Simon Mannering got the win he deserved - and the Warriors put their season back on track - with a 27-18 over the Titans on Saturday night.
Their fourth victory in five games means they remain in the hunt for the top eight, ahead of their second bye this weekend.
It was an unconvincing display for much of the match, and was a step down from their effort against the Sharks last week, as they struggled to shake off the persistent Titans.
Some individual magic from Shaun Johnson broke the game open in the 66th minute, before a Bodene Thompson try from a scrum move five minutes later sealed the two points.
The defensive effort was a concern - with the Titans crossing for three fairly soft tries - but the home side will bank the win and move on.
In his 250th game Mannering gave a typical wholehearted effort, highlighted by a couple of plays that swung the momentum at crucial times.
Ryan Hoffman was a late withdrawal due to a virus, with Mannering taking the captain's armband and debutant Bunty Afoa coming into the 17.
The first half was pretty ugly. If there was a way to lose momentum the Warriors found it, from unforced errors, to cheap penalties and poor options. They conceded two poor tries, and only some desperate defence - with excellent last ditch tackles from Tui Lolohea and Thompson - stopped the Titans from grabbing a couple more.
It wasn't a complete surprise - in the last few years the Warriors have often struggled to back up after an energy draining loss - but it was disappointing, especially given what was at stake. Aside from the feel good milestone for Mannering, at this time of year you can't afford to slip up at home.
After an emotional buildup to the match - with Mannering welcomed onto the field to a haka from the Warriors' NSW Cup team as he carried his two children - the Titans managed to silence the home crowd within three minutes.
Fullback Josh Hoffman ran 95 metres through turnstile-type defence, as the home side failed to chase a attacking grubber kick near the Titans line.
Blake Ayshford replied with a long range intercept try, but it was unconvincing stuff from the home side and no surprise when the Gold Coast side scored again, with winger Nene MacDonald soaring above defenders to claim a well placed Tyrone Roberts kick.
The familiar 'Warriors, Warriors' chant wasn't heard until after the half hour mark, as the crowd had little to cheer about. Thompson put Johnson in space and from the next play Lolohea finished off a well worked back line move. The winger had plenty to do - with three Titans defenders converging across a narrow channel - but showed good composure to score.
Much of the second half was a stop start affair. The match was halted for almost five minutes after Titans' centre Karl Lanton suffered a gruesome foot injury, with his ankle twisting almost 180 degrees under the pressure of the tackle.
A few minutes later half the players on the field were involved in a brawl - after some of the Warriors objected to a challenge on Thomas Leuluai after a kick - and both team struggled to find any rthymn.
The Warriors edged ahead through a couple of Issac Luke penalties, before Shaun Johnson produced the kind of magic moment that has become his trademark.
After taking a spiral pass from Jacob Lillyman - a rare sight - the halfback ghosted between two defenders near halfway, fended off a covering defender, then stepped inside the fullback to dot down between the posts. That extended the Warriors' lead to eight points, before Bodene Thompson ran a great line off a Leuluai pass to seal the win, despite a late Cameron Cullen try for the Titans.
Warriors 27 (B Ayshford, T Lolohea, S Johnson, B Thompson tries; I Luke 5 goals, Johnson field goal)
Titans 18 (J Hoffman, N MacDonald, C Cullen tries; T Roberts 3 goals)
Halftime: 10-10
