Addressing short but costly lapses in concentration has become the Warriors' main concern ahead of hosting the Parramatta Eels this Sunday, as they search for their third win of the season.
In four of their five Telstra Premiership games this year the Kiwi side have suffered a 15-minute period where they have leaked at least two tries, highlighting a struggle to maintain focus off the ball.
It happened on two separate occasions again in last Sunday's 28-22 victory over the Gold Coast Titans, with the Warriors giving up two tries between the 10th and 15th minutes and a further two between minutes 31 and 34, prompting coach Stephen Kearney to address the issue this week.
"I thought there was a period there in the first half [last week] where we probably got a little bit flustered and shell shocked [and] there was a couple of tries that the Titans scored," Kearney said.
"We probably just missed our mark on a couple of occasions… for us it's just about making sure the detail in our defensive work is spot on because the side we are playing this week have got some real strike in their team.
"We need to make sure that we have improved that area.
"I thought the way the guys responded [last weekend], particularly in the second half, it was positive."
Across the board the Warriors have surprisingly been among the competition's best in terms of tackle technique so far in 2017, and head into Round 6 sitting third in the NRL in terms of the fewest missed and ineffective tackles.
That comes despite the club having conceded the fourth-most points, with prop Jacob Lillyman telling NRL.com their periods of poor defence started with a lack of attention in the wrestle and a subsequent inability to control the speed of play.
"On the weekend I think it was lapses in concentration, there were a couple of instances there where that is basically all you can put it down to," Lillyman told NRL.com.
"There was a period there where the Titans started to play a bit fast, we were letting them do it.
"They were shifting and moving the ball a bit and we got loose in the tackles. We need to rectify that on the run and get back to being tight and I guess not allow that ruck speed to get out of control."
Meanwhile the Warriors remain optimistic about the chances of second-rower Bodene Thompson taking the field this Sunday at Mount Smart Stadium, after he sat out the whole second half of last week's match due to Achilles tendonitis.
On Wednesday Thompson, along with Kieran Foran and Shaun Johnson, was restricted to reduced training drills, although all three appeared to be moving comfortably.
