The Warriors can challenge for the title. Souths need Latrell back to stand a chance

Moments before kick-off, addressing a home crowd pining for his return, Latrell Mitchell was asked about his comeback date.

“I’m close,” said Mitchell, looking resplendent in his club-issued suit.

Mitchell’s return can’t come quick enough. South Sydney have done a commendable job to all but secure a finals berth without their talisman on the field for three months, but this match was proof they need Mitchell back to have any chance against the top teams.

And the Warriors are most certainly that. In fact, they are at the very apex of the NRL ladder after significantly improving their for-and-against against the Rabbitohs. As the full-time siren sounded, second-game Warriors playmaker Luke Hanson kicked a field goal to produce an unusual 45-26 final score.

In doing so, the Warriors joined the Panthers on 38 competition points, but edged one point clear in points differential.

It was some way to cap a week that included the extension of coach Andrew Webster and his assistant Andrew McFadden.

It was achieved with their fourth-choice halves pairing, against a side that couldn’t have been more impressive against Canterbury at the same venue last weekend. On a night on which Jett Cleary came agonisingly close to a debut – he remained stationed on a six-man bench – the Warriors further underscored their status as a genuine contender.

The beauty of the Wahs is how balanced their side is. Much of the creativity comes from their first touch of the ball, via Mitch Kenny. It was evident when the hooker set up the first try of the game, with a clever bit of deception that allowed James Fisher-Harris to crash over. When he set up another at the quarter-time mark - with a grubber that Mitchell Barnett grounded just before the dead-in-goal line - the contest appeared over.

The issue for opposing teams is that the pressure doesn’t relent when their bench players come onto the field. This was exemplified when Demitric Vaimauga popped a short ball to fellow super-sub Eddie Ieremia-Toeava, who looked to have butchered a try as he was falling to the ground, only to pop an indescribable pass for Chanel Harris-Tavita to score.

However, the Warriors didn’t have it all their own way. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak produced his obligatory contortionist put-down, but played no further part in proceedings after injuring the AC joint in his right shoulder in doing so.

In his absence, the Rabbitohs produced a spirited comeback. Alex Johnston notched yet another record with his double, the first time a player has scored in 12 consecutive matches at the one venue.

There was even a whiff of an upset when the winger set up Cody Walker – rather than the other way around – to reduce the deficit to just six points.

The Warriors responded and inflicted Souths’ first loss at home all season. In the dying stages here was a game within a game. Would the Warriors be able to win the game by the 19 points required to go ahead of the Panthers on points differential?

When Taine Tuapiki slotted a sideline conversion - his eighth from as many attempts - it handed young Hanson the chance to give his team a view from the top.