The Warriors' hopes of finishing in the top eight have suffered a massive blow, with an embarrassing 41-22 loss to the Rabbitohs in Auckland on Saturday night.
Having worked so hard over the past couple of months to get themselves back in contention for finals football and turning Mt Smart Stadium into a fortress, they were abysmal in front of 17,409 spectators, their biggest crowd of the season.
![Forward drive: Thomas Burgess on the charge at Mount Smart Stadium.](/web/20161117090623im_/http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/q/r/x/1/k/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gqrx1r.png/1471083574458.jpg)
While the Rabbitohs showed signs of life with a good effort against the Storm last week, they had lost their last nine games and this was a game the Warriors couldn't afford to lose.
Not only was it a blow not to pick up two competition points, but their points differential took a hammering, something that could be a factor on a congested ladder as the finals approach.
The Warriors have dropped down to ninth, after the Titans beat the Tigers earlier in the day and they're possibly going to have to win their three remaining games to qualify for the top eight, not an easy task considering they travel to Townsville to play the Cowboys next weekend.Â
What was so perplexing from this game, is how the Warriors went from being full of confidence and all over the Rabbitohs in the first 10 minutes, which resulted in Solomone Kata scoring a try, to a shellshocked rabble for the rest of the half.
Soon after Kata's 13th try of the season a Bodene Thompson handling error gave Souths possession deep in the Warriors half and they were able to find space on the right edge to set Alex Johnston up for a soft four-pointer.
Despite continuing to be the dominant team, the Rabbitohs scored again, with halfback Adam Reynolds putting through a grubber kick that centre Aaron Gray latched onto.
![Hard yards: David Fusitu'a of the Warriors is tackled by Damien Cook and Sam Burgess.](/web/20161117090623im_/http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/q/r/x/3/1/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gqrx1r.png/1471083574458.jpg)
There minutes later, England winger Joe Burgess, who couldn't crack the Roosters side so switched to the Rabbitohs mid season, bagged his first try for his new club, with the Warriors looking in disarray.
On the half hour mark the Warriors' defence opened up again for Joe Burgess to get his second try and just to add more misery on the Warriors, Reynolds slotted over a field goal in the last minute of the half.
![Into the tide: Solomone Kata is outnumbered by Rabbitohs defenders.](/web/20161117090623im_/http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/q/r/x/1/j/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gqrx1r.png/1471083574458.jpg)
But that wasn't even the end of the scoring as Greg Inglis picked up the Rabbitohs' fifth try of the half after John Sutton's run created space.
Kata intercepted a pass and made a 60m run for a Warriors' try in the 44th minute.Â
It gave the desperate crowd some hope, but when Shaun Johnson fluffed an attempted grubber kick and Rabbitohs centre Hymel Hunt picked it up and ran 90m, it was game over.
Winger Manu Vatuvei did get a try for the Warriors in the 56th minute and for the rest of the game there wasn't much between the teams.Â
But it didn't matter, as Warriors rake Jazz Tevaga registered his first try in the 78th minute.
Not many people were left to see that final act as spectators were walking out in their droves with 15 minutes to go.