Butthe match was interrupted on several occasions as security guards dealt with fans who had made their way onto the pitch, disrupting an otherwise joyous occasion in front of a sell-out crowd of 26,009.
There were faint echoes of the Warriors' opening game of 1995. Dave Dobbyn roused the crowd – especially with the "Loyal" singalong – before the team emerged to smoke, drums and fire from the far tunnel.