A former Warriors and Kiwis player is questioning referee Adam Gee’s officiating as the NRL side looks to revive their top four aspirations.

The match official made several controversial calls in the Warriors’ 32-14 loss to the Bulldogs, including penalising Kurt Capewell for tackling a player without the ball who appeared to be shepherding.

Taine Tuaupiki was penalised for kicking a goal-line dropout into touch on the full, which would usually trigger a restart on the 10-metre line.

Motu Tony told The Big League Podcast while the calls were debatable, the Warriors used to be able to overcome that adversity.

“If you ask any of those Warriors players, they’d say those calls were questionable but they’ve still got to be defensively sound to overcome those calls.

“I think that’s where the Warriors are just not quite there yet.”

The Mt Smart side’s hopes of making the top four have slipped out of their own hands after three consecutive losses.

The Warriors sit fifth on the ladder, one point behind the Panthers.

They have missed hooker Wayde Egan the last two weeks due to concussion and a shoulder complaint respectively.

Tony said Egan is one of the best attacking hookers in the game and will be critical in turning things around.

“He manages to straighten up the attack. When you’ve got a hooker who can take the markers out of play and then hopefully gets one-on-ones further out wide in the attacking line for the Warriors.

“That’s what they’ve missed. They’ve been going sideways.”

The Kiwi team host the Dragons in Auckland on Friday, followed by contests with the Titans, Eels and Sea Eagles to finish the regular season.

Tony said it will be tough, but could be worse.

“I’d rather have the Warriors’ run-in than any of the other teams that are in the top four at the moment or scraping around the eight.”

The Panthers meanwhile have to play the top three sides - the Storm, Raiders and Bulldogs - and then the Dragons.

The sixth-placed Broncos are dealing with injuries to a number of key players, while the seventh-placed Sharks still have a bye to come.