There is no place for complacency in the NRL.
That's the lesson the Warriors have learnt from a humbling loss at the hands of the Wests Tigers.
The 34-6 thrashing was a wakeup call for a side that had scored a 34-point win against the Canterbury Bulldogs in week one.
Coach Stephen Kearney questioned a number of his players immediately following Sunday's capitulation at Campbelltown Stadium, wondering out loud if some had taken their opposition lightly.
Experienced Warriors forward Adam Blair acknowledged on Wednesday they took their eye off the ball against the Tigers - a cardinal sin in such a competitive competition.
"Sub-consciously yeah I think we did a little bit," Blair said.
"If you don't turn up with the right mind-set then anyone can beat anyone on their day.
"A few of us may have thought it would be a slightly easier game given we came off such a comprehensive result against the [Bulldogs].
"It's a great lesson for the group, a great lesson for our leaders like myself to be able to make sure that everyone is on the same page.
"This is a tough competition and you have to be ready to play a trough game every week."
Very few positives came out of such a hefty loss, but given it's early in the campaign, the Warriors can put the performance and preparation down to a lesson learned.
Blair said getting that harsh reality check sooner than later will benefit the side moving forward, which begins with the Manly Sea Eagles in Christchurch on Saturday.
"We were able to reflect on the learnings that we learnt from that game and understand what everyone was thinking heading into that game," he said.
"This week is about focusing on us. Making sure we are in the right frame of mind to go out there and perform at our best.
"If we get caught up in the fact that Manly have lost their first two games then you can get caught with that false impression that you just need to turn up and play good to get a result.
"It's not about Manly it's about us this week and make sure we are prepared for a tough game."
The fixture presents an emotional occasion with AMI Stadium hosting its first sporting event since the Christchurch Mosque attacks two weeks ago.
Although it's a Manly home game by name, the reality is the city will be behind the Warriors.
Hometown boy Jazz Tevaga holds a heavy heart for the victims and families of the terrorist act, but hopes the NRL clash will bring together the community to celebrate sport and take their minds off the horror that occurred in their city.
"It's always special going home to Christchurch - go back home and play in front of my mum," Tevaga said.
"It's going to be emotional given what Christchurch has been through the last few weeks, so it will be good to put on a show for them.
"It's sombre down there but this is a good opportunity for us to put some smiles on people's faces."
Manly are winless through two games while the 1-1 Warriors are sitting just inside the top eight.
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