An error-ridden second half has seen NZ Warriors fail to record consecutive wins for the second time in 2022, going down 28-18 to Parramatta Eels at Sydney's CommBank Stadium.
After an impressive first half that saw them trail 10-6 at the break, the Warriors were blown away in the second, as Parramatta ran in three unanswered tries to secure consecutive victories for the first time since May.
Two late tries to the Warriors added some respectability to the scoreline, but in reality the Kiwi side were never in the ascendancy against an Eels side pushing to seal their place in the NRL's top four.
Returning from a bye week after their homecoming victory at Mt Smart Stadium, the Warriors' defence was given a tough test by an Eels side looking for consecutive wins for the first time since may.
After defending multiple sets on their own line, the Warriors' defence was breached in the 11th minute, when Reed Mahoney sent Waqa Blake over on the left edge to open the scoring for the hosts,
Blake had a double 10 minutes later, as the Eels rubbed salt into the wound after an intercept on their own tryline.
A wayward pass from Shaun Johnson was snapped up by Parramatta winger Maika Sivo, who got the final pass away to set up his centre's second.
Down 10-0, the Warriors hit back before the break, as the Kiwi side was rewarded for their use of the ball. Adam Pompey put Marcelo Montoya over in the left corner, as Johnson's sideline conversion brought the scores back to 10-6 at the break.
After halftime, the Warriors' defence was again tested early, before one of their own came back to haunt them when Eels second-rower Isaiah Papali'i scored against his former side from close range.
And just minutes later, the Eels were in again to rub salt into the Warriors' wounds.
A bomb from Mitchell Moses was spilled by Montoya, and was snapped up by winger Bailey Simonsson - who threw a no-look pass back inside him on the right flank, straight to captain Clint Gutherson to score Parramatta's second try in as many minutes.
A botched 40-20 attempt from Reece Walsh saw the Eels strike again, as five-eighth Nathan Dylan Brown's run on the left wing sent Maika Sivo over in the corner - beating off multiple Warriors defenders in the process.
Down 28-6 the Warriors were able to break their second half duck, as Edward Kosi held off challenges from Blake and Gutherson to score in the right corner.
The try capped Kosi's week, only in the side after Dallin Watene-Zelezniak tested positive for COVID-19 after the Warriors' return from New Zealand.
And with time almost up, the Warriors had a third in a classic case of too little, too late, when Johnson sent Jack Murchie over for the final score of the game.
Victory moves the Eels into fifth place, outside of the NRL's top four on points differential, albeit having played one game more than Melbourne Storm in fourth.
Defeat leaves the Warriors with just one win from their last nine matches, and 12th of the season so far, leaving the Kiwi side in 13th on the NRL ladder.
The Warriors could drop to 14th by the end of the round, provided Canterbury Bulldogs can overcome South Sydney Rabbitohs on Saturday night.
The Kiwi side return to action against Canberra Raiders next week, before a round 20 trip back across the Tasman to face Melbourne Storm at Mt Smart Stadium in the Warriors' second home match since 2019.
Warriors 18 (Montoya, Kosi, Murchie tries; Johnson 3 conversions)
Eels 28 (Blake 2, Papali'i, Gutherson, Sivo tries; Moses 4 conversions)
