A “soft” Warriors squad can expect a torrid pre-season, irrespective of who their new coach will be.

NRL grand finalists a year ago, the Auckland-based club flopped to a 14th place finish this season, their unbroken losing streak reaching a club-record eight matches.

Any hope of sending long-time servant Micheal Luck into retirement on a high foundered on another disappointing effort in Auckland on Sunday.

Up 22-6 at half-time, the home side conceded 36 unanswered points to fall to a 42-22 defeat at the hands of finals-bound Canberra.

Caretaker coach Tony Iro believes the Warriors have the makings of a good footballing outfit.

But for one reason or another, they just haven’t been able to compete for 80 minutes regularly in 2012.

“There’s definitely a soft edge to the side,” he said.

“There’s no hiding from that.”

Asked how that could be turned around, he said: “Usually you just bash some hardness into them.

“I’m pretty sure that, regardless what happens next season, they’re in for a tough pre-season.”

The Warriors are in the hunt for a coach after Brian McClennan was sacked a fortnight ago in just his first season and Iro installed on an interim basis for the last two matches of the season.

Both those matches ended in heavy defeats and Iro said he hadn’t given any thought as to how that might affect his chances of getting the job on a permanent basis.

“Unsure – I haven’t really worried about it,” he said.

“The biggest thing has been trying to get some results for the last two games.”