"It's not over yet": Warriors refuse to let go of NRL Finals hopes despite brutal defeat to lowly Eels

The footsteps of the NZ Warriors faithful spoke volumes on Friday night, streaming their way forlornly to the exits with 15 minutes left on the clock, carrying their beloved team's NRL Finals hopes out the door with them.

In a season littered with inexplicable losses, this one was among the worst - a 30-20 defeat to the lowly Eels, who were mired second bottom of the table and entered the match on a six-game losing streak without their best player, injured half Mitchell Moses.

The result carried all the worst hallmarks of the Warriors' abysmal 2024 campaign. The inability to convert field position to points, indiscipline, errors an ineffective kicking game, and the resulting absence of any sense of generalship about the field.

After weeks of must-win matches and mathematical calculations, the result essentially drives the final nail in the coffin of a hugely disappointing season, bursting the bubble of their resurgent 2023 run to the preliminary finals and the resulting hope that came with it.

Despite their dire predicament, coach Andrew Webster is clinging to that faint glimmer of hope.

"It doesn't make it any easier but we're not giving up," Webster said after the game.

"Four games, four wins. We'll see what happens. I still think if we win four games, we can get there.

"We haven't made it easy on ourselves but we're not giving up. It's not over yet."

Their final run of four games to the finish line begins against the Dolphins in Redcliffe next Sunday afternoon. That's followed by the Sea Eagles, Bulldogs, then Sharks. All of those teams are currently top eight sides.

The Warriors fans have shown up in droves on Friday, and the fact that they'll play their final inconsequential sold-out game against the Bulldogs to complete that historic sweep - despite their position on the ladder - exemplifies that unwavering loyalty.

Even as Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Marata Niukore, and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak ran in a trio of late consolation tries, they cheered with the same vigour as if they'd taken an early first-half advantage. The Warriors came home the stronger side, but it was all academic by that stage.

With their finals ambitions long gone, the Eels entered the match with nothing to lose, and played accordingly. Former Warrior Daejarn Asi returned to haunt his former side with a superb night on his old turf, outplaying his vaunted opposite Shaun Johnson, who showed the effects of his six-week layoff.

The visitors claimed the first lead through Jake Tago's diving effort in the corner, doubling their lead when Joey Lussick scooted out of dummy half to earn bragging rights over his younger brother Freddy.

Roger Tuivasa-Sheck sailed in out wide to put the Warriors on the board in the 30th minute. But Asi hit a superb angle from 30m out in an instant Eels response, and when Johnson's penalty with time expired sprayed wide from handy position to send them into the sheds down 18-4, you had the sense this may not be the hosts' night.

They had to be the first to score in the second half to keep the contest alive, but instead the makeshift Eels produced the more clinical rugby league and got the reward. Teen Blaize Talagi dotted down, closely followed by another line break and try from Clint Gutherson to put the Eels ahead 30-4 with 20 minutes to play.

The Warriors showed some pride to rally late, but it was never going to be enough to avoid their 11th defeat of the year, nor the likely fatal blow it's dealt to their post-season ambitions.

Listen to match highlights below: