The Warriors passed a tricky late-season test to dispose of a spirited South Sydney Rabbitohs outfit on Saturday night, withstanding a big surge from the hosts in the second half to carve out a 45-26 victory at Accor Stadium.
The final margin — achieved via a field goal from stand-in half Luke Hanson on fulltime — hoisted the Warriors temporarily into top spot (pending tomorrow’s Roosters-Tigers clash).
At worst, they will finish the weekend in second, a solitary for-and-against point ahead of Penrith. With home games in the final two rounds, there’s a very real prospect the Warriors won’t leave home again until grand final week.
Getting to their highest score of 2026 was from a smooth journey, however.
The Warriors led 12-0 after just eight minutes, navigated a mini-revival to go to the break 26-8 ahead and scored the first try of the second stanza. But Dallin Watene-Zelezniak’s shoulder injury exit while bagging that four-pointer proved a turning point.
The Rabbitohs targetted that edge to post three tries in 12 minutes, cutting the deficit to 32-26 with almost a quarter of the game remaining. The Warriors would regroup, though, and restore the breathing space to chalk up a 16th regular-season win for only the third time in their history.
Standout showings in the spine and a bumper bench effort dominate the Kingz Container Crew player ratings…along with an unhappy late recall for a club stalwart.
NRL — ROUND 25: Warriors 45 (James Fisher-Harris, Leka Halasima, Mitch Barnett, Chanel Harris-Tavita, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Jacob Laban, Alofiana Khan-Pereira tries; Taine Tuaupiki 8 goals) defeated South Sydney Rabbitohs 26 at Accor Stadium, Sydney.
1 TAINE TUAUPIKI: Staked a sizeable claim to hang onto the hotly-contested custodian role when CNK is back from suspension, producing an extremely steady performance in a helter skelter game. His 16 runs for 155 metres included a line-break and five tackle-breaks, as well as a lovely hand in the last try for AKP. But the most impressive part of his performance was arguably the composure and class at the back — highlighted by six kick defusals. Also produced a brilliant heads-up play to make a dangerous Souths kick out on the full. Then there was the most compelling goalkicking performance we’ve seen from a Warrior in a few years, slotting eight-from-eight from all angles. 8
2 DALLIN WATENE-ZELEZNIAK: Ten runs for 86 metres with two line-breaks — the second resulting in another spectacular diving try six minutes into the second half (marking just the fifth time a Warriors player has reached 20 in a season) that forced him from the field with a shoulder injury. 7
18 ADAM POMPEY: Coming in late for an ill Ali Leiataua, there were some positives for the demoted veteran — including two slick line-break assists for DWZ, the second helping deliver a try. Subsequently moved to Dal’s wing and finished with 12 runs for 119 metres. But horrid defensive decisions after shifting to that flank were responsible for at least two of the three Souths try scored in quick succession down that side, while he looked a somewhat unsure/passive defender at centre up to that period. 5
4 LEKA HALASIMA: A sensational trademark aerial grab for an early try, but was quieter overall than his previous appearances at centre with a modest nine runs for 77 metres. Big defensively with 25 tackles and helped stem the second-half flow against the Warriors when he switched from the left to the right. Had an error and conceded a penalty. 6.5
5 ALOFIANA KHAN-PEREIRA: Far from his best night, getting outjumped by opposite Jack Wighton for Souths’ first try, making a couple of handling errors and coming up with several missed tackles and suspect defensive decisions, along with only 80 metres on 11 runs. Finished on a big positive with a slick finish for the last try — his 15th in as many games for the club. 5.5
6 LUKE HANSON: A reasonably quiet second game in the NRL — only making three runs for 17 — but justified the call-up with some nice playmaking touches, a bomb that led to a try and 23 tackles with no misses. Capped the game by becoming only the 17th player to kick a field goal for the Warriors in first grade, a symbolically important one as it turns out. 6.5
7 CHANEL HARRIS-TAVITA: The fourth player to wear the Warriors’ No.7 jersey this year picked up where he left off filling the chief orchestrator role for the majority of last week’s game. Handled almost all the kicking with aplomb, including a pinpoint bomb for Leka’s try, then brilliantly regaining his own kick that Souths let bounce and offloading for a pivotal try that snuffed out the comeback. Also backed up to finish off a sensational first-half try, dug into the line to help set up the Warriors’ last and finished with eight runs for 85 metres and 18 tackles. 8.5
8 JAMES FISHER HARRIS: Big start and finish for the co-captain, steaming over for the first try and making another line-break in the dying stages. In between, accumulated 15 runs for 131 metres and 26 tackles in another robust performance. 7.5
9 WAYDE EGAN: A spellbinding first half, with some beautiful sleight of hand to put JFH over, then rolling the dice with a fourth-tackle grubber that produced a try for Barnett. Expert control throughout his 51 minutes and made 20 tackles, though was quiet on the ball-running front. 7.5
10 MITCH BARNETT: The Brisbane-bound enforcer has really stepped it up in recent weeks and left all players on the field for dead with 183 metres on 20 carries, along with 33 tackles without a miss, and hared through to score from a grubber in the first half. Immense. 8.5
11 KURT CAPEWELL: Topped the tackle count with for his team with 37 and made a number of eye-catching runs among 101 metres on 11 carries. An unwaveringly valuable competitor. 7.5
12 JACOB LABAN: The dynamic workhorse’s display was more about big moments than the customary big numbers this week, firing a sensational eyes-up long ball in the lead-up to DWZ’s try and looming in support to steam away for a vital momentum-swinging try in the second half. Also racked up a decent 10 runs for 78 metres and 28 tackles. 7.5
13 ERIN CLARK: Nothing wrong with the consistent standout’s game, but recorded season-lows for minutes (38) and tackles (17), and had his second-lowest run-metres tally (88 from 11 runs). Still a good, honest shift. 6
15 TANNER STOWERS-SMITH: Got on and got stuck in as per usual, churning through 118 metres on 10 carries and 28 tackles in 40 minutes. The Kiwis selectors’ eyeballs should be all over TSS ahead of the World Cup — he is the real deal. 7.5
17 EDDIE IEREMIA-TOEAVA: Holy cow, this guy is really putting his hand up for selection in the Warriors’ first-choice 17, arguably trumping his career-best display against the Titans. On top of 14 runs for 154 metres and 24 tackles without a miss, EIT produced a searing line-break and an even better offload for CHT to score. A bit at sea at right centre following DWZ’s exit, but an excellent late try assist for AKP after moving over to the left. 8
16 DEMITRIC VAIMAUGA: Two enormous try involvements in the space of 12 minutes either side of halftime — a deft line-break assist for EIT to do his thing, then climbing to grab a midfield bomb and offload as DWZ eventually scored in the corner. Also had 11 runs for 83 metres, four tackle-breaks and 19 tackles without a miss. Not bad at all after a four-week layoff. 8
14 SAM HEALEY: Played the last 29 minutes and had a few incisive darts, made 19 tackles without a miss and kicked off the last tryscoring movement with a lovely long ball from dummy-half. 6
Each time CNK plays I think "he needs to be our fullback". Then Taine comes back and I think "no, I'm wrong, Taine should be fullback". Who would be a coach eh? These decisions are too hard.
Thanks for your efforts as always Will. I’m going to defend AKP though, as it was Wighton that jumped over him, not Jye Grey.