KEY POINTS:
The Warriors had Penrith blown off the park by halftime at Mt Smart last night, producing their best attacking football of the season.
Conditions were slippery but they threw the ball around, the passes stuck so when the second 40 minutes came down to more of a grind they were in the box seat, running out easy winners.
The Panthers lost fullback Rhys Wesser to an ankle injury, stunting their attack. They contributed to their downfall with kicks that failed to find touch and by being caught in possession on the last tackle. But then that was down to pressure from the home side.
The Warriors had a flying start and were 6-0 up after two minutes. The visitors made just 30 metres in the first set after accepting the kick-off and their last-tackle punt was put under pressure.
As a result the Warriors started their first set in good field position.
Logan Swann produced an off-load that got them on a roll. George Gatis and Grant Rovelli provided acceleration for a break, fullback Wade McKinnon came on to the ball at speed and took a pass off his knees and drew his opposite Rhys Wesser before putting Michael Witt away for a run to the posts.
Four minutes later Penrith replied in their second set, Craig Gower kicking to Manu Vatuvei's wing, Penrith wing Michael Gordon beating Vatuvei to the ball and palming it back to centre Luke Lewis. They immediately bombed Vatuvei a second time but he took the catch, to much cheering from the crowd of 9978. He took other high shots under pressure and with confidence.
The Warriors continued to play at pace, with good kick-chase. Good field position produced a second try when George Gatis ran from dummy-half and rolled over the top of Wesser to get the ball down one-handed.
At 16 minutes Witt was in for his second under the bar.
Penrith had a chance when Gower's kick was allowed to bounce in the 10 metres, but the chasers were ruled offside and Geoff Daniela's touchdown was ruled out by video ref Tim Mander.
A high percentage of tries are scored after penalties these days and that's how the Warriors' next came, Wairangi Koopu had a simple run-in as they created an extra man.
They were denied a fifth soon after but the way they were playing more points seemed inevitable. There was variation, enthusiasm, back-up and few errors.
The Panthers might have been closer but, critically, Gower failed to find touch from two penalties just inside the Warriors' half.
He did drop a good kick for left wing Nick Youngquest to score. But straight afterwards McKinnon nailed try five from his support play.
With 28 seconds left he ran down Grant Rovelli's mid-field chip to set play up for Epalahame Lauaki to score off a second chip from Nathan Fien for 36-10 at the break.
Defence was the name of the game in the third quarter, both sides producing great goal-line scramble. Panthers bench man Keith Peters scored from a chip.
Then McKinnon brought the crowd to its feet with a 65 metre solo they'll replay on TV for some time - stepping off both feet and fending to beat traffic all the way.
Penrith tried hard but at times their attack looked confused. They'd been bamboozled by the first-half blitz, then McKinnon's killing blow.
Vatuvei scored wide, Louis Anderson busted up the middle to wind the game down. The Panthers had no answer.
Warriors 54
Panthers 14
