The NZ Warriors have fallen to their first defeat of the NRL season, as the Sydney Roosters triumphed 20-12 in scorching conditions at Allianz Stadium.
An Addin Fonua-Blake try set up an exciting final 15 minutes, but the visitors couldn't capitalise, with late errors proving their undoing.
In the searing heat, neither side couldn't escape its toll, with not even more drinks breaks and a longer halftime sparing them.
The Warriors' hopes of grabbing back-to-back wins were dealt a crushing blow, with Jackson Ford, Josh Curran and Charnze Nicoll-Klockstad all succumbing to injuries.
Ford was forced from the field in his side's very first set of the game with a head injury, and never returned to the action.
But the Warriors didn't do themselves any favours early, gifting the home team fresh sets after a couple of infringements.
The Roosters made them pay, with star fullback James Tedesco timing his pass to Jaxson Paulo perfectly to send the winger over in the corner for the game's first try.
A charging Marcelo Montoya run meant the Warriors weren't the only side feeling the brunt of the collisions, with Brandon Smith coming off second-best in his tackle.
Another penalty gave Sam Walker the opportunity to extend the lead and he made no mistake with the shot at goal, with Adam Pompey deemed the guilty party for obstruction.
The Warriors then lost Marata Niukore for an HIA, before Tedesco made a great tackle around the bootlaces of Edward Kosi to force him into touch.
A Joseph-Aukuso Suaali penalty gave the Warriors another set just 25 metres out from the tryline, and they made sure to make it count.
Te Maire Martin found a surging Shaun Johnson on his inside, before he showed great strength and awareness to ride the tackle and pop the ball to Wayde Egan to score.
With the Roosters' lead cut to just two points at halftime, Paulo grabbed his second shortly after the break to give themselves more breathing room.
After Montoya was placed on report for a high shot, the Roosters attacked the right wing once more, with Manu drawing in his opposite to put Paulo over.
Just 10 minutes later and the Roosters were in again, with Keary putting Suaalii through a hole with a brilliant pause and pass.
The centre broke one tackle, before Kosi forced him to look for support and find a grateful Walker to go over for the score.
But the Warriors showed why they believe they're a different outfit in 2023, as they hit back almost immediately to set up a tense final quarter.
Niukore burst through a tackle up the middle, before linking up with a charging Fonua-Blake to run in underneath the goalposts for the try.
The Warriors looked as if they had stolen momentum and were playing with an extra step in their runs until a couple of unforced errors.
A Dylan Walker knock-on and a poor play of the ball by Kosi showed fatigue had well and truly set in, as the Roosters hung on in defence, before almost grabbing another try of their own.
Winger Daniel Tupou was denied by the bunker, but it wouldn't matter, as another penalty saw Walker seal the win with two more points.
Roosters 20 (Paulo 2, Walker tries; Walker 2 con, 2 pen) Warriors 12 (Egan, Fonua-Blake tries; Johnson 2 con)
