Dolphins sharp shooter Jamayne Isaako has landed a 78th minute sideline conversion to secure a 26-24 win over the Warriors after star halfback Isaiya Katoa suffered a dislocated wrist injury.
Points whiz Isaako became the first player in 118 years to score 12 or more points in a match in nine consecutive matches in his 14-point haul that included two tries.
The previous five matches between the two sides had been decided by four points or less and they turned on another classic in front of 40,465 fans at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday.
Warriors bench utility Samuel Healey crashed over in the 75th minute to give the visitors a 24-20 lead after an error by winger Selwyn Cobbo.
But Cobbo responded in true style to storm over three minutes later to level it up with his second try of the match. Isaako landed the conversion from wide out to secure an eighth straight win for the third-placed Kristian Woolf-coached Dolphins.
"I thought we were really brave," Woolf said.
"We hung in and when it really mattered we found the points we had to.
"What I liked about (Cobbo) is he made a couple of errors and he's not happy with that, but he kept putting his hand up and comes up with the winning play. It doesn't matter what goes on in a game. It is how you finish."
Cobbo delivers the match-winner for the Dolphins! 👏
— NRL (@NRL) June 27, 2026
Hostplus Super Play of the Match pic.twitter.com/9apme8GYfn
Katoa, the Dolphins' key man, left the field in the 13th minute after medicos put his dislocated wrist back in place. He sat on the bench with his left arm in a sling.
Scans will determine how long he is out for.
Bench utility Brad Schneider came on but it was off-contract five-eighth Kodi Nikorima who took control.
The Dolphins lost Cobbo in the 20th minute to an HIA, which he passed. Warriors winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak succumbed to a hamstring injury in the second half as both sides showed enormous courage.
The Warriors - without gun forwards James Fisher-Harris, Jackson Ford and Leka Halasima - showcased their depth with second-rower Jacob Laban having a blinder for the second-placed outfit..
"I reckon he has probably been one of our best the last month," Warriors coach Andrew Webster said of Laban.
"I was so proud of how we slowly got back in the game in the second half."
A massive defensive play by Dolphins fullback Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow on Queensland teammate Kurt Capewell denied the Warriors an early try.
Up the other end Cobbo scored in the corner with yet another sublime finish.
Laban leapt above Cobbo to snaffle a Chanel Harris-Tavita bomb and respond with panache.
Laban soared again to catch a Harris-Tavita bomb and Watene-Zelezniak scored in the corner.
Nikorima notched his 23rd linebreak assist, the most in the NRL this season, when he put centre Herbie Farnworth over.
He then stripped the ball off Warriors Adam Pompey on the cusp of halftime and Isaako scored to secure a 16-12 lead.
The genius of Isaako came to the fore when his magic hands scooped up a Jack Bostock grubber at full tilt to score a classic try.
The Warriors hit back with winger Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad and Healey giving the visitors the lead late.
It was set up for Dolphins heroics and Cobbo and Isaako provided them.
