NZ Warriors interim coach Todd Payten has continued to downplay talk of his side making the NRL playoffs, saying they face their biggest test of the season next weekend against the Parramatta Eels.
The Warriors' dominant 36-6 win over the Newcastle Knights in their adopted home of Tamworth on Saturday saw them jump to ninth on the NRL ladder, and they sit four points behind the eighth-placed Cronulla Sharks, who they face in a fortnight.
With four games to go, the Warriors need to keep winning and results to go their way, but with four wins in their last five games, Payten's side is one of the in-form teams in the NRL.
The win over Newcastle was the Warriors' biggest of the season, while it was their first against a team inside the top eight - they were 0-8 in that department heading into the match.
But next weekend will be tougher against the Eels, who are currently third on the NRL ladder, although they will be heading into the match low on confidence after they were pumped 38-0 by the South Sydney Rabbitohs on Thursday.
Payten feels his team are improving, but next weekend's game will give him a true gauge of where they are really at.
"I think we're a good team. Confidence is definitely growing like I said they're enjoying themselves. We haven't had that conversation yet [about the finals]. But it's probably going to start. For us, it's pretty simple and is about everyone getting their job done and when that happens we get results like that.
"We play Parramatta next week and that will be our biggest test to see where we really are."
Payten highlighted the team's unity as the reasons for their recent run of form.
"There's a good feeling around the place at the moment - certainly there's some confidence and some belief and that's a pretty lethal combination," he said.
"Everyone's really happy. I see the connection within the group at the moment. All the families are spending a lot of time together. The young ones that don't have any family here are in each other's pockets.
"They're cooking dinner, sharing the load and just spending a lot of time together. And you can see the way that they're playing and the enjoyment they're having."
Payten is unsure if duo George Jennings and Daniel Alvaro will be available to play as the loan duo would be facing their parent club.
"It's still to be finalised, but I know the players themselves are keen to play. We're hopeful."
