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Warriors prodigal son Stacey Jones inspired a dramatic 26-24 come-from-behind victory over Manly on Sunday.
The visitors scored two tries in the final 11 minutes to cap an epic Brookvale Oval contest.
Winger Denan Kemp's conversion with 26 seconds on the clock was all that separated the two sides after Jones had laid on the final two tries when Manly seemed to have the result in the bag.
In his first game in the NRL since 2005, 32-year-old Jones single-handedly dragged the Warriors back into the contest when they trailed 24-16 after 69 minutes.
His chip and chase to set up Brent Tate for his second try was vintage Jones, before he backed it up with another pinpoint kick which eventually found its way to Jerome Ropati to score out wide - Kemp then landed the pressure conversion.
Manly looked like they had got their premiership defence off the ground in their first game back at Brookvale Oval since last year's premiership triumph but the Warriors refused to lie down.
Down 16-10 at the break after the Warriors had run in three tries in a spectacular five minute onslaught midway through the first half, the Sea Eagles reclaimed the lead within nine minutes of the restart via tries to rookie winger Andrew Suniula and prop Adam Cuthbertson.
Jamie Lyon then looked like he had sealed the match with his second try of the game just before the hour, the former Test centre toeing ahead a spectacular Michael Bani inside ball before winning the race to the ball for a 24-16 lead.
But Jones, who started the game on the bench, finished it a hero - and admitted after the match that his best was yet to come.
“I forgot what it was all about - I really struggled there, probably a lot of players did,” Jones said.
“The heat really got to everyone I think and there was a lot of mistakes, a lot of penalties ... I couldn't talk out there I was that tired.
“Wade McKinnon actually tipped me up on it (the chip kick) hence why he was there as soon as it came off.
“We couldn't get out of our own half and we probably had to try something. I got a lucky bounce.”
Luck had little to do with it though, with even Manly coach Des Hasler admitting his side was powerless to stop the veteran half-back.
“We knew exactly what he was going to do, we knew exactly the plays he was going to come up with, but we couldn't shut him down,” Hasler said.
Warriors coach Ivan Cleary said it wouldn't be long before the champion No.7 forced his way into the starting line-up, after he came into Sunday's contest off the bench.
Jones though said he was happy to get a start anywhere in the 17.
“I'll just play where I'm given a chance,” he said.
“I was given this opportunity because of Lance Hohaia, if Lance didn't get injured I wouldn't have been playing.”
Hasler was left ruing a lack of discipline which sees the reigning premiers in a share of last spot heading into the third round.
“We're just an undisciplined footy team at the moment, simple as that ... today we paid the consequences,” Hasler said.
“Fair to say eight points up we had that game, we should have had that game.
“It's an attitude thing and we've got to adjust it real quick because that's two points today we should have had.”
Manly finished the match with only two players on the bench with Suniula (badly split webbing) and Shane Rodney (bleeding from the eye) both rushed to hospital for treatment.
The visitors scored two tries in the final 11 minutes to cap an epic Brookvale Oval contest.
Winger Denan Kemp's conversion with 26 seconds on the clock was all that separated the two sides after Jones had laid on the final two tries when Manly seemed to have the result in the bag.
In his first game in the NRL since 2005, 32-year-old Jones single-handedly dragged the Warriors back into the contest when they trailed 24-16 after 69 minutes.
His chip and chase to set up Brent Tate for his second try was vintage Jones, before he backed it up with another pinpoint kick which eventually found its way to Jerome Ropati to score out wide - Kemp then landed the pressure conversion.
Manly looked like they had got their premiership defence off the ground in their first game back at Brookvale Oval since last year's premiership triumph but the Warriors refused to lie down.
Down 16-10 at the break after the Warriors had run in three tries in a spectacular five minute onslaught midway through the first half, the Sea Eagles reclaimed the lead within nine minutes of the restart via tries to rookie winger Andrew Suniula and prop Adam Cuthbertson.
Jamie Lyon then looked like he had sealed the match with his second try of the game just before the hour, the former Test centre toeing ahead a spectacular Michael Bani inside ball before winning the race to the ball for a 24-16 lead.
But Jones, who started the game on the bench, finished it a hero - and admitted after the match that his best was yet to come.
“I forgot what it was all about - I really struggled there, probably a lot of players did,” Jones said.
“The heat really got to everyone I think and there was a lot of mistakes, a lot of penalties ... I couldn't talk out there I was that tired.
“Wade McKinnon actually tipped me up on it (the chip kick) hence why he was there as soon as it came off.
“We couldn't get out of our own half and we probably had to try something. I got a lucky bounce.”
Luck had little to do with it though, with even Manly coach Des Hasler admitting his side was powerless to stop the veteran half-back.
“We knew exactly what he was going to do, we knew exactly the plays he was going to come up with, but we couldn't shut him down,” Hasler said.
Warriors coach Ivan Cleary said it wouldn't be long before the champion No.7 forced his way into the starting line-up, after he came into Sunday's contest off the bench.
Jones though said he was happy to get a start anywhere in the 17.
“I'll just play where I'm given a chance,” he said.
“I was given this opportunity because of Lance Hohaia, if Lance didn't get injured I wouldn't have been playing.”
Hasler was left ruing a lack of discipline which sees the reigning premiers in a share of last spot heading into the third round.
“We're just an undisciplined footy team at the moment, simple as that ... today we paid the consequences,” Hasler said.
“Fair to say eight points up we had that game, we should have had that game.
“It's an attitude thing and we've got to adjust it real quick because that's two points today we should have had.”
Manly finished the match with only two players on the bench with Suniula (badly split webbing) and Shane Rodney (bleeding from the eye) both rushed to hospital for treatment.