They face a must-win game against the Brisbane Broncos on day two if they are to progress to the quarterfinals.
In their second game, against Manly, they coughed up a two-score lead in a disappointing second half to let the Sea Eagles to escape with a 15-12 win.
The Warriors allowed the Sea Eagles out of their own zone on the back of a high tackle penalty. Manly were good enough to take advantage of it as Brayden Wiliame carried defenders over.
Shaun Johnson got involved earlier in his second game back, dancing outside his opposite and creating an overlap for Ken Maumalo to score. The playmaker converted the try to put the Warriors in front.
Former Tigers and Sharks centre Blake Ayshford, who was impressive in his first match, dropped a simple pass that should have seen him walk in for a second try.
Johnson and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck were more involved in the second game of the day and they ensured the Warriors would spend the last few minutes of the half attacking the Manly line.
Ata Hingano was the beneficiary of the sustained attack as he found his over the try line. Johnson's conversion gave the Warriors a 12-4 halftime lead.
The trimmed down 2016 version of Konrad Hurrell made immediate impact upon his introduction, bouncing Jake Trbojebic off in spectacular fashion. Trbojevic was heavily concussed and was stretchered off the field.
Replays showed the hint of a lifted leg from Hurrell - something he has a track record of. Jamie Buhrer had earlier left the field with a suspected broken jaw after heavy contact with Warriors prop Albert Vete. Both incidents will likely draw interest from the competition judiciary.
Tom Trbojevic brought the Sea Eagles back into the game when he collected a Warriors mistake and galloped 50m to score.
In a reversal of the first game against the Bulldogs, the Warriors started better but made a number of second half error to let Manly back into the game.
Eventually the weight of possession told and former Warrior Feleti Mateo put a smart grubber through for Matt Parcell to dive on in the bonus zone.
The Warriors had one set to try and produce a winning try but were unable to come up with anything.
In their opener they had to overcome a slow start to thrash the Bulldogs 34-8.
Bulldogs coach Des Hasler has never been a fan of the NRL Nines concept and in three seasons has never named a particularly strong squad, which resulted in them winning just one solitary game back in 2014.
It was the Bulldogs that enjoyed the better of the first quarter of the match but weren't able to find away to trouble the scoreboard until Tyrone Phillips broke some weak attempted tackles and galloped away to score.
Big forward Shaun Lane added a second try to quieten what had been a vocal Eden Park crowd.
As the first half came to a close the Warriors finally clicked into gear when Nathaniel Roache to break the line and score. Shaun Johnson's conversion reduced the deficit to two points.
A nice interchange of passing by the Warriors big men created space for new recruit Jeff Robson to dot down. Johnson added the extras and the Warriors hit the lead for the first time.
The Warriors took control in the second spell and Solomone Kata, the NRL Nines all-time leading try-scorer, scored a lovely try in the left corner. More importantly though for Warriors fans was the lead-up work which saw both Johnson and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck beating players with footwork. Neither player was anywhere near their best but understandably blew out some pre-season rust in solid outings.
Kata added a second try moments later to secure the win but the Warriors failed to get the conversion attempt completed in time before the shot-clock siren sounded.
Roache, who played well, scored his second try in the bonus zone to continue the blow-out before Johnson iced the game with an intercept try in the bonus zone.
- by Dale Budge