In the comeback of the season, the NZ Warriors rebounded from a monster halftime deficit with 42 unanswered points to swamp Parramatta 46-28 in their Round 19 New South Wales Cup match in Sydney on Saturday.
Coming off a devastating 46-16 loss to the Bulldogs last week, the fifth-placed Warriors were heading in the same direction as they went to halftime 24 points adrift of the Eels.
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But in a scarcely believable turnaround they dumped the contest on its head with one of the most astonishing displays imaginable in the second 40 minutes.
Chastened by their effort in the opening stanza, the Warriors made an ideal start to the second half when fullback Setu Tu scored from dummy half just four minutes in. It would be the trigger for an avalanche of points.
Only three minutes after Tu's touchdown, prop Zyon Maiu’u marked his return from injury with a sweet short ball for captain Kalani Going to cross.
In the 56th minute, impressive centre Nganatatafu Vake had the first of his two tries, Ben Farr stopped just short and Vake exposing Parramatta's goal-line defence with another try from dummy half.
With wing Motu Pasikala in pinpoint goal-kicking touch, the Warriors' 18-point blitz in the first 16 minutes of the half had them just six points behind at 28-22.
Five minutes on they were level at 28-28 as prop Demitric Sifakula, who was in outstanding form, crashed over on a last tackle play from close to the line.
Three minutes later came the try of the day to give them the lead.
Striking from just inside their half, Going split the Eels up the middle, finding Eddie Ieremia in support on his right. He fed Going back inside again who linked with a flying Luke Hanson for the team's fifth try of the half.
Hanson then turned provider in the 67th minute, pumping up a bomb to the left where winger Ed Kosi climbed to claim, popped a pass back to Sifakula and he put Vake over wide out for his second try.
From 28-4 down, the Warriors had scored 36 points in just 23 minutes to lead 40-28 over a shell-shocked Parramatta side.
Then in the final minute they capped the performance with their seventh try of the half, fittingly created by Sifakula, who shrugged off defenders on another powerhouse run before sending Farr away.
Earlier, Kosi had scored the Warriors' lone first half try in the 29th minute, produced as they probed the short side. Hooker Makaia Tafua served it up to Vake who off loaded superbly for Kosi to score.
After conceding 46 points one week, the Warriors scored 46 themselves a week later, their biggest score of the season so far.
The win lifted them fourth spot on 25 points as they improved their record to nine wins and a draw in their last 12 starts ahead of a bye next week.
Meanwhile, Parramatta doused the Warriors' hopes of a return to winning ways when they ground out an 18-6 victory in Saturday’s Round 19 Jersey Flegg Cup (under-21) encounter at Lidcombe Oval in Sydney.
The Warriors were hoping to check a run of losses which had been extended to four with their 30-6 defeat by the second-placed Canterbury Bankstown side in Round 18.
While they produced a much-improved performance the Eels went to halftime 14-0 ahead - and in the opening minutes of the second half they stretched out to 18-0 with an unconverted try.
Then the Warriors stepped into the contest and hit back with a Siale Faeamani try, which he converted, to be 6-18 behind with 25 minutes to play.
They stayed in the wrestle, keeping Parramatta at bay but ultimate failed to add to their own total.
With development the focus, the Warriors had numerous Jersey Flegg-eligible players on NSW Cup duty, many of them excelling in a dramatic 46-28 comeback win.
It also means the Warriors are introducing more players from their wider group of under-21 prospects. Of the 17 players used this week, 13 are 19 or younger with one of them – centre Hiraka Waitai – not 18 until October.
It leaves the Warriors well-placed to have an experienced squad next season with only two of Saturday’s lineup out of contention.