NZ Warriors have shrugged off Canterbury Bulldogs 24-10 to register their third consecutive win, keeping the flickering spark of their NRL finals ambitions alight.
The visitors led throughout against the struggling Sydneysiders, running in four tries to two at a sun-soaked Moreton Daily Stadium in Redcliffe on Sunday.
Second-rower Josh Curran was at the forefront of the Warriors' efforts, setting the tone with an early try and maintaining a red-hot intensity, both with ball in hand, and defensively for the entire contest.
Addin Fonua-Blake stepped up with another superb captain's knock, leading from the front, while rookie star Reece Walsh was at his mercurial best at the back.
The Kiwi NRL side now move into a logjam of teams loitering around the cusp of the top-eight on 18 competition points, as they prepare for their final push through a favourable final three weeks of their regular season schedule.
The Warriors opened the game in ideal fashion, with Josh Curran breaking from deep in, then crossing the chalk off the back of a Sean O'Sullivan short ball with just two minutes played.
The Bulldogs responded immediately, as centre Aaron Schoupp pounced on a misguided O'Sullivan pass to run in a gift intercept try.
Curran was quickly back in the action, again taking a short ball from O'Sullivan, before finding Jazz Tevaga in support for the Warriors' second try.
Moments later, Reece Walsh found Edward Kosi with a trademark wide skip pass, the big wing finishing one-handed in the corner to put the Warriors out to a 16-6 lead.
But just as the Warriors threatened to open the floodgates, a fifth tackle restart penalty resulted in wing Jayden Okunbor scoring in the corner seconds before the halftime hooter sounded to reduce the Bulldogs' deficit to six points at the interval.
Ten minutes into the second half, Curran came to the fore once again, forcing loose pass and punching to secure possession in great attacking position.
That laid the platform for an early set chip kick from Chanel Harris-Tavita for Walsh, who streaked through to reel in a bouncing ball and dot down inches shy of the dead ball line, converting his try from the sideline for a 22-10 lead.
A Walsh penalty with 15 minutes put the result beyond doubt for the NZ side, who will move on to face Brisbane Broncos next Sunday, followed by clashes with Canberra Raiders and finally, Gold Coast Titans.
