The Warriors have emerged as a genuine finals threat after trouncing Cronulla 44-12 in arguably their best performance of an NRL season that continues to build impressively for the New Zealand-based team.
Three-try blitzes in either half were the catalyst for the Warriors win in front of 24,000 fans at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland, which moved them into a share of fourth place on the NRL ladder.
Warriors coach Andrew Webster said the win was “just reward” for a committed defensive effort.
“When you’re at home, there’s something special about this place," he said.
"The boys have got so much pride in playing here. The amount of support we’re getting is pretty cool.”
Both teams had early chances.
Jesse Ramien was held up over the line for the Sharks and in-form Warriors winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak had a cross-field kick evade his grasp in the first 10 minutes.
But it was Cronulla who struck first.
The Warriors’ left edge gave Nicho Hynes far too much room to move, allowing the playmaker to stride through for an easy try.
The Sharks suffered a setback shortly after as Teig Wilton limped up the tunnel with what looked to be a serious leg injury.
From there, the Warriors gained the ascendancy after being gifted good field position off some ill-discipline from the visitors.
Shaun Johnson ran the ball of the last play and linked well with Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad to send Watene-Zelezniak in for his 13th try of the season.
Johnson again showed his class, sending Rocco Berry over with a perfectly timed short ball in the 27th minute to give the Warriors the lead, before kicking a 40/20 that set up a try for the hard-running Addin Fonua-Blake.
But the Warriors weren’t done.
Wayde Egan broke the line in the next set, stepping Hynes and sending Luke Metcalf under the posts to make the lead 22-6.
The Sharks did hold a period of ascendancy early in the second half but the Warriors absorbed the pressure and made the visitors pay with their first real attacking chance of the stanza.
Dylan Walker sent a ball to Berry, who slid through a big overlap on halfway and set up Nicoll-Klokstad to score.
Again the Warriors found the knockout combination shortly after when Josh Curran crashed over off another Johnson short ball.
By that stage the Sharks were playing for pride as Briton Nikora picked up a consolation try with six minutes to go.
The Warriors had the last say when Adam Pompey stepped his way over to finish proceedings.
Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon said the three tries conceded in short time was “painful”.
“The energy was going their way," he said.
"You’ve got to earn the right for something to go your way and I don’t think we were earning it."
The result means the two teams now have a share of fourth place, although the Warriors have a bye in hand.
