Peta Hiku has shed his mid-season jitters and Lady Luck was in the crowd: Five things to take away from Warriors v Raiders

After a seesaw affair in Auckland last night for Simon Mannering's 300th game, Here's what we learned from the 20-16 victory.

1. The Warriors are making the most of their time with the ball

What's making this Warriors outfit so exciting to watch is the tempo they're playing at the moment. While the scoreboard doesn't reflect it, the Warriors were putting plenty of pressure on the Raiders until that final ten minutes.

Despite near-even possession (The Raiders had 52 per cent to the Warriors' 48), the Warriors managed to dominate in most offensive categories. They had more running metres (1,556 to 1,194), post contact metres (579 to 514), tackle breaks (29 to 10) and averaged eight more metres per set (44.5m to 37.3m).

To put it simply, the offence is in a good place at the moment. Not stellar, but good.

2. Lady Luck was somewhere in the sellout crowd

You can't argue that the Warriors' defence this year hasn't been game-changing in comparison to years past (in fact, I'll prove it later) but the final 10 minutes had fans on the edge of their seats thinking about the last seven years.

The Bunker's ruling of the knock-on was fair enough but their obstruction call to deny Sam Williams was debatable to say the least. But, officials continue to go by the "to the letter" approach this season and for once, it helped the Warriors.

Don't expect it every week though. The Warriors have the fourth worst penalty count this season, averaging just under nine a game in 2018. If they want any chance of making a run in the playoffs, discipline will need fine-tuning before next week.

3. Peta Hiku has shed those mid-season jitters

The "Hiku horrors" of July are a distant memory for the utility, if the last two weeks are anything to come by. Hiku was, rightly, demoted from the starting line-up midway through the season as a defensive liability however he seems to have discovered his mojo once again while covering an injured Gerard Beale in the centres.

He made 11 tackles last night without missing one. And then there was THAT offload. Even if Beale comes back into the squad next week, it's positive to see Hiku, like Lino, can fit in should he be needed. 

4. Defence will make or break their playoff run

The thing that sets aside this Warriors campaign from the seven failures before it is the defence. Sure, getting recruits such as Tohu Harris and Adam Blair certainly helps the cause but the defence from No.1 through to 13 has stepped up phenominally this year.

The Warriors have had issues on the left edge in the past couple of seasons but we're seeing that finally solidify itself. They averaged 24 points against them last year but have cut that down to 18.

Six points may not sound like much but if you think of last night's scoreline, it's the perfect example of the contrast between 2018 and the seven years prior.

5. Simon Mannering is one-of-a-kind

We probably didn't learn this last night but it needs to be addressed regardless. 300 games in the NRL is one thing but to be the first Warrior to play all 300 for the Kiwi club shows strength, spirit and pride that every club needs. 

To put it in perspective, since Mannering's 2005 debut there has been eight coaches, four captains and 105 players come and go form the club. He's been through thick and thin, good and bad - everything, almost.

The one thing that alludes this club icon is a grand final title but if the stars align, he may get his fairy tail ending. There aren't many out there who deserve it more.