It has caught everyone by surprise, but Friday's NRL semi-final between the New Zealand Warriors and Sydney Roosters in Auckland could also result in some unexpected flashbacks for rival coaches Ivan Cleary and Brad Fittler.

The two mentors played on opposing sides the last time their clubs met in a playoff match, the 2002 grand final which the Roosters won 30-8.

Cleary, Fittler and just five current players remain at the clubs from that battle, the Warriors' only appearance in a decider.

Lance Hohaia, Logan Swann and Wairangi Koopu played for the Warriors that day while the Roosters' Anthony Minichiello and Craig Fitzgibbon will also have the chance to relive the game.

The Roosters' loss to Brisbane last Friday left them vulnerable to a trans-Tasman flight they were not expecting to have to make before the Warriors' boilover in Melbourne.

The Warriors stunned the rugby league world with the win, the first ever by an eighth-placed team over the minor premiers, but were warning their best football was yet to come.

"We got a win but I don't actually think we played our best footy," tryscoring hero Michael Witt told AAP.

"We still made a lot of errors but just the way we stuck in and kept working really hard, that was what got us home.

"I think we can improve on the performance we had yesterday. We gave away a fair few penalties and dropped a lot of ball on early tackles."

While captain Steve Price was telling Sydney radio of an "inner confidence that we were going to be okay", Witt, who scored the 78th minute clincher for the Warriors, said the bond between the players had helped them home.

"We were quietly confident that if we went about things the way we knew we could and we could just stick to our plan then we could come away with a win," Witt said before the Warriors flew back to Auckland.

"I guess when a lot of people write you off it just makes the team bond closer together and I think we were all just willing to work for our mate beside us and it worked out."

Five-eighth Witt, fullback Hohaia, halfback Nathan Fien and hooker Ian Henderson rose above their reputations to take it to key Storm opposite numbers Billy Slater, Greg Inglis, Cooper Cronk and Cameron Smith.

"We probably don't have the massive big names," Witt said.

"I think a lot of people thought once Wade (McKinnon) was (suspended) that we'd have a bit of trouble at fullback but I think Lance Hohaia going back there has been great for us.

"I think the way that Ian's playing out of dummy-half and the way that Nath's playing at halfback and then plays a little bit of dummy-half, I think we've sort of got a good rotation going at the moment."

Witt, however, won't be allowed to forget his bizarre delay in putting the ball down after crossing the Storm's line in the dying moments at Olympic Park.

He claimed yesterday he was winding down the clock but he almost had the ball dislodged by Smith - and Price was not impressed.

"I got to Witty first (before Cleary)," he told 2KY.

"I hope he never, ever does that again.

"I said `when you get over the line you dive, I don't care'.

"I don't know what he was thinking, he came up with some stupid excuse but he certainly won't do that again."

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