How the Warriors can still be minor premiers

By Cameron McMillan

Warriors fans are used to hearing the term “there’s a mathematical chance” in the final few weeks of the NRL season, as in more recent history the side have been fighting just to make the top eight and play finals football.

However, Andrew Webster’s side are in a much more comfortable position ahead of tonight’s penultimate game of the regular season against the St George Illawarra Dragons - sitting in third spot with a playoff game already confirmed.

But that doesn’t mean Warriors fans can’t still dream higher. Following the Panthers’ shock 32-18 defeat to the Eels last night, the door is slightly ajar for the Warriors to claim their second-ever minor premiership.

The only time the Warriors topped the NRL regular season was in 2002 when they reached their maiden grand final, before going down to the Roosters 30-8 in Sydney.

Daniel Anderson’s team never sat on top until the final day and needed a massive points deduction for the salary-breaching Bulldogs in round 24 and a final round defeat for the Knights to finish first and lift the J. J. Giltinan Shield.

They’ll need a similar miracle for it to happen again. But up until fulltime tonight, it’s still in play.

How the Warriors can finish top in five easy (on paper) steps.

1) Beat the Dragons by 55 points

The Warriors’ biggest-ever win over the Dragons was 44-16 in 2007. Add inflation and that’s around a 54-point win in 2023. That Warriors team finished fourth, and the current Warriors team are third. So they should really be expecting a bigger win. Let’s pencil it in.

2) Raiders beat the Broncos on Saturday

Doesn’t need to be a big win. Just a win. And guess what? The Raiders already beat the Broncos this year, in round 6, 20-14 in Brisbane.

3) Storm beat the Broncos next Thursday

A quick turnaround for the Broncos against a Storm team who beat them in round 11. Makes too much sense they’ll lose again.

4) Warriors beat the Dolphins by 55 points

The Dolphins will be preparing for their first-ever Mad Monday. No way they’ll be up for this game. The Warriors already beat them 30-8 in round 14 with 24 of those points coming in the final 25 minutes. Play at that pace for the full 80 and they’re way over the asking figure.

5) Cowboys beat the Panthers by 56 points

The Cowboys will have all to play for - a top eight spot. And they have already beaten the Panthers this year! In a golden point thriller. What are the Panthers playing for? They won the Minor Premiership last year and that J. J. Giltinan Shield takes up way too much room in the trophy cabinet anyway. Want more evidence? The two sides met in the final round last year, when the Panthers were also sitting first, and the Cowboys cruised to a 38-8 win.

Result: That would mean the Warriors (points differential 246), Panthers (245) and Broncos (213 max) would all finish in 40 points with points difference giving the Warriors the edge.

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission