Rugby league: New Zealand Warriors face crucial NRL clash against Brisbane Broncos as top eight hopes increase

As the race for the final spots in the NRL top eight continues, so far this week everything is coming up Warriors.

Sitting two points outside of eighth place with three rounds to play, the Kiwi outfit are one of seven teams set to battle for the final two spots in the NRL playoffs. But with the Canberra Raiders and Gold Coast Titans - both two points ahead of the Warriors – losing their games this weekend, the door is open for the Warriors to improve their claim.

The Warriors will meet the 15th-placed Brisbane Broncos at Suncorp Stadium tonight, before finishing the season with matches against the Raiders and Titans. With neither team picking up points this weekend, should the Warriors get past the constantly improving Broncos, they will end the weekend tied on points with the team in eighth, and in for two massive weeks.

"I think it's something you've got to tap in to," Warriors winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak said of the competitive run home.

"For me, it gives me that little bit extra knowing we're a chance to make the finals. I'm always glass half full so any time we have a chance, I'll take that."

Dallin Watene-Zelezniak. Photo / Photosport

The Warriors have struck a vein of form at the right time of the season, having won three games on the trot after losing their previous seven.

With the inconsistent nature of many teams in the NRL this year, that long lapse did not completely end the Warriors' playoff hopes and now they come into the final few outings playing with confidence.

"You could say we're on a little bit of a roll," Watene-Zelezniak said. "But, then again, you can't get complacent and just have to continue with our job. Those weeks are done and dusted, and we have a new job this week."

While the Broncos are out of the running for a spot in the playoffs, they have shown plenty of improvement over recent weeks and were unlucky not to beat the high-flying Sydney Roosters last weekend, going down by just one point, and are set up as a potential bump in the road for the playoff-hopeful Warriors, Cronulla Sharks and Newcastle Knights in coming weeks.

"There's no easy games in the league these days. If you don't turn up to play the game, you could shoot yourself in the foot," noted Watene-Zelezniak. "So, that's a big one against the Broncos."