The Warriors have snapped a four-game National Rugby League losing streak in a come-from-behind 26-18 win over the Dragons in Brisbane.
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck. Photo: Photosport
The Warriors had to fight back from a 10-nil deficit and scored 20 unanswered points in the second half.
A Ben Hunt blunder under the high ball cost St George Illawarra badly late in the second spell.
Hunt revived memories of his 2015 grand final bungle when he spilled a Patrick Herbert dropout and Ken Maumalo crossed for the match winner the next set.
While ex-Bronco Hunt was the villain, playing in front of his former home crowd as part of Magic Round, Warriors skipper Tuivasa-Sheck was the hero, orchestrating his side's final two tries.
Leading 18-6 at halftime, the Dragons looked liked they could run away with it but Stephen Kearney's side stayed in the mix when they reduced the deficit to six points via Peta Hiku.
Tuivasa-Sheck produced a piece of brilliance when he over-called playmaker Blake Green, ran down the short side on the last tackle and threw a cut-out pass for Herbert who batted it on to David Fusitua to lock up the scores.
The No.1 was again instrumental in Maumalo's game-winning four-pointer.
Hunt attempted to rush up on the reigning Dally M winner, who tipped it on to his outside men to create an overlap for the No.5 to score.
With Kodi Nikorima making his Warriors debut - a week after being granted a mid- season release from Brisbane - the Warriors were fielding their fifth halves combination of the year.
He largely took a back seat to Tuivasa-Sheck and Green but showed his class to set up Hiku's try which put the icing on the cake for the Auckland outfit.
Earlier, the Warriors were left shell-shocked after the Dragons fired out of the blocks to a 10-0 lead after just eight minutes.
The Dragons' halves stocks - already missing Gareth Widdop - were further depleted during the week when they lost Corey Norman to a cheek injury, forcing Paul McGregor to use Jai Field at No.6 in his first starting role.
After in-form prop Paul Vaughan put Field into space, the 21-year-old showcased his blinding speed to outpace noted speedster Tuivasa-Sheck.
However, Tuivasa-Sheck revived his side in the second half as the Dragons sank to their third-straight defeat.
-AAP
