Taine Tuaupiki, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and Erin Clark prepare for NRL Indigenous Round. Photo: www.photosport.nz
After weeks of uncertainty and shaky form, the Warriors are now in a position to clinch their NRL playoff involvement against the Gold Coast Titans on Saturday.
With their gritty 14-10 win over St George-Illawarra Dragons on Friday, the Auckland-based side have reclaimed the all-important fourth spot on the competition table, with three weeks remaining in the regular season and six points still up for grabs.
Under the NRL playoff format, eight teams qualify, with the top four facing off in week one and the losers enjoying a second life in week two. Teams 5-8 face off, with the losers eliminated.
While their victory over the Dragons broke a three-game losing slump, several other results also went the Warriors' way, as a return to the post-season looms.
Melbourne Storm ended the nine-game winning run of four-time defending champions Penrith Panthers, who dropped below the Warriors into fifth.
Sydney Roosters' upset over Canterbury Bulldogs kept their chances alive, while Brisbane Broncos dented the Dolphins' hopes and Wests Tigers upset Manly Sea Eagles.
Here's how their NRL playoff race looks:
Canberra Raiders
First on 40 points - 17 wins, four losses
Round 24 - bye
Remaining opponents: Panthers, Tigers, Dolphins
Assured of a top-three finish, they cannot be caught by the Warriors, but they're still vulnerable to the Storm and Bulldogs for the minor premiership.
Before the bye, they lost to St George and they face a major challenge against Penrith this week in what could be a playoff preview, if the Warriors falter.
Melbourne Storm
Second on 38 ponts - 16 wins, five losses
Round 24 - beat Penrith Panthers 22-18
Remaining opponents: Bulldogs, Roosters, Broncos
Top-four spot locked in and very much alive to defend their minor premiership crown. Their encounter with the Bulldogs this week is another potential playoff showdown.
If they lose their last three and the Warriors win out, the Storm are still within range, but they have a healthy points differential advantage.
Canterbury Bulldogs
Third on 36 points - 15 wins, six losses
Round 24 - lost to Sydney Roosters 32-12
Remaining opponents: Storm, Panthers, Sharks
Not safely in top four yet, but still within range of the minor premiership.
They have the toughest run home of any current top-eight team, but their last two are at home.
The Warriors can still catch and pass them, but the Bulldogs have a comfortable differential edge in the event of a tie.
NZ Warriors
Fourth on 32 points - 13 wins, eight losses
Round 24 - beat St George-Illawarra Dragons 14-10
Remaining opponents: Titans, Eels, Sea Eagles
Not locked into playoffs yet, but a win or Dolphins loss this weekend would do it.
They can still finish as high as second. They would need Storm to lose out and Bulldogs to win only against the Storm, but again, the Warriors points differential is the worst in the playoff eight.
In their favour, they actually have the softest schedule of any playoff contenders by some margin.
Penrith Panthers
Fifth on 31 points - 12 wins, eight losses, one draw
Round 24 - lost to Melbourne Storm 22-18
Remaining opponents: Raiders, Bulldogs, Dragons
Can finish as high as third, but could still miss playoffs.
Lots of volatility around them, with five teams separated by four points, and they have top-three opponents in their next two games, but host tabletopping Canberra on Friday.
Brisbane Broncos
Sixth on 30 points - 12 wins, nine losses
Round 24 - beat the Dolphins 38-38
Remaining opponents: Knights, Cowboys, Storm
Can finish as high as third, if Bulldogs lose out, or could miss the playoffs altogether.
The draw is kind, as they travel to struggling teams over the next two weeks, before hosting Melboune to finish.
Cronulla Sharks
Seventh on 30 points - 13 wins, nine losses
Round 24 - beat Gold Coast titans 54-22
Remaining opponents: bye, Knights, Bulldogs
The only playoff contenders with a bye left up their sleeves, they can also claim third or miss out.
Sydney Roosters
Eighth on 28 points - 11 wins, 10 losses
Round 24 - beat Canterbury Bulldogs 32-12
Remaining opponents: Eels, Storm, Rabbitohs
Rounding into form at the right time, with three straight victories and two very winnable games in their last three.
Still in a scramble for the last playoff spot, but losses by the Dolphins and Sea Eagles over the weekend helped their cause immensely.
Can still make top four, but would need a lot to go their way.
Best of the rest
The Dolphins, Manly Sea Eagles, Wests Tigers and St George-Illawarra Dragons are all within six points of the playoffs, so they still have mathematical chances.
The Dolphins v Manly clash on Saturday will be crucial to their respective hopes, and the ninth-placed Redcliffe-based outfit have cellar-dwellers Gold Coast after that, but host league-leading Canberra Raiders to close.
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
