The wait goes on. Almost halfway through the season, and we still haven't seen an 80 minute performance from the Warriors.
There were good moments - but not enough of them - as they slumped to a 30-18 loss to the Panthers. It's a defeat that will only intensify the pressure on coach Andrew McFadden, as these are matches where you have to bank the win.
But Penrith were simply better. More composed, more clinical and more resilient. The match was lost in the last 20 minutes of the first half, as the Warriors failed to take advantage of a strong wind and their four point halftime lead was never going to be enough.
The Panthers scored three tries in the last 20 minutes to wrap up the win, leaving the Warriors stranded near the bottom of the ladder.
Unfortunately, the Warriors still lack a sense of occasion, an ability respond to momentum swings. Most of Penrith's big moments came from Warriors errors, or an inability to play a territorial game when it was desperately needed.
It was sweet and sour from Shaun Johnson on a difficult night for play makers. He twice kicked out on the full - which is generally inexcusable - and also gifted the Panthers their first try. But the spark was back in his running game.
Thomas Leuluai's return made a difference. He was heavily involved in two of the Warriors tries and his direct approach tends to open up space for Shaun Johnson.
So the wrong result but what an occasion! The capacity Christchurch crowd - not even one spare seat - created easily the best atmosphere of the season, with deafening noise. But the conditions were tough, with the gale force wind making every pass precarious.
The Warriors made the ideal start, with Solomone Kata crashing through five tackles to score from close range. In an up and down season Kata has been one of the constants, continuing her 2015 form.
As they have done for most of this season, the Warriors then found a new bizarre way to concede a try, with Johnson's panicked offload behind his off try line dived on by Jamie Soward, after Tui Lolohea had almost been corralled into his in goal.
It's all about options; Lolohea has to learn that not every kick return needs to a dazzling sidestepping run, and Johnson couldn't have picked a worst time to run from dummy half. It got worst for the halfback, as an Tyrone Peachey try extended the Panthers lead after Johnson sent the kickoff over the dead line on the full.
Johnson made amends, combining with Leuluai to send Johnathan Wright across, then sparking another break with a mazy run then ended with Blake Ayshford diving over but there was a nagging feeling that the four point halftime advantage wouldn't be enough.
Peachey - who looked dangerous every time he got the ball - took the Panthers back into the lead with a slashing try in the 62nd minute, after the Warriors had failed to make the most of rare time in Penrith territory. The visitors wrapped up the match with a Dallin Watene-Zelezniak try in the 73rd minute, though there was a strong suspicion of obstruction, before Peachey sealed an wonderful match with his hat trick.
Panthers 30 (J Soward, T Peachey 3, Watene-Zelezniak tries, J Soward 3 goals)
Warriors 18 (S Kata, J Wright, B Ayshford tries, S Johnson 3 goals)
Halftime: 18-14
