Teenage sensation Reece Walsh has continued his breakout season by spearheading the Warriors to a thrilling 30-26 victory over the Wests Tigers.
The Warriors twice went down to 12 men and three times fell behind on a cold night in Gosford, but were electrified by a scintillating display from the 18-year-old Walsh.
Making just his second start at fullback in place of captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Walsh scored a try, set up three others, and racked up 118 metres with the ball.
It was yet another dagger in the hearts of frustrated Brisbane fans, who have been forced to watch Walsh, and another lost young star in Sydney Roosters rookie Sam Walker, star for other teams.
The Warriors did it despite almost throwing the game with ill-discipline, losing Ben Murdoch-Masila and Eliesa Katoa to the sin-bin at different stages of the second half.
However the win may have come at a cost, with Jazz Tevaga (twice) and Jack Murchie put on report for high tackles, while Katoa was cited for a dangerous tackle.
The trio was joined in the bad books by Tigers veteran James Tamou (crusher tackle).
Scores were locked with 20 minutes remaining on Friday when Adam Doueihi kicked the Tigers ahead following Murchie's indiscretion, with Katoa marched soon after for lifting past the horizontal.
But it was an opportunity lost for the Tigers with Warriors hooker Wayde Egan finishing off a Kodi Nikorima grubber before Walsh sealed the victory with a cutout for Marcelo Montoya.
The Tigers had a chance to steal the win at the death, but were eventually held out by a desperate Warriors side who temporarily jump into the top eight.
The loss for Michael Maguire's side leaves them without consecutive victories for almost a year.
Walsh was involved from the outset, failing to clean up a Joey Leilua grubber that allowed Luke Garner to post the opening points in just the fifth minute.
It didn't take him long to make amends, firing off a two-man cutout for Montoya five minutes later, only for Garner to run off a Moses Mbye short-ball to reclaim the lead.
From there it was all Warriors, with Tuivasa-Sheck, moved to the wing for Walsh, burning the Tigers defence to send Murchie away for a 65-metre effort.
It ignited a 12-minute blitz that included Walsh, undeterred by almost getting intercepted by Tommy Talau, doubling-down by floating another cutout over the winger for Tuivasa-Sheck to score.
Not content with his passing clinic, Walsh did it himself soon after, slicing through to guide his team to an eight-point halftime lead.
The Tigers bounced back with two game-turning David Nofoaluma plays after the break.
Celebrating his 150th game, the Tigers winger pounced on a horror Montoya error to cut the deficit to two, before his 60-metre intercept ended in the sin-binning of Murdoch-Masila.
.jpg?w=600)
