The Warriors coach Andrew McFadden failed to hide his frustration after his talented, but under-achieving side missed out on a gilt-edged opportunity to make the National Rugby League finals.
Simon Mannering Photo: PHOTOSPORT
With Brisbane losing to Melbourne on Friday and Parramatta going down to Canberra on Saturday, the Warriors' destiny was in their own hands against Penrith on Sunday night.
The Panthers needed to win to book a top-four spot, but a two-point defeat for the Warriors would have been enough to finish above the Broncos on points differential.
But it proved to be too big a hurdle as the impressive Panthers won 22-6 atv home leaving the Warriors to ponder another year where they combined brilliance and mediocrity all too regularly.
A slow start to the year saw coach Matt Elliott shown the door and although things did improve under McFadden the team was found wanting at the back end of the season.
McFadden says they didn't really fire a shot, they had opportunities, but they didn't take them and weren't good enough.
He says it's really disappointing, they know they've made some real progress this year and it would have been nice to get that result and get in the eight.
Skipper Simon Mannering says there were no excuses for another year of failure and the time had come for the whole team to take responsibility for another disappointing campaign.
Mannering says it wasn't an ideal start to the year but they should have given themselves opportunities throughout the year to be there in the eight.
He says I guess it showed tonight that they didn't quite deserve it and we're not good enough.
In the play-off elimination matches this weekend North Queensland play Brisbane and Melbourne play the Bulldogs, while in the top four matches minor premiers the Roosters play Penrith and Manly play Souths.
