The team cheered this week when Micheal Luck was named in the side to face Cronulla in Sydney but they are likely to let out an even bigger one if they can topple the Sharks on Saturday night.
Luck, who is one of the most likeable players in the Warriors, has been absent since last year's grand final with hand and shoulder injuries but has been cleared to play this weekend in what will be his last season before he retires.
He will add some much-needed steel and experience to a Warriors outfit who have been consistently inconsistent in 2012. Every time they seem to take a step forward, they follow it up with one back.
They have won consecutive games only once this season to register six wins and seven defeats but showed good signs in their 30-16 defeat of Penrith in Sydney on Monday night. The challenge tomorrow is to back it up, especially with the bye the following weekend.
"We feel we are heading in the right direction," coach Brian McClennan said today. "We have started well in the last three games and that wasn't the case earlier in the year. We still aren't consistent but we are improving.
"This is a really big test because we have to back up [from the Penrith game] so quickly and we are playing a Sharks side that works hard for each other. I think this weekend will be a good indicator of how we are going this season."
The Warriors have been slow starters in recent seasons before finding some form in the middle of the campaign that has helped them into the playoffs in four of the last five years.
They sit in ninth two points outside the eight and will need another run if they are to come close to replicating what they achieved under former coach Ivan Cleary in 2011.
"We have been a bit wobbly at times but hopefully we have got all that behind us and we can build some consistency," prop Jacob Lillyman said. "Consistency has been an issue for us. I think we have improved. Our attitudes are a lot better - you can see it at training. The boys are a lot more switched on. Now we can get on a bit of a run and, if we can do that, it will be crucial to get us in a good spot at the end of the year.
"This one [against the Sharks] is massive. Coming into the bye, it can be termed a four-point game. Momentum is very crucial at this time of the year so we are certainly very keen to get the win."
McClennan will rely on utility Lewis Brown to slot into the problematic hooking role - Nathan Friend (broken jaw) and Alehana Mara (broken leg) are both injured - and has said he will also use Elijah Taylor at dummy half. But Pita Godinet has travelled with the squad and could come into the playing 17 at the expense of someone like Steve Rapira.
Manu Vatuvei and Konrad Hurrell missed training earlier in the week and are likely to undergo fitness tests tomorrow morning as they recover from the rugged match with the Panthers.
The Sharks have concerns of their own with skipper Paul Gallen a major doubt with a knee injury that flared up again in NSW's 16-12 important defeat of Queensland in the second State of Origin match on Wednesday night but welcome back influential NSW halfback Todd Carney.
Warriors: Kevin Locke, Bill Tupou, Ben Henry, Konrad Hurrell, Manu Vatuvei, James Maloney, Shaun Johnson, Sione Lousi, Lewis Brown, Ben Matulino, Elijah Taylor, Simon Mannering (c), Feleti Mateo. Interchange (one to be omitted): Russell Packer, Steve Rapira, Micheal Luck, Jacob Lillyman, Pita Godinet.
Matthew Wright, Isaac Gordon, Ben Pomeroy, Colin Best, Nathan Stapleton, Todd Carney, Jeff Robson, Bryce Gibbs, Isaac De Gois, Ben Ross, Jeremy Smith, Jayson Bukuya, Paul Gallen (c). Interchange (two to be omitted): Andrew Fifita, Wade Graham, John Morris, Mark Taufua, Sam Tagataese, Chad Townsend.
