I applaud the Warriors for picking up two points last night against the Dragons. Applauding the points. That’s about it.   

Sure, there were meritorious efforts from some individuals, some masculine grind was shown, but the effort was marred by sloppy mistakes, terrifying concentration lapses, and an inability to put away a team reduced in numbers through HIA protocols.   

If I was being a stern father, I’d say the Warriors didn’t win that, the Dragons lost it.  

But the rot has been temporarily stopped. But does rot, like rust, ever sleep?  

Herald league scribe Michael Burgess used the term winning ugly, apt, because two points is two points, regardless of the manner in which they were collected.   

The much celebrated, indeed required, top four spot is theirs, with three teams well outside of the eight to come, destiny is in their own hands. The question is what has this team retrieved from their calamitous last few weeks which dragged their confidence through the mud and severely tested their depth across numerous positions? To reach deep into the uncomfortable reality of an elongated results skid, and sit with the pain, will be instrumental in their next three matches.   

They have shown just enough to suggest that they can keep the barbarians from the gate and hit the finals ground running with flames licking at their feet, but those flames may well burn them beyond recognition if they stumble in their dash to the end.  

Like most Warriors seasons —or games— the fans will be tortured with possibilities to the last.  

There is no such thing as a comfortable game in Warriors-land, this reality won’t cease.  

As the Mad Butcher titled his book: What a Ride, Mate!  

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