The Warriors are preparing to experience the atmosphere of finals football a week early when they take on Parramatta on Saturday in the last round of the NRL regular season.

For the Eels, beaten grand finalists last October and among the title favourites at the start of 2010, the match will signal the end of a disappointing campaign.

But there will be plenty of motivation for the home side, who will want to farewell long-serving skipper Nathan Cayless in style in front of their own fans.

New Zealand's World Cup-winning captain, Cayless will be making his 259th and last first-grade appearance in a one-club career stretching over 14 seasons.

He already has the NRL record for most matches as skipper, and will extend that to 220 against the Warriors.

"Obviously they want to send out their captain on a good note so I expect them to be very emotional," Warriors skipper Simon Mannering said.

"I don't think they're going to take it easy even though they're not going to make the finals. It's going to be a very big match for them and for us."

While the Warriors have secured their spot in top eight, a win, and one by a good margin, could potentially seal a home final.

Mannering said the intensity expected from the Eels would be a help in hardening his team for finals football.

"They're all going to be big games from next week on, whoever we're playing, so why not start this weekend," he said.

"It would be nice to go into the playoffs with some wins your belt and we'll be doing everything we can to win this weekend."

Mannering admitted it was a satisfying feeling for the club to have made the top eight after few pundits had given them much hope at the start of the year.

The Warriors had come off a poor 2009 and were regarded as among the favourites for the wooden spoon, but Mannering indicated that the players had faith in their ability to turn things around.

"We weren't here for three months before the season to finish bottom," he said.

"Obviously we were never given a chance. I guess within these walls we knew, with the work we had done off the field, we were more than a chance to be there at the end, so it's nice to be there, but there's still a fair way to go."

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP