Parramatta spoiled a fairytale finish for the Warriors but kept alive the romance of their own NRL season with a 24-18 win on Sunday.
With three games left before the finals, the Eels have all but locked up a top-four spot with the victory but it wasn’t as easy as they had hoped in front of 4577 fans at Central Coast Stadium.
In a brutally physical encounter, Parramatta managed to stave off a passionate fightback from the Warriors who were playing to keep their finals hopes alive.
The Eels scored three tries in the first half to lead 16-0 but leaked two in two minutes to put themselves under immense pressure for the final 40.
The sides traded tries in the second half to keep the scoreline close, but the Eels turned up the intensity as the Warriors kept coming until the final minute.
It all but ended the Warriors’ hopes of a run at the finals, having won four of their previous five games heading into Sunday’s match.
The spirited performance was made even more remarkable considering the Warriors could only name 20 fit players this week due to the increasing depletion of their squad.
So dire is their situation, support staff were forced to stand in at opposed sessions in preparation for the game.
The Eels led by just four-points at halftime as Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Kodi Nikorima and Chanel Harris-Tavita tore apart their middle.
The ball went through 13 sets of hands before Nikorima grubbered for Harris-Tavita to ground a sensational try in the 35th minute.
From the ensuing kick off, Tuivasa-Sheck broke through the defence on the 25 metre line and was finally caught just short of the line.
But his offload to Nikorima was kicked forward for Harris-Tavita to pick-up in support and cross.
The Eels had scored first through Maika Sivo before Warriors lock Jazz Tevaga was controversially sent to the sin bin in the first half for striking out at firebrand Nathan Brown in a tackle.
Tevaga was battling to stand up, and with a fist full of Brown’s jersey, contacted his face causing Brown to retaliate with a shove.
The Warriors conceded two tries while Tevaga cooled his heels, including Blake Ferguson’s first for the season.
The NSW Origin winger broke the longest try-scoring drought of his NRL career with his four-pointer in the 25th minute after going 16 games without one.
Jai Field and Waqa Blake also crossed for the Eels, while Warriors winger Hayze Perham finished off a beautiful try in the second half.
The Eels are four points clear of Canberra on the NRL ladder with three games to play, setting up a mighty contest with leaders Penrith on Friday night.
The match is already sold out, and has been for at least a week.
Meanwhile, the Warriors are four points behind eighth-placed Cronulla with three games to play, and will face the Sharks at Kogarah on Sunday.