The match provided a snap-shot of much that has defined the Warriors over the past 20 years, with inconsistency and under-delivering being dominant themes.
Despite barely firing a shot, and conceding three first-half tries, the home side came out of the sheds to draw level at 16-all but inaccuracies and errors continued to dog their comeback hopes.
"As a team we just lacked that composure in the end," said coach Andrew McFadden at Mt Smart Stadium.
"All we did was tackle in the first half and we were under pressure and conceded some points.
"It was important we bounce back in the second-half and put some pressure on. We did that well and had opportunities to win the game, we just didn't take them."
With expectations high after their best season start since 2010, and pre-match festivities replicating the Warriors' 1995 extravaganza, there was everything to play for.
A kapa haka performance set the scene before members of the club's original line-up and bursts of fire flanked the side as they emerged out of the tunnel in a re-enactment of the club's inaugural on-field arrival.
However, after starting strongly, the Warriors' structures and intensity fell away as the Broncos enjoyed a wealth of possession and territory. They struggled to get off their own line throughout the second quarter and, overall, 21 errors and five penalties took its toll.
The Broncos held their nerve and warmed into the match, successfully completing their first 18 sets and going 29 minutes before committing their first of only six errors.
As happened in 1995, the visitors went out to a 10-0 lead through tries to wingers, Corey Oates and Lachlan Maranta, before interchange prop Jarrod Wallace added a third just before halftime.
"They probably would have been happy with a few more points with the amount of possession that they had," captain Simon Mannering said.
"A few fundamental errors in that first half and a couple of calls didn't go our way and we didn't have a lot of possession.
"We were still very much in the game. We showed that for the majority of the second-half, we just couldn't quite finish it off."
With five minutes remaining, a contentious ruck infringement against Ben Matulino gave Corey Parker an easy penalty to put his side ahead by two.
A messy line drop out then allowed hooker Andrew McCullough to pounce in-goal for the Broncos' fourth, with Parker converting after the siren to send Warriors fans home with that familiar empty feeling.
Broncos 24 (Corey Oates, Lachlan Maranta, Jarrod Wallace, Andrew McCullough tries; Corey Parker 3 cons, 1 pen), Warriors 16 (Chad Townsend, Solomone Kata, Matt Allwood tries; Shaun Johnson 2 goals). HT: 16-0.
- David Skipwith of the New Zealand Herald
