The Warriors are back on track for a return to the NRL finals after last year’s surprise playoff run following their injury-depleted side’s Sunday upset over the Dolphins at Go Media Stadium.

A couple of weeks ago they were in danger of sinking to the bottom four spots on the ladder but they are now back in the top-eight equation after backing up their win over Penrith at Magic Round with a 24-20 triumph back on home soil over the Dolphins.

They are now up to a 5-1-6 record and sit just three points behind eighth-placed Canberra as they head into their first bye of the season.

The Warriors went into the game without Addin Fonua-Blake after Andrew Webster dropped the star prop because he left the sheds before the team song and the coach’s post-match coach address at Magic Round following their upset over three-time premiers Penrith.

They were also without Tohu Harris, Shaun Johnson, Luke Metcalf, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Wayde Egan through injury with Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad a late withdrawal on game day to add to their crowded casualty ward.

Dallin Watene-Zelezniak was playing fullback for just the second time since leaving Canterbury in 2021. The 28-year-old was forced to step into the No.1 jersey when Taine Tuaupiki pulled out just before kick-off due to the impending birth of his child.

The Dolphins drew first blood when Jamayne Isaako planted the ball over in the corner before making it 10-0 when English centre Herbie Farnworth cut through some poor defence next to the posts.

Chanel Harris-Tavita pegged the deficit back four points midway through the first half when he made the most of a failed Dolphins bomb defusal but the visitors regained the ascendancy when Farnworth split the defence up the middle and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow backed him up to re-establish a 10-point cushion.

Te Maire Martin, stepping up as chief playmaker with Johnson sidelined, crossed for a well-deserved try in the 32nd minute but the Dolphins maintained their 16-12 lead heading into the interval.

The home side hit the front after sustained pressure in the 57th minute when Dallin Watene-Zelezniak crashed over from close range.

At one point the Warriors had six of seven sets of possession with Harris-Tavita and Martin taunting the Dolphins with pin-point kicks to the in-goal area to earn repeat sets.

Kiwi forward Marata Niukore converted the weight of possession into points when he carried Dolphins halfback Isaiya Katoa over the stripe to open up a 24-16 advantage.

Isaako pounced on a grubber out wide to halve the deficit heading into the final four minutes but the Dolphins were unable to produce a late match-winner with a Jack Bostock break snuffed out by Martin in cover defence.

It was fitting that Martin put the finishing touches on the victory as he orchestrated the against-the-odds victory with a top-quality all-round display.