Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad returned to GIO Stadium to haunt Canberra Raiders, steering NZ Warriors to a 36-14 victory.
From 8-6 down at halftime, the Warriors scored 30 points in the second half to completely ruin Canberra's night, on what should have been a special occasion for captain Jarrod Croker's 300th NRL appearance.
Making his first appearance in Canberra after leaving the Raiders to return to the Warriors this year, Nicoll-Klokstad scored one try, ran 194 metres, broke six tackles, threw two offloads, and made six tackles of his own for one of, if not, his best game of the season.
Halfback Shaun Johnson also carried on his 2023 renaissance, assisting three of the Warriors' six tries and scoring the last.
The 36 points scored is the Warriors' highest return of 2023 so far, bettering the 32 scored in the comeback victory over Cronulla Sharks.
The victory sees the Warriors climb to fifth on the NRL ladder, overtaking both the Raiders and Melbourne Storm on points differential.
The Kiwi side can now enjoy a week off, with their second bye of the season before returning to Sydney to face St George Illawarra Dragons later this month.
In a low-scoring half, it was the Raiders who were the first team to get on the scoreboard, after two tries were disallowed by the Bunker.
As the Warriors sustained wave after wave of attacking pressure, it was only a slight misfortune that saw them go behind, when a Jack Wighton kick deflected off Adam Pompey, and allowed the Canberra five-eighth to score unopposed.
Things got worse for the Warriors not long after when interchange forward Mitch Barnett was sent to the sin bin, after a shoulder charge on Raiders winger Jordan Rapana.
But down a man, the Warriors not only kept the Raiders scoreless - but levelled the scores.
Making the most of a rare forage into Canberra territory, a Shaun Johnson crossfield kick was somehow gathered by Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, who miraculously avoided leaving the field of play to ground the ball.
However, Watene-Zelezniak would play a part in the hosts taking the lead again before the break, retaliating to Canberra lock Corey Horsburgh, after his hair was pulled by Hudson Young.
Playing his 300th game, Raiders captain Jarrod Croker converted the penalty attempt to give his side an 8-6 lead at the break.
After halftime, though, it was one-way traffic.
Fittingly, Nicoll-Klokstad went over in the corner to score the first points of the second half, and give the Warriors a lead they wouldn't relinquish.
Young forward Tom Ale scored his first Warriors try minutes later, crashing over under the posts, before Luke Metcalf scored his second try in as many weeks when Shaun Johnson sent him over for the fourth.
However, Metcalf's try also saw Johnson have to leave the field for a head injury assessment, leaving the Warriors without their star man to try and close out the win.
From the next play, the Warriors had a fifth, this time through Wayde Egan - who smartly threw a dummy pass to put the result beyond reach.
The Raiders managed to score a second before the end through front rower Josh Papali'i, but it was little more than a consolation effort.
And once Johnson returned after passing his HIA, the halfback had the final say with an intercept try on the Raiders' goal line to see Croker's milestone end in despair for the Raiders.
The only possible blemish on the night for the Warriors comes in forwards Barnett and Marata Niukore placed on report, both for shoulder charges on Jordan Rapana.
NZ Warriors 36 (Watene-Zelezniak, Nicoll-Klokstad, Ale, Metcalf, Egan, Johnson tries; Johnson 4, Pompey 2 conversions)
Canberra Raiders 14 (Wighton, Papali'i tries; Croker 2 conversions; Croker penalty)
