NZ Warriors have cemented a fourth-place finish in 2023, after their second-string side fell 34-10 to the Dolphins in Brisbane.
The result drops the Warriors below Melbourne Storm and means they'll make their long-awaited return to the playoffs next Saturday against either Penrith Panthers or Brisbane Broncos.
Their opponent will be determined by the result of the Panthers' clash with North Queensland Cowboys later on Saturday, which will decide the minor premiership.
A win for the defending premier Panthers would cement a showdown with the Warriors, while a loss would set up a clash between the Warriors and the Broncos and a quick trip back to Suncorp Stadium - where they've now lost four straight games.
It also denies the Warriors a club record-equalling eighth straight win, although judging by the raft of first-choice players rested, neither that mark nor cementing third place were of much importance to coach Andrew Webster.
Nor will it cause much concern for the Warriors frothing fanbase, who will have all eyes locked on their return to the finals next weekend after a five-year hiatus on the back of their highest finish since 2002.
From the outset, the fresh-faced Warriors looked understandably disjointed against a full strength Dolphins team clearly determined to round out their inaugural season in style.
Errors and missed tackles saw the Warriors under a mountain of pressure throughout the first half and while they held out initially, the floodgates eventually creaked, as the Dolphins ran in three tries in 15 minutes to close the opening half with a daunting 22-0 lead.
Buoyed by the kind of support befitting of a home game, the Warriors pulled back some of that momentum in the second half, with two tries in as many minutes to provide a glimmer of hope.
But led by outsanding half Kodi Nikorima - who haunted his former club all afternoon - the hosts shut the gate emphatically with a pair of late tries to snap their six-game losing skid.
In a losing effort, the Warriors will be encouraged by the form of forwardsJosh Curran (159 running metres, 30 tackles) and Mitch Barnett, who returned from injury to reel off 143m and 32 tackles.
At the back, Taine Tuaupiki was a handful, running for 173m and assured under the high ball. Ed Kosi was exceptional in his first NRL match since round 10, in the thick of the action with 141m gained.
On the other side of the ledger, Te Maire Martin was underwhelming in his comeback from a long injury absence. Thrust straight back into the No. 6 jersey after Luke Metcalf's season-ending hamstring tear, Martin understandably had plenty of rust to shake off, and - with the stakes about to skyrocket - the Warriors will hope he got rid of the majority of it against the Dolphins.
After a series of early errors to put themselves under pressure inside their own half, the Dolphins crossed first against the run of play.
Jamayne Isaako's intercept saw the Dolphins surge from their own red zone on to the offensive, leading to Jack Bostock's leaping finish in the corner to open the scoring in the eighth minute.
Scrambling Warriors defence denied what seemed another certain try 10 minutes later, as some woeful decision making saw the Dolphins blow a huge overlap.
But persistent Warriors indiscipline saw the Dolphins remain inside the Warriors half, and Sean O'Sullivan eventually made their mammoth weight of possession count by darting over from close range to double the home side's lead.
Minutes later that lead blew to 18-0, when former Warriors half Kodi Nikorima made the line break that ended with Isaiya Katoa running in their third try courtesy of a great pass from Jarrod Wallace.
There was time for one more for the Dolphins in the dying stages of the half, when the superb Nikorima set Jamayne Isaako free down the right edge to dot down for his competition-leading 24th try of the season.
Halftime couldn't come soon enough for the new-look Warriors side, as the hosts cashed in on 68 and 64 percent advantages respectively in territory and possession in a dominant first 40 minutes against the rapidly fatiguing visitors, who had missed a staggering 26 tackles.
The Warriors had to be the first team to score in the second half and - albeit after 18 minutes - they were, as Freddy Lussick exploded out of dummy half to dive in next to the lefthand upright to register his first try of the season.
Only a couple of minutes later, Curran broke clear from his own 20m, linking with Adam Pompey, who found Marcelo Montoya for another morale-boasting try and swing the momentum back dramatically in the Warriors' favour.
But Nikorima stepped forward to prove the thorn in his former team's side yet again, dancing clear of a pair of defenders before sending Max Plath behind the posts for a deflating try - the scoreboard out 28-10 with 12 minutes to play.
Kenny Bromwich crossed in the final minute to hammer the final nail into the Warriors' coffin.
The team will fly home immediately to rejoin the rest of the squad in Auckland, where preparations will begin for next weekend in either western Sydney or Brisbane.
The Warriors lost each of their games against the Panthers and the Broncos, going down 18-6 to Penrith during magic round and 26-22 to Brisbane in Napier.
Dolphins 34 (Bostock, O'Sullivan, Katoa, Isaako, Plath, Bromwich tries; Isaako 5 cons) NZ Warriors 10 (Freddy Lussick, Montoya tries; Pompey con)
