Two losses in the past fortnight has seen the Warriors slide out of the top eight and along with the Broncos and Dragons, sit on 26 competition points, their season hanging by a thread.

Having known results from last round heading into their game against the Roosters, the Warriors would’ve been fully aware of what a significant bearing the result of the game would have on their position on the ladder.

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With that in mind, their 46 – 12 loss can only be described as nothing by disappointing.

With a woeful 50 missed tackles (nrl.com) for the match, it was no surprise that the Roosters were able to run in eight tries.

It means the only two wins the Warriors have posted in their past six games have been over the struggling Raiders and Sharks outfits.

The Warriors should be able to bounce back with the battered Gold Coast Titans paying them a visit this weekend but with the Panthers at Sportingbet Stadium their final match of the season, the damage may have already been done.

Dominique Peyroux will team up in the centres with Konrad Hurrell while Sam Rapira comes onto the bench for Feleti Mateo who is has been left out of the squad.

TITANS

The Titans, who were already heading into last week’s clash against the Dragons minus Albert Kelly, David Taylor and David Mead, received more bad news in the lead up to the match with Nate Myles (injured) and Luke Douglas (ASADA suspension) being withdrawn.

The number of missing starters was still no excuse according to Coach Neil Henry for there poor effort 34 – 6 loss, an effort Henry labelled the “not a first grade performance”.

The Dragons took full advantage of the Titans’ poor completion rate (58%) and 46 missed tackles and posted six tries to one.

It was the Titans fifth loss on the trot and their twelfth in fourteen games since round 8.

With that kind of record, coming of that kind of performance, it’s hard to see the Titans turning it around in time for the trip to New Zealand.

David Mead comes on to an extended bench but in otherwise unchanged side from last week.

HEAD TO HEAD

The Warriors have won each of the seven games played between the two clubs since 2011 during which time they’ve averaged 26.7 points per game.

Earlier this year they defeated the Titans at their home-ground 24 – 16 (round 11) and it’s fair to say the Titans form since then has been in free-fall, with only two victories from eleven matches.

The Warriors may have missed the finals boat with two losses in the past fortnight but a win here could still see them head to Penrith in the final round with some slim hope of being involved in the finals.

That possibility coupled with the Titans poor form, should see the Warriors continue their dominance over the Gold Coast side and win well here.

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Teams:

WARRIORS:  Sam Tomkins, Ngani Laumape, Konrad Hurrell, Dominique Peyroux, Manu Vatuvei, Thomas Leuluai, Shaun Johnson, Jacob Lillyman, Nathan Friend, Ben Matulino, Ben Henry, Simon Mannering (c), Sione Lousi.
Interchange: Sam Rapira, Sebastine Ikahihifo, Jayson Bukuya, John Palavi.

TITANS:  William Zillman, Kalifa Faifai Loa, James Roberts, Brad Takairangi, Anthony Don, Aidan Sezer, Daniel Mortimer, Luke Bailey, Beau Falloon, Matthew White, Mark Minichiello, Paul Carter, Greg Bird.
Interchange: Mark Ioane, Cody Nelson, Tom Kingston, Maurice Blair, David Mead (one to be omitted).