Starved of possession and territory, the defiant Dolphins threatened to defy the odds in a rare, low-scoring second half before livewire fullback Taine Tuaupiki conjured the match winner for the Warriors on Saturday night.
Referee Liam Kennedy and Ashley Klein in the Bunker were perhaps the busiest men involved at Hnry Stadium, the two officials asked to decide on seemingly endless close calls.
In the end, the Warriors will be thankful to escape with a fourth-straight win in the New Zealand capital, having lost their first six, to climb above Wests Tigers into second spot on points difference and behind only Penrith.
But the victory came at a cost, with classy prop Mitch Barnett to miss next week's clash with Parramatta after being helped off with a category-one concussion following a friendly-fire head clash with teammate Chanel Harris-Tavita.
Winger Dallin Watane-Zelezniak could also be in strife after being placed on report for a hip-drop tackle on Dolphins young gun Tevita Naufahu.
With 45 tries scored in the opening four games of round eight, it was no surprise the Warriors and Dolphins - traditionally two all-out attack sides anyway - produced a helter-skelter first half.
They bagged three tries apiece, with the Dolphins taking an 18-14 lead to the break courtesy of a double in three minutes to prolific-scoring winger Jamayne Isaako, who also slotted all three conversions.
Warriors winger Alofiana Khan-Pereira also posted a first-half brace, with Watane-Zelezniak crossing three times but denied twice by the video referee.
Herbie Farnworth's clever chip-and-regather effort cancelled out Khan-Pereira's first strike before Isaako gave the Dolphins all the momentum heading towards halftime.
After the Dolphins lost their lead in the 61st minute, Isaako missed a two-point field-goal attempt with 22 seconds left on the clock trying to force the game into golden point.
Compounding their disappointment, prop Thomas Flegler was placed on report for illegally taking out Ali Leiataua in the lead-up to the Warriors' match-winning try before centre Jake Averillo suffered a sickening compound fracture of the finger.
Warriors second-rower Leka Halasima was also placed on report for a shoulder charge on Dolphins prop Tom Gilbert.
16°C