After working hard to earn a 30-12 lead – with some brilliant tries and tough defence – they looked comfortable with 25 minutes to play.
But things got a bit sloppy, while the mercurial Latrell Mitchell inspired an improbable charge from the home side, who were hard hit by injuries.
They closed to 30-24 in the 62nd minute, with all the momentum. The Warriors got it done – surviving another late scare – to bank an invaluable win.
It came at a cost though, with co-captain Mitch Barnett limping from the field in the first quarter with a knee injury.
It was a gritty, though inaccurate display, typified by Luke Metcalf’s early struggles off the tee (4/7 conversions) and the way the Warriors kept leaving the door ajar for their opponents.
But there was also a lot to like; Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad was outstanding at the back and Wayde Egan imperious at dummy half, while the halves provided good structure for the most part.
The pack never stopped working, the back five ran with gusto and the impact of Demitric Vaimauga and Leka Halasima helped to turn the match.
But defensively it wasn’t good enough and they could have been punished by a more clinical team.
Still, it was a strong response after the close loss to the Raiders and keeps the Warriors inside the top four.
The first half was a brutal affair, on a sunny Sydney afternoon. There were few stoppages, which meant both teams were pushed to their limits. The Warriors worked hard – but also made hard work of things with some inaccurate play.
They started well, with Dallin Watene-Zelezniak leaping to catch a Metcalf chip to the corner, though the powerful Keaon Koloamatangi replied soon afterwards for the home side.
It was an open affair, with both teams making hay out wide.
Nicoll-Klokstad came up with a try-saving tackle, before Marata Niukore had to be alert to defuse another opportunity. Barnett’s injury - as his knee was twisted badly, caught under the body of Chanel Harris-Tavita as they made a tackle - was a hammer blow.
Soon afterwards came what felt like a 12-point swing, with a death or glory ball from Metcalf, which resulted in a 85m intercept try to Alex Johnston, reading the telegraphed pass. It hurt, given the Warriors had been building pressure.
But they responded quickly, with Rocco Berry’s vital try.
It was the product of clever play from Roger Tuivasa-Sheck – who outjumped Mitchell then kept the ball alive, before a rare grubber from Jackson Ford, with Berry alert to force.
An embarrassed Metcalf shanked the simple conversion from near the posts but that felt a little less costly after Nicoll-Klokstad’s try just before the break, after a Vaimauga offload and strong work from Halasima.
The foundation for the second half effort was set early – with tough defence on their goal line – before one of the best tries of their season.
After wonderful play up the middle, with offloads and snappy passing, Halasima sent four defenders the wrong way to score.
That was the first of three tries in the space of eight minutes, with Metcalf’s mesmerising 85m run from dummy half, followed by a slick move finished by Tuivasa-Sheck.
With 25 minutes to play, the Warriors looked home, before the Rabbitohs’ big comeback, inspired by Mitchell.
He set up Johnston’s second with a wonderful floated pass, though Watene-Zelezniak was caught out of position, then capitalised on some passive Warriors defence, as they failed to chase from the inside after a Rabbitohs bomb and paid the price.
Things got nervy – very nervy – especially after an uncharacteristic Nicoll-Klokstad error, slipping as he tried to retrieve a raking Mitchell kick.
They hung on – somehow – before Tuivasa-Sheck’s vital second try offered some breathing space, after Halasima outjumped everyone to take a Metcalf chip, following consecutive goal line drop outs.
However, there was another twist, with Mitchell’s 76th-minute converted try, after the Warriors bungled the short kickoff, to add to the late tension.
Warriors 36 (Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Rocco Berry, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Leka Halasima, Luke Metcalf, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck 2 tries; Luke Metcalf 4 cons)
Rabbitohs 30 (Keaon Koloamatangi, Alex Johnston 3 tries, Latrell Mitchell tries; Latrell Mitchell 5 cons)
HT: 14-12
