Warriors captain Tohu Harris hopes the gritty 22-2 homecoming victory over the Wests Tigers can become a template for the remainder of the season – and beyond.
In front of an expectant and emotional crowd, it was a solid performance, as they ground down the Sydney team inthe first half then defended strongly to maintain their advantage.
No one associated with the Warriors is getting carried away – nor should they, after one win over another struggling club – but Sunday gave a glimpse of hope for the future.
It is too late to make the finals, with a 5-11 record, but not too late to salvage something from the season and engender some positivity around the franchise.
"It's a performance we need to build on the back of," said Harris. "We've had a tough run over the past couple of months but we wanted to wipe the slate clean and start fresh today.
"We did a good job of that and it is something we can't go backwards now; we have to build off the back of it. We have shown we can put the effort in for each other so there is no excuses going forward."
Coach Stacey Jones agreed, saying the past week had been about "re-setting and starting afresh" and the result capped things off.
Jones cut a content and relieved figure. Thrown in the deep end with Nathan Brown's sudden exit, the past few days had been a big test, to harness the emotion of the return and ensure a strong performance.
"I'm very happy compared to the previous few weeks," said Jones. "It's been a great week coming home, the excitement around the game and the players feeling like they are really at home."
Tohu Harris of the Warriors celebrates his try on Sunday. Photosport
It had been a special week, right from when "eight or nine" players turned up on Monday, ahead of the team's official assembly the following day.
"Tohu was one of them and boys that played in the test match," said Jones. "They gave the energy straight away and then the rest of the boys come in the next day and you felt it."
Both Jones and Harris were blown away by the atmosphere generated from the 26,009 crowd, with the energy, noise and passion cascading down from the grandstands.
Jones said it was "right up there" with anything he had experienced in his long Mt Smart playing career while Harris agreed it gave an immeasurable lift.
"It was unreal," said Harris. "The noise that the crowd was making and the surreal feeling of being back at home, replicating the first run out in 1995.
"We've had a lot of good support away from here throughout the last three years but there is nothing like having the support here. It was unquestioned here, every single person following us, supporting us. It gave us a lot of energy."
Sunday was a controlled performance. The Tigers might be a limited team, but the Warriors barely gave them a look in in the first half, as they monopolised possession and built pressure, with a tidy kicking game from Shaun Johnson.
Tries to Tohu Harris and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak eventually offered some reward for their dominance (14-2 at halftime) before a tighter second half.
"We defended really well, we controlled the ruck but we built the pressure with our yardage sets," said Jones. "We weren't flash, but we got down their end of the footy field and Shaun's kicking game was exceptional."
There was also a determination not to yield, as they repelled several Tigers raids in the second half.
"They worked really hard for each other," said Jones. "The Tigers threw a bit at us but every time someone had the ball there was pressure on that player."
The coach reserved special praise for makeshift fullback Chanel Harris-Tavita, after Reece Walsh was a late Covid withdrawal.
In only his second NRL game at the back the 23-year-old was assured and confident and fed off the intensity from the crowd.
"He was outstanding," said Jones. "His work, his effort and under the high ball, he was really good.
"It was perfect for Chanel to come home and play in front of his family and friends. He is one of our pathways players and for him to do that [on Sunday] was real special."
Harris was the pick of the forwards (137 running metres and 37 tackles) with Addin Fonua-Blake and Euan Aitken other pack standouts, while wings Marcelo Montoya and Watene-Zelezniak offered a good platform coming out of their own territory.
The Warriors have a bye this week before they face the Eels on Friday 15th July, followed by a round 19 trip to Canberra.
