Dolphins captain Tom Gilbert is in extreme doubt for State of Origin 1 after suffering a pectoral injury as the second-placed Warriors won their fifth on the trot to continue their best start to a season in more than two decades on Saturday afternoon.

MATCH CENTRE: Dolphins vs New Zealand Warriors live scores, teams, videos

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Gilbert left the Suncorp Stadium field in the 28th minute after overreaching while unsuccessfully trying to stop Marata Niukore scoring the game’s opening points and will undergo scans as soon as possible.

In a tough defensive, albeit scrappy battle, where both combatants had plenty of chances but struggled to find any consistent cohesion, the Warriors held off a late two-try rally from the home side before getting home 16-12.

The match was punctuated by Gilbert’s misfortune, a stunning controversial missed call by referee Peter Gough and a brilliant performance from Kurt Capewell.

Both sides had tries from kicks called back in the first quarter of the game after initially being awarded by Gough and it wasn’t until the 28th minute that Niukore opened the scoring after slicing through Gilbert’s attempted tackle on an angled run to cross over.

Controversy came when Gough missed a blatant knock on from Roger Tuivasa-Sheck that led to a Capewell try at the other end of the field.

Playing on the wing, Tuivasa-Sheck made his first appearance since injuring a hamstring in round three and had a mixed afternoon, making plenty of strong carries but looking discombobulated under the high ball.

James Fisher-Harris also returned for the Warriors having recovered from a pectoral injury, taking the field for the first time since round 6. The hard-nosed prop ended the game in the sin bin after belting replacement Harrison Graham with a shoulder to the head with three minutes remaining.

The last time the Warriors were in this position this late in the season was back in 2002 when they were led by the indomitable Stacey Jones and featured a fullback destined for big things off the field – Ivan Cleary.

In an incredible season they finished as minor premiers before reaching their first-ever NRL grand final, going down to the Roosters.

Wahs capitalise from knock on ‘no-call’ | 00:42

GOUGH’S HOWLER

Whistleblower Gough’s 36th minute blunder was an absolute howler.

Tuivasa-Sheck clearly spilt a towering Isaiya Katoa bomb before the ball was pounced on by Chanel Harris-Tavita in an offside position. No penalty. No knock on call.

From the same set the Warriors marched up the field before a piece of Luke Metcalf brilliance put Capewell over. Metcalf broke a tackle 40 metres out on the right edge, put in a little grubber kick for himself, regathered and released Capewell to run the final 20 metres and plant the ball down.

It was a massive missed call in the context of the game and sent the Dolphins fans into a frenzy with a chorus of boos that probably could have been heard in Redcliffe.

Commentating on Fox Sports, Queensland great Kevin Walters was stunned.

“I have been coming here for over 40 years at Suncorp Stadium or Lang Park and that’s a knock on every time.”

ORIGIN WATCH

Maroons coach Billy Slater will almost certainly be on the lookout for another backrower following Gilbert’s injury and he need look no further than Capewell.

The 10-Origin campaigner, playing in the centres, enhanced his claims, at the very least for a spot on Queensland’s bench, scoring a try and doing a stellar job keeping Dolphins’ gun Herbie Farnworth and rising winger Jack Bostock largely in check.

Dolphins’ fullback Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, who is likely to line up in the centres in the series opener on May 28, scored his side’s only try and seemed to come through the match without any concerns.

For Laurie Daley and the Blues, Mitch Barnett also appeared to get through the game unscathed, putting in a typically powerful performance.

WARRIORS MOVE FORWARD WITH YOUTH

The Warriors have unearthed another prodigious young forward with 21-year-old Tanner Stowers-Smith impressing in limited time on debut in the middle of the field.

Stowers-Smith joins classy 19-year-old starting backrower Leka Halasima and interchange players Demitric Vaimauga, 21, and Jacob Laban, 20, to give the New Zealand outfit four of the best rising forwards in the game.

A fifth youngster, 20-year-old edge runner Eddie Ieremia-Toeava, was 18th man for the Warriors.

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