville, Brisbane, Penrith and the Gold Coast. There is also a game in Christchurch against traditional bogey team, Manly, and they have to manage the international window in late June, when their Kiwi representatives face a whistlestop trip to Denver and they will also lose players to Tonga and Samoa.

That's why the next four rounds, up to the halfway point in the season, are so crucial.

If the NRL season is a marathon — as Warriors coach Stephen Kearney likes to point out — then at least the Warriors are among the pacesetters.

Usually by this stage of the race, the Warriors have tripped a couple of times, had an unscheduled toilet stop, taken a wrong turn and needed medical attention. That would leave them with the stragglers at the back. There was usually a mid-race surge, before they hit the wall with still a quarter of the race to go.

Now, they have a foundation, with 12 points and plenty of belief in the bank. But it needs to be maintained, and May is the time to make hay. Over the next month, they face the Tigers, Roosters and Rabbitohs at Mt Smart, and Parramatta in Sydney.

None will be easy. The Tigers have been one of surprise packets of this year, including two wins over Melbourne, the Roosters have the most impressive roster in the competition, the Rabbitohs have bounced back from a miserable 2017 season and the Eels showed signs of a revival last week after their dreadful start.

But if the Warriors can gain two or three victories, they will be well placed to make a run at September football.

That would take the pressure off during the second half of the season and mean that a 50 per cent win record would be enough to make the top eight. It might also be enough to finish in the top four, earning a double life, which has to be the primary goal at Mt Smart HQ after their blistering start to the season.