The Warriors’ NRL results of the past three weeks made the sacking of coach Brian McClennan “inevitable”, chief executive Wayne Scurrah says.

The Warriors are on a six-match losing streak, a run that has dropped last year’s grand finalists to 13th on the table.

Scurrah cited the two heavy defeats to Cronulla and North Queensland, and then the 18-16 loss to fellow strugglers Penrith on Sunday as the tipping point.

He accepted that winning in Townsville, something the Warriors haven’t done in a decade, is “a hard ask at the best of times”, but the 52-12 defeat two rounds ago went beyond that.

“The nature of the loss and then what some people were touting as the wooden-spoon battle this weekend – and to lose that game at home – it really made where we are today inevitable,” Scurrah said.

McClennan, who succeeded Penrith-bound Ivan Cleary, was in the first year of a two-year contract, having had success with the Kiwis and Super League club Leeds.

But after 14 defeats and just eight wins, he hands over to assistant coach Tony Iro, who will take charge for the Warriors’ last two matches.

Scurrah hoped a permanent appointment could be made at least a month before pre-season training starts in November.

He said the board reached a decision about what it thought was best for the club and contacted McClennan on Monday night.

“Brian knew that we were short on confidence and we needed to make some changes,” he said.

“We explained our position and we easily reached mutual agreement. There certainly was no throwing out of the toys.”

McClennan’s introduction to the NRL was made tougher by injuries to senior players and having a large contingent of youngsters in his squad.

He said he began feeling some pressure after two earlier defeats in the present streak – against Newcastle and Manly, when the Warriors twice conceded 18-point leads.

He took responsibility for how the season had gone for the Warriors, adding: “I can understand the club’s perspective”.

He said he put his heart and soul into the job and didn’t believe that his own lack of NRL experience counted against him.

“I know my game – I know my footy,” he said.

“It’s just the timing was not right this year.”

The announcement of his departure comes a day after he was still planning for next season, with talk of former Parramatta coach Stephen Kearney being added to the coaching staff.

McClennan said he was part of the proposal to bring Kearney in as a second assistant working as defence coordinator, had he stayed on as head coach.