Andrew Webster concedes the Warriors are lacking the final piece of the puzzle to become true NRL heavyweights after their season ended in elimination-final heartbreak.
The Warriors spent 16 consecutive weeks inside the NRL's top four this year before knee injuries ended the seasons of co-captain Mitch Barnett and breakout star Luke Metcalf.
The Kiwi side never truly recovered from the twin blows, entering the NRL finals with five losses from seven games and the longest premiership odds with the bookmakers.
The Warriors held the gloves up to four-time reigning premiers Penrith on Saturday, starting the better of the two sides and working their way back into the game through a Leka Halasima try in the second half.
But late tries to Casey McLean and Brian To'o broke the Warriors' hearts and ended their season with a 24-8 loss.
"We came here ready to go, we looked like a finals team, but we lost. That's why it's heartbreaking," Webster said.
"You lose a finals game, it should hurt. The moment it doesn't hurt, you probably shouldn't be here. That pain, I could give a great speech about how far we've come.
"But we want to be one of the best, we want to be the best. We've got a bit of work to do."
In some respects, the Warriors' final performance of 2025 summed up the season as a whole: gutsy, but not quite good enough.
"I feel like we built some great stuff (this year), but that last piece is missing. We've got to find that last piece," Webster said.
The Warriors undoubtedly made strides in 2025 after missing finals altogether last year.
Second-rower Halasima headlined a cast of forwards to announce themselves as the next generation of Warriors stars.
Metcalf had appeared well up to the task of filling Shaun Johnson's role as Warriors halfback, shaping as a candidate for the Dally M Medal before his injury.
Their NSW Cup side, meanwhile, finished atop the ladder with just two losses for the season.
"We brought a lot of young guys through, I feel like our senior players have done a terrific job, the way we've handled adversity, we've stayed really tight as a group," Webster said.
"This group is so well-connected, but there's a piece missing and I feel like we could launch if we take those learnings and go to the next level, or we could stay exactly where we are, which is just a top-six team.
"I just think we can be better."
The Warriors' improvements this year have impressed Penrith boss Ivan Cleary, Webster's former mentor and the last man to lead the Kiwi club to an NRL grand final in 2011.
"They've been really brave since (the injuries) and should definitely think it's a good season," Cleary said.
"There's a lot of promise within this club. They will definitely be a force to be reckoned with in the next few years."
