A finals football mentality has again descended early on the New Zealand Warriors, down in 12th spot on the National Rugby League ladder at the mid-point of the season.
After just two wins in their past 10 matches, the Warriors, who host Newcastle tomorrow night, know they need to get their campaign back on track quickly.
"It feels like a grand final," coach Ivan Cleary said of the Knights' visit to Auckland.
"It's really important and it's a home game, and the boys are just desperate to get out there and play well."
The Warriors haven't had much time to catch breath after their 18-10 defeat to then bottom-of-the-table Cronulla last Sunday, but Cleary could see benefits in the scheduling.
He said the result against the Sharks, who led 18-0 after just half an hour, was disappointing, but not the effort his players put in at Toyota Stadium.
"By the end of the game, they were out on their feet and when you see them like that, and how hurt they were in the sheds, everyone is disappointed," he said.
"But you get another chance and it's a quick turnaround, which is probably good for us at the moment. The guys are just raring to get out back out there." The Warriors' present predicament isn't a new experience for them.
When they made the playoffs in 2007 and last year, they needed a big run home both times.
In 2007, nine wins and a draw in their last 12 games got them at high as the top four. Last year, they scraped in with eight wins in their last 10.
Cleary said history did provide some confidence that the club could do it again this season.
"But it's not really something we're thinking about, to be honest," he said.
"We're thinking about making sure we give ourselves the best chance to win. It's all about momentum, whether it's during a game or during a season, and that's what we have to try and start."
Cleary has made five personnel changes to his starting 13, only one of them injury-related, with five-eighth Joel Moon being stood down after being concussed against the Sharks. "It's just that sort of time," he said.
"A little tinker here and there may be enough to help us through."
Among the changes is the return of hooker Ian Henderson, who has missed the past two matches while on bereavement leave after the death of his father.
Henderson had a hit-out with the Auckland Vulcans last weekend, playing the full 80 minutes of their New South Wales Cup match against Cronulla.
His aim was to bring some enthusiasm against the Knights, and he agreed the Warriors might have been a little too conservative on attack in recent weeks.
"We've maybe gone into our shells a little bit and got worried about making errors and pushing things," he said.
"This week, we just want to encourage players to use the ball a bit more and do what we're good at. We have a lot of skill in the team and we want to use it."
Eighth-placed Newcastle are also looking to bounce back after suffering their first home loss of the season last Sunday, when they were pipped by Parramatta 20-18.
In April, the Knights held off a late comeback by the Warriors at EnergyAustralia Stadium to win 24-22.
Missing from that match through injury were Warriors Steve Price, Manu Vatuvei and Lance Hohaia, who will all be in action this time around.
