The Sydney Roosters have vowed to go the full distance against the Warriors tonight, writes Glenn Jackson in Auckland.

Asked yesterday if he remembered what he said to his players before they started belting the Broncos with such glee last Friday, and if he'd say it again tonight before they take to the Warriors, Roosters coach Brad Fittler replied: "If I do, I'll just say it for longer."

Typical Fittler joviality it was, but with a far deeper message.

Against Brisbane at the SFS last Friday night, the Roosters bashed the Broncos with hits and shoulders. But they couldn't knock the champ down, and the Broncos came away with the points in the end. Like a sprinter taking on a marathon, the Roosters started with a flurry but faded away - their prize being tonight's elimination final against the Warriors.

But it was no one-off. They may be called the Roosters but they have been the Eddie the Eagles of the NRL premiership this season - flying pretty high but invariably falling well short of the full distance. Of the six remaining teams in the competition, they are the side most guilty of being unable to produce an 80-minute performance.

Fittler believes that unlike Eddie, who was never any hope of going the distance, they can - and the turnaround will start tonight in conditions not far away from those Eddie enjoys. "That's the challenge, and I back that they can," Fittler said.

The players have spoken all week about the need to produce something other than half-measures. Back-rower Craig Fitzgibbon said: "I thought our effort and intensity was there in the game the other night - just our concentration and execution wasn't."

Prop Mark O'Meley, who was the chief wrecking ball in the first half against the Broncos, added: "It's concentration. We just got carried away. We've just got to stay relaxed and not drop off. We just got too excited."

But not even Big Kev ever got that excited. David Shillington is the best example of that. The prop came up with a bone-bending hit on Corey Parker, and then proceeded to call Brisbane players "dirty little grubs", which added bitterness to the bruises.

Shillington was gagged this week from speaking publicly by Fittler, who is intent on attempting to ensure his players do not again suffer from over-eagerness.

"He's a pretty intelligent bloke," O'Meley said. "Maybe he's just getting excited."

O'Meley, however, contends that the Roosters have played two 80-minute performances: against Parramatta in round 10 and Manly in round 20.

But the Warriors are wary. They believe, somewhat ironically, that the Roosters completed another 80-minute performance against them in round 11 - the only clash between the two sides this season, at the same venue as tonight's encounter, Auckland's Mt Smart Stadium.

Warriors lock Micheal Luck said the intensity he saw on the field in the opening stages against Brisbane last Friday was apparent for far longer when the Roosters emerged with a 38-12 victory in May.

"We played the Roosters once and they gave it to us," Luck said. "They were outstanding. They were pretty dominant, and we didn't handle anything. We expect the same this week. And they'll keep it going the whole game. That's how they beat us in the first game."

The Warriors will also need to contain their own excitement after they defeated the defending premiers in their last start.

"Even thought they're young guys, they've experienced a lot of footy," Warriors captain Steve Price said. "Guys like Manu [Vatuvei] and those sort of guys - 22 years old, they've played international footy, they've played at the highest level.

"They've done pretty much everything in the game except for win a premiership. It's more about getting back to the basics of what's worked for us all year."

Price's brother-in-law, Brent Tate, another of the Warriors' most experienced players beside the skipper, said: "One thing I've learned is to enjoy the moment because they sometimes don't come very often. We were pretty pumped after the game but the next day we were heads on, getting focused on Friday night."

The Roosters, too, have their young and equally excitable/experienced players. But Fittler remains convinced his players learned a valuable lesson last Friday night.

"We talk about where our team's at at the moment, and I think we're a team that when we're going, we're as good as any team," Fittler said. "I thought last week's experience was excellent. We ended up getting beat by the composure of the Lockyers, the Carrolls and those sort of players who have been doing this for a long time. I thought we learned a lot, and I think our team's gone forward since then."

Skipper Braith Anasta described the past three weeks as "really encouraging", at least showing that some excitement was allowed among this squad.

"We've improved each week," the five-eighth said. "Last week was still an improvement, I thought, even though we lost."