The Roosters scored 24 unanswered points in the final 20 minutes of the second half.
The final is better remembered to Warriors fans for the spectacular try scored by the little general' Stacey Jones to give his team the lead just after halftime.
2. The first game
1995: In the club's debut match the Warriors, in front of 30,000 fans at a newly refurbished Mt Smart Stadium, hosted the Brisbane Broncos.
The Warriors pushed Brisbane and even led 22-10 at one point in the second half before the Broncos defeated the new club 25-22.
A cracking start to the birth of top-tier professional rugby league in New Zealand.
3. Warriors win minor premiership
2002: Defeating their bogey side the Canberra Raiders 36-20 in the first week of the playoffs was a historic moment for the club.
John Carlaw, Henry Fa'afili, Stacey Jones, Ali Lauiti'iti, Francis Meli, and MarkTookey scored with current coach Ivan Cleary slotted each conversion.
Following the match, the Minor Premiership was awarded to the club after the Bulldogs had lost all their competition points for salary cap breaches.
4. Warriors advance to first-ever final
2002: To make it to their maiden final, the Warriors downed a strong Sharks outfit featuring Brett Kimmorley, David Peachey and hard-nosed prop John Lang in a tense encounter.
Tries to Motu Tony and Clinton Toopi had put the side in-front before the Sharks tied the match 10-all with 18 minutes to go.
Step up Stacey Jones in the 74th minute. His grubber across the face of the posts was pounced on by centre John Carlaw to wrap up the match and send Warriors fans into a frenzy.
5. Witt seals huge boilover victory
2008: Arguably the Warriors' most thrilling victory in the history of the club was an upset over the Melbourne Storm 18-15 at Olympic Park in the 2008 playoffs.
The side became the first 8th ranked team, since the introduction of the McIntyre system, to beat the minor premiers in the first week of the last eight.
Michael Witt clinched the win with a try two minutes from the death and even had time to taunt Cameron Smith before grounding the ball for a dramatic victory.
6. Warriors reach second GF
2011: Much like the week before when the Warriors upset the West Tigers, no one was picking them to shock the Storm and advance to just their second final.
But thanks to some staunch defence and Shaun Johnson's magic touch the Warriors continued their fine run against the Storm in Melbourne with a 20-12 win.
7. Warriors fall one game short of repeat GF
Having been to the big dance the previous year, the Warriors fell one game short of repeating the feat, going down 20-28 to eventual champions the Penrith Panthers.
The 'Hair Bears' Joe Galuvao and Tony Puletua bulldozed through the Warriors that night and went on to do the same against the Roosters the following week in the 2003 Grand Final.
8. Warriors finally break the playoffs duck
2001: The Parramatta Eels thrashed an injury depleted Warriors 56-12, which at the time was the largest winning margin in finals series history.
It was a good old hiding from the 2001 minor premiers, but making it to the playoffs shut up the doubters (including many in New Zealand) who dismissed the "Auckland Warriors" as just a novelty team.
It appeared that things were finally heading in the right direction for the club.
9. Sea Eagles v Warriors 2008 GF qualifier
2008: Having beaten the Storm and frying the Roosters a week later the Warriors late season run brought them one step away from the Grand Final.
However their charmed luck was snuffed out when they met the Manly Sea Eagles at the penultimate hurdle, ending up on the wrong side of a 32-6 scoreline.
10. Too hot to handle
2007: After losing their first ever playoff match at home to the Eels in week one of the finals, the Warriors had to travel to North Queensland where the NRL had the wisdom to play an afternoon fixture at Dairy Farmers Stadium midway through September. The Warriors were forced to wear their black strip and wilted in the heat going down 49-12.
- HERALD ONLINE
