The Dragons hit a new low with an 18-0 loss to the Warriors on Saturday, one that's piled even more pressure on coach Paul McGregor and some of their big-name stars.
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The NRL is a tough school at the best of times but there's nothing but harsh lessons to come out of such a disappointing loss. With that, here are five things we learned.
There are no silver linings. Believe us, we looked. The Dragons are 0-3 against opposition that last year finished ninth, 10th and 13th. The last time they went 0-3 to start a campaign was 2014, where they finished 14th. That was in a 26-round competition.
Without even doing any complex number crunching, they have both of last years grand finalists' the Roosters and Raiders - twice - to come. From an 0-3 position it's already looks a mountain too steep and McGregor faces a huge task getting his squad up beyond another loss.
Their next three games against the Bulldogs, Sharks and Titans appear "winnable" but, as McGregor was the first to point out on Saturday, so was the match with the Warriors.
None appeared more so given what the Warriors have endured just to get on the park, which brings us to the next big lesson.
How good were the Warriors! Perhaps the Dragons biggest crime in their poor performance was taking the gloss of what is surely one of the top handful of performances in the New Zealand club's history.
It wasn't just that the Warriors caused the boil-over, it's that they did it in the most un-Warriors way imaginable. To go a full half without an error is remarkable for any side, to go 75 minutes without making one is unheard of.
There'll be those who accuse the Dragons of underestimating the Warriors. It's simply not the case, but they were clearly taken aback by the type performance they produced.
The Warriors played with discipline and composure not thought to be in their DNA. Such a performance begs the obvious question: were the Warriors that good, or were the Dragons that bad?
The answer's both, but you can lean a little harder on the latter. The Dragons looked to be going through the motions and were out-enthused in every aspect.
McGregor acknowledged as much post-game, saying his side "looked like strangers out there." Naturally, when that occurs, the microscope is focused on the halves, which brings us to lesson No. 3.
It's the easiest thing in the world to criticise halves after a loss, but the Dragons have huge issues with their six and seven.
You're never sure but, on the surface, it looked as if the rule changes would help the Dragons' mobile forward pack and, in particular, Ben Hunt and Corey Norman.
Both McGregor and Hunt remarked in the aftermath that the Warriors seemed to handle the rule changes better, but dismissed it as a reason for the defeat.
They're right. A look at the stats doesn't reflect a side that was struggling with speed of the game or fatigue. They completed at a tidy 20/22 themselves in the opening 40, one of those errors from Matt Dufty gifting the Warriors their first try.
They completed at above 80 per cent for the game, missed less tackles, made only slightly less run metres despite having less football and made one less line break.
It doesn't point to a side that was run off its feet, certainly not to the degree that would indicate an 18-point difference. What it reveals was a complete lack of effectiveness and direction with the footy.
Hunt and Norman both took the line on early for a line break each then, for whatever reason, put the running game away. Hunt ran the the ball three more times and Norman just two.
They ultimately both finished with more than 200 run metres from a combined 25 carries, but it came too late with their side chasing points. Blake Green a Kodi Nikorima ran the ball half as many times between them but laid on a try-assist each.
Add to that, the Dragons kicking game was abysmal. Three times they handed the ball over on the last tackle without finding a kick, while another kick rolled dead with no pressure for a seven-tackle set.
The most effective kick of the half was Hunt booting it directly into touch to give his side a spell after the Warriors had a glut of possession early.
Beyond that, the Warriors kicked them into submission. In a game where so little separated the sides on the stat sheet - it was really difference.
It's perhaps the toughest, but that's lesson No. 4 - changes will need to be made.
With the likes of Trent Merrin and Issac Luke missing out last week, it won't be difficult to give the appearance of wielding the axe, but it's a lot tougher when it comes to your halves - inevitably among your highest paid and most experienced players.
Both Hunt and McGregor suggested after the match that the corked shin that hampered him through the match won't keep him out, while Norman can escape suspension for a dangerous contact charge with an early guilty plea.
You always risk losing them for good but, with little else to lose, McGregor probably needs to risk it. He'd be the highest paid No. 14 in history but there's merit in Fox Sports analyst Michael Ennis' suggestion that Hunt shift to the bench utility role he's so often excelled in at rep level.
Adam Clune has been a NSW Cup standout for a number of years and could come into consideration, while Tristan Sailor has spent most of the preseason and scrimmages at five-eighth.
The 'perform or perish' edict had been made fairly clear since the Dragons returned to training and there's a different selection dynamic at play with no NSW Cup currently being played.
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If young guys are knocking on the door, a coach has to either pick them in first grade or they go without football all together. It can leave a coach less inclined to give established players the 'one last chance' he might be otherwise inclined to.
McGregor will obviously have some big decisions to make in that regard. He was cautious of forecasting as much, though you can expect Clune and/or Sailor to be named on an extended bench.
"I'd like to reflect a little bit and watch the game again and talk to my staff," he said.
"There's no reserve grade, now there's only one way for players to get an opportunity and that's by performing on game day.
"If we feel the right adjustment to the team needs to be done, there'll be changes. If we feel there's no right adjustment we'll keep the 17, but it will be a discussion point this week."
Final lesson: it's no laughing matter.
How players react on the field in the immediate aftermath to a loss is one of the most over-analysed things in rugby league. A hug and a smile to a rival doesn't mean a player isn't hurting, or hasn't given his all in the preceding 80 minutes.
That said, Dragons players laughing and joking with their Warriors post-game on Saturday wasn't a good look.
It certainly wasn't all of them. Cam McInnes looked filthy, or maybe he was just too tired to smile after making 74 tackles (without a miss), while Hunt had clearly taken it hard. Some of the other smiles and back-slapping wouldn't have gone down well.
Why does it matter? It's no secret McGregor has been under pressure throughout his tenure. As Brad Fittler said on Sunday - players can feel a little less burdened when they're aware the coach is going to cop more flak than them.
It's subtle, but concerning all the same.
Mitch Jennings
Sports writer. Sport is my passion, rugby league my first love.
Sports writer. Sport is my passion, rugby league my first love.
