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Stacey Jones' call to arms ahead of Warriors' Finals showdown
Reuben Wickstead • September 11th, 2025 2:20 pm
Stacey Jones | Photo: Photosport
There’s no more room for error as the Warriors gear up for their NRL Finals meeting on Saturday night against the defending champion Penrith Panthers.
After a record breaking start to the season, the Warriors have limped to a sixth place finish after a narrow loss to Manly in the final regular season game, doing just about enough to secure homefield advantage for the weekend’s matchup.
Warrior’s assistant coach Stacey Jones says the team were their own worst enemy in the last outing and will need to do better if they are to put an end to the Penrith dynasty.
“Yes, it was close in the end, but there were just a lot of errors in the game,” he told Sport Nation’s Millsy and Guy.
“Manly played their style of footy where they moved the ball and gave us plenty of opportunities, but we just couldn't capitalise on it.
“We've got to be a lot better than what we were on the weekend.”
Despite losing to a resurgent Panthers side during the regular season 28-18, Jones knows the prospect of finals footy is a different kettle of fish entirely.
“The game goes to another level now,” said Jones, reflecting on his own experience playing in the finals.
“Those little things are the ones that become really important and us being at home is a big advantage, we've got to capitalise on that.”
The home support at Mt Smart will need to be in full voice, with the rest of the nation’s attention being split between the All Blacks game set to kick off around the start of the second half.
“It is disappointing for our fans, for everyone,” says the former halfback.
“You would think that they could try and cater for everyone, but yeah, we know we've got a job to do.”
But that job will be made harder thanks to the omission of Rocco Berry, who will undergo surgery on his shoulder after extending his horrible injury run against the Sea Eagles.
Berry joins the likes of Luke Metcalf and Mitch Barnett on the growing list of players unavailable for the Panthers clash.
But Jones and the rest of the camp remain optimistic, especially thanks to the crucial insights of former Penrith men Andrew Webster and James Fisher-Harris in the Warriors camp.
“They don't have a lot of weaknesses, but we've got to try and expose them, and to have Fish and Weby's knowledge for this group is very valuable,” he told Sport Nation.
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