Canterbury Bulldogs five-eighth Matt Burton snatched victory with an extra-time field goal for the second time in a week to down an injury-hit NZ Warriors 13-12 in Sydney.
The Warriors were forced to play most of the second half with just one man on the bench after losing their back three of Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and Marcelo Montoya to injury at Accor Stadium on Saturday night.
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The scores were locked at 12-12 for 32 minutes until Burton managed to pilot his fourth field goal attempt of the match between the uprights - after hitting the post and bouncing in - in the 88th minute.
The Warriors dominated early possession and field position but the Bulldogs were the first to score after Burton intercepted a Te Maire Martin pass near his own line.
Centre Adam Pompey missed the sideline conversion, but the Warriors hit the front five minutes later when Montoya bulldozed his way over in the opposite corner.
A Pompey penalty goal extended the Warriors lead to 12-6 in the 30th minute but momentum shifted dramatically when Nicoll-Klokstad limped from the field with a calf injury just before halftime.
Dally M Medallist Roger Tuivasa-Sheck moved to fullback but the reshuffling got more difficult for Warriors coach Andrew Webster in the second half when Watene-Zelezniak and Marcelo were also ruled out.
Watene-Zelezniak was deemed to be a category 1 HIA early in the second half, while Montoya battled on bravely with a thigh injury before coming from the field in the 65th minute.
The scores were locked up at 12-12 at that stage after Canterbury strike second-rower Viliame Kikau crashed over in the 55th minute and Burton converted.
Bulldogs wing Blake Wilson was cut down in a try saving tackle by Martin and had a try disallowed after Kurt Mann was ruled offside when he collected a Burton bomb that had been allowed to bounce and passed to the rookie.
Tuivasa-Sheck spilled a spiralling Burton bomb and the Bulldogs playmaker had a chance to put the home team in front with four minutes remaining but his field goal attempt hit the upright.
Another Burton field goal attempt during extra-time hit the cross bar, while Warriors utility Chanel Harris-Tevita was denied after Reed Mahoney got a hand to his kick to push the ball wide.
"Gutted for the boys, to put so much effort into something, (to be) so resilient (with) so many injuries, people in different spots, but we didn't get what we wanted today," said Warriors head coach Andrew Webster.
"Really proud of the effort, but just disappointed we didn't get what we wanted to get. I don't know if I watched much football there for a while, I was literally just watching where everyone was standing rather than watching the game and making sure.
"And then we were getting radio information that someone else was struggling ... the boys who did come off, they wanted to fight through it, but they just weren't capable of doing what they needed to do for the team."
Both teams have the bye next weekend in the lead-up to State of Origin III, before flying to away matches in Round 20. The Warriors travel to the Australian capital to face the Canberra Raiders on Friday, July 19 (kick-off 10pm NZ Time).
Canterbury Bulldogs 13 (Bronson Xerri, Viliame Kikau tries; Matt Burton 2 con, field goal) NZ Warriors 12 (Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Marcelo Montoya tries; Adam Pompey con, pen). HT: 6-12, FT: 12-12