Credit / nrl.com-Sky Sports
Warriors 16
Knights 24
"We try to make it as hard as we can," a frustrated coach Nathan Brown said after the Warriors went down to the Knights 24-16 on Saturday evening in Redcliffe, for their fourth straight loss and sixth loss in seven games.
"Some of the boys were working their socks off, some of the blokes were playing their best ever footie - and then we just hand it back over," Brown told media after the game, saying the Warriors "invited" the Knights back into the game through basic mistakes such as kicking out on the full and not catching a kick-off.
"We didn't win the game because we handed it back over on two occasions," Brown said.
"Our kicking game let us down pretty good, which hasn't been the case. The boys have been kicking the ball pretty well."
Brown said the Warriors are making it too easy for opponents by failing to get the basics right.
"They're a team a bit down too like us. When you're trying to get going and trying to become a good team, making it very easy for the opposition is not the idea of it."
"We don't get 15 or 17 blokes on the one day (playing well). We always have a few blokes that are having a turn of making it a little difficult for us and we're not at the stage as a team where we can carry too many blokes."
After four losses on the trot, Brown was asked to assess the health of the club.
"There's probably three ways I'd look at it. We're a club that's had I think only one finals game in 11 years, so obviously you're trying to do some things that help the club get better.
"I think our younger players are improving. If you look at Reece Walsh, he's a much better player than he was last year. Marcelo Montoya, Wade Egan. There are plenty of blokes that are far better players.
"I think our recruitment if you see what's coming next year, we've got some really really good players coming. Experienced players coming, we've got some very very good young players coming. So recruitment is going good.
"But winning games and team synergy is obviously not going well enough. And again, that sits over with me," Brown said, taking responsibility for his team's losing streak.
"We've had a number of times we've sat here with just close losses and us affecting our own performance by not getting some basics right."
Warriors forward Jazz Tevaga possibly summed up the current state of the Warriors best, simply telling Sky Sports after the game, “We've got more jerseys than trophies.”
NZ Warriors 16 (Adam Pompey, Viliami Vailea, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak tries; Reece Walsh con, pen). Newcastle Knights 24 (Enari Tuala 2, Tyson Frizell, Edrick Lee tries; Jake Clifford 4 cons). HT: 12-12