The Warriors are still clinging to their ultra-slim NRL playoff chances but coach Brian McClennan is more anxious that they quickly restore lost pride.
The 45-4 home humiliation at the hands of rampant Cronulla on Sunday was the Warriors' fourth straight defeat and seventh in 10 games.
They drop to 13th and while still just two points behind the eighth-placed Gold Coast with four games remaining, the gap to the top eight could become four points if the Wests Tigers beat Parramatta on Monday.
"It's as difficult as it can be," McClennan said.
"There's still an outside chance if we win four so it's not over completely."
Those hopes will disappear if there is any repeat of the weak, unstructured display that allowed Todd Carney to control the match and rack up 25 points, playing a big hand in their seven tries and landing 17 points with the boot.
Injuries to James Maloney (knee) and Ben Matulino (chest) meant they missed chunks of the game but McClennan wasn't seeking excuses.
"That out there today, that's not what we're a part of.
"Right from the get-go, defensively we were too passive.
"We never had control of the ruck. Cronulla were able to play at the speed that they wanted to play at and they picked us apart."
McClennan wants a quick reversal against North Queensland in Townsville on Saturday.
That match may mark the return of inspirational former Cowboy Micheal Luck but McClennan isn't confident about playmaker Maloney and fearsome prop Matulino.
There's better news for Cronulla, who embraced the return from injury of class acts Carney and Paul Gallen while coach Shane Flanagan said it was possible Wade Graham, Bryce Gibbs and Ben Pomeroy could all be back to face Newcastle on Monday next week.
"It's been a tough month but there's light at the end of the tunnel for us," Flanagan said.
Gallen pronounced himself happy with his return and voiced surprise with the hammering dished out.
"We had an opportunity to put points on them and we did," Gallen said.
"It's easy to play against a team that's weakened and fall into the trap of going down to their level.
"I didn't think we were going to run through them like that."
NZN
