Payten: top eight 'it's possible'

The Warriors are starting to believe they have a chance of making the NRL's top eight.

They have risen to ninth on the table following their 36-6 win over the Newcastle Knights in Tamworth and are now four points behind the eighth-placed Cronulla Sharks with four rounds remaining.

Acting Warriors coach Todd Payten concedes there's a possibility they can play in the finals.

"I think we're a good team. I think we're building," Payten said.

"The belief is definitely growing and they're enjoying themselves so it's possible.

"There's just a good feeling around the place at the moment. There's certainly some confidence and some belief and that's a pretty lethal combination."

But Payten won't be talking to his players about their finals chances.

"We haven't had a conversation like that. It's probably going to start in the media at the moment, but for us it's pretty simple. My message is just about everyone getting their job done and when that happens we get results like that."

And after four wins from their last six matches he doesn't want his team to get carried away.

"I hope not. We're pretty inexperienced in that regard. That's my job to try and keep a lid on it.

"But in the same sentence they're a group that enjoy freedom. So if I come down on them and try and rein them in so to speak that could hurt their footy.

"At the moment I'm just going to let them go and run with what we're doing and see where it takes us."

Todd Payten expects the Warriors' finals credentials will be put to the test when they face the Parramatta Eels next Sunday.

"We play a Parramatta team who are going to be desperate and they're physical and they're big.

"I reckon that'll be our biggest test coming up this week. See where we're really at."

Payten's unsure if on-loan Eels players Daniel Alvaro and George Jennings will be able to play against their employers.

"That's still to be finalised. We're hopeful. I know they're keen to play."