With five wins in a row, the Warriors have notched up their longest winning streak in almost a decade and squeezed into the NRL top four, but the Kiwi side aren't getting carried away.

A consistently strong defensive effort saw Ivan Cleary's men emerge with a 13-6 win over a disappointed Melbourne side on Saturday night, sending the Warriors into a long-awaited purple patch.

The last time the Warriors picked up five wins on the trot was back in 2003 when they finished preliminary finalists.

In their past two games, they've only conceded 12 points.

Their 50-6 thrashing at the hands of the Wests Tigers in round 12 was the turning point for the Warriors, who have since shifted their focus to forming a solid defence.

It was a case of deja vu for the New Zealand side on Saturday night at Mt Smart - they had to face the Storm after a week of salary cap dramas, just as they did when hammered 40-6 in April when the scandal first broke.

This weekend saw the return of a quartet of senior players from the casualty ward - with Brent Tate and Brett Seymour only adding fuel to the team's momentum.

Storm coach Craig Bellamy said he'd noticed the Warriors had upped the anti since their battle earlier this season.

"When the opposition gets inside their 20 metres zone, I think (Ivan Cleary) will be feeling a little bit more comfortable now than what he was last year and certainly earlier this year," Bellamy said after the game in Auckland - Melbourne's third straight loss.

"They've tightened up their attack a little bit too.

"(They've) probably simplified it a touch and that reduces errors so they've probably got a little bit more petrol to defend."

After Saturday's success, Cleary ranked his satisfaction a nine out of ten, saying the lads are benefiting from a much needed confidence boost.

"I think we're putting the whole package together at the moment, so hopefully that can continue," he said.

Warriors skipper Simon Mannering said he hasn't taken much notice of the ladder, but it "would be nice" to surprise their critics and maintain a top four position.

"We're just taking each week as it comes, I think that's the best way to do it really," the captain said.

"You don't want to be looking too far ahead, I think that's what's been working for us so far.

"The two points add up, if you keep winning then you're going to be moving up."

The Warriors will be looking to make it six in a row when they fly across the Tasman to tackle South Sydney next Sunday.

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