The Warriors are as close to a Grand Final as they’ve been in the last decade-plus, but there's still one rather significant obstacle in their way – one more commonly known as the Brisbane Broncos.
The Queenslanders – who may have won the minor premiership had they not rested their best players in the final week of the regular season – have arguably been the team to beat all season.
The Broncos are genuinely stacked across the park, but it's their halves tandem of Reece Walsh and Adam Reynolds that has provided the fulcrum for the team's success.
It's a fact not lost on head coach Andrew Webster, who's at the head of the committee tasked with trying to limit their impact this weekend and pave the way for the Warriors to advance to their first Grand Final since 2011.
The Warriors faced a similar predicament last weekend against Newcastle Knights' linchpin Kalyn Ponga, when their rapid rush defence restricted the half's breathing space, which in turn cut down his options and ultimately put – alongside the Warriors' lightning linespeed - a stranglehold on their chances.
Webster suggests they'll take a similar approach with Walsh this weekend. The ex-Warriors fullback has been a juggernaut all year and if he's able to have that same influence this weekend, then it could be a long evening for the Kiwi-based side.
While he recognises the "extremely talented" Walsh and the threat he presents, Webster identifies one critical factor in their gameplanning against him.
"What we did last week - particularly with Ponga - is we've got respect for them but we've got to defend the way we normally defend and not do something stupid," Webster explained.
"I think it always helps when you bring them off their line, because then you give them less opportunity down your end to show what they can do.
"Reece can obviously hurt you from anywhere on the field but if you give him less opportunities to get up the field – I think that's the biggest part of the plan.
"Instead of coming up with something crazy or different to try and do to him this week we'll stick to what we do well."
Warriors forward Dylan Walker echoes those sentiments, insisting it's simply sticking to what has clearly been working with his team's stellar defence to curtail "pretty boy" Walsh.
"I think when you focus too much on one player, you can take your focus away throughout a whole game plan.
"As good as he is, if we stick to what we do and that's kicking to corners with good linespeed to win those early tackles - you can nullify those sorts of players coming out their own end.
"Someone like Reece Walsh can pop up anywhere and the less opportunity we give him to do so, the more we can lessen his involvement."
Walsh was one of several frontline players absent on State of Origin duty the last – and only – time the two teams squared off this season back in May.
That night in Napier, the Broncos rode their rookies' enthusiasm out to a big early lead, before the Warriors fought back to fall short 26-22 at fulltime.
As he often tends to be, Reyolds was the thorn in the Warriors' side in Hawke's Bay, dictating play with his exceptional kicking game, which he balanced expertly with constantly testing the defensive line, breaking clear to create one memorable try ad having a hand in a pair of others.
Webster is extremely wary of giving Reynolds as much space off the boot this weekend but knows the risks that come with overcompensating for his forte.
"With Reynolds, obviously it's the kicking game," he said. "The drama about creative players like him – if you go after him, he can then create for someone else.
"You've got to be smart there. We've got to stay in our system... the way that we defend and the structured design for guys like him.
"Last time he was really good. He dummied the football really well and took us on last time I thought. His passing and short kicking game were outstanding.
"We've got to stay in our systems but we've got to do that better than we've done all year because he's exceptional at it."
Bookies will tell you the Warriors have slim chance this weekend. Backing up their 26-0 demolition of Melbourne Storm, they'll feel confident they have the goods to justify that favouritism.
Suncorp Stadium is already sold out and although there are sure to be a significant chunk of Warriors faithful among the punters, it's unlikely to resemble the pseudo-home game support they enjoyed against the Dolphins in their final round-robin match earlier this month.
But according to Webster, the Warriors certainly won’t be shying away from being behind enemy lines and plan to embrace the cauldron-like atmosphere.
And while the Broncos have gone up a gear since that night in Napier, the Warriors have arguably shifted up a couple. After that defeat, they embarked on a run of 10 wins in their next 11 games to bolt to a fourth-place finish.
"We're not daunted by it at all. We respect whoever we play and we respect them. We know they're a good side, but we don’t fear them
"I'd say they'd say they've gone and improved. They had Origin during that period, they came out of that really well and a lot of their younger players got some big game experience. You can see they've grown more confidence and they're playing really well.
"They're fast across the track, they've got a mobile pack. They defend really well, they come after you.
"It's what you want. You want a challenge against a really good side. They’ve earnt the right to be where they are and we have to go there and get it done.
"I think they're improved, I think we've improved a lot."
Warriors fever has the nation enraptured and last weekend's marquee day at Mt Smart has given it another shot of steroids. Rather than try to ignore the hype, Webster has encouraged the troops to "ride that wave" into Australia.
"We don’t get too emotional around the occasion, we play our game and we make sure we do it our way. But you'd be mad not to excited about the occasion."
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