Brisbane has sent a powerful message to the rest of the premiership with a 36-20 victory over South Sydney.

Earlier, Shaun Johnson's golden-point field goal earned the Warriors a 21-20 win over the fast-finishing Raiders.

Brisbane Broncos 36 def South Sydney Rabbitohs 20

Brilliant Brisbane fullback Reece Walsh returned from suspension to inspire his side to a win and put a dagger in the heart of bumbling South Sydney's top-four hopes.

Walsh set up two tries in the first half at Sunshine Coast Stadium with passing wizardry and then put his foot down after half-time to leave Rabbitohs defenders clutching at thin air in a scintillating 40-metre sprint to the tryline.

The 21-year-old, returning from a three-week suspension, tore the Rabbitohs apart with his rare skill set.

The Broncos are now on 32 points and on top of the ladder at least until Penrith host Canterbury on Sunday.

The Rabbitohs are eighth on 24 points but are no certainties of even staying in the finals hunt if they keep playing like they did against the Broncos.

They have now lost six of their last eight games and have fallen off a cliff defensively.

Constant errors with the football and a lack of discipline without it are haunting the Rabbitohs.

Souths led 14-12 at the break after a first half in which neither side could hang on to the ball.

Broncos prop Martin Taupau was sin-binned and put on report in the 13th minute for lifting his leg straight into Rabbitohs centre Campbell Graham while running the ball.

It was individual brilliance that led to points in the opening half.

Walsh spiralled a pass for a Kotoni Staggs try and then sent winger Selwyn Cobbo over with a sensational cut-out pass.

The Rabbitohs put the foot down in the sixth minute with a classic left-side play.

Five-eighth Cody Walker and fullback Blake Taaffe combined to send winger Alex Johnston over for his 181st career try.

Time was up on the clock at the end of the first half when Graham crashed over from close range after a crafty pass by hooker Damien Cook to give the Rabbitohs a 14-12 lead at the break.

The contest was crying out for a game-breaker and Wash put his hand up to be the man when, with breathtaking speed and evasion, he blitzed his way to a try and celebrated with a backwards somersault.

Giant Broncos prop Xavier Willison, a late inclusion on the bench after illness ruled out back-rower Brendan Piakura, then crashed over from close range to make it 24-14.

Staggs scored his second before Broncos winger Jesse Arthars was sin-binned for a high shot on Taaffe.

The Rabbitohs scored through Isaiah Tass out wide but when Brisbane skipper Adam Reynolds went in against his former club it was game over.

New Zealand Warriors 21 def Canberra Raiders 20

The Warriors won a thrilling golden-point battle over Canberra after Shaun Johnson kicked a 35-metre field goal in a victory that consolidates a top-four position on the ladder.

Seemingly cruising to victory with a 20-10 lead, the Warriors let in two late tries to allow the visitors to level the scores.

In a dramatic finish with two minutes of normal time left, Elliott Whitehead scored on the short side and Jarrod Croker's conversion split the posts.

From the kick-off, the Raiders spread it wide and Jack Wighton was on hand to race away and score in the opposite corner.

Crucially, Croker could not repeat his heroics, his missed conversion sending the game to extra time.

A seven-tackle restart was all the Warriors needed in golden point as they made their way upfield to set up Johnson for his strike that ended the game at 21-20 in front of 19,112 fans at Mt Smart Stadium.

The rain that had lashed Auckland during the day held off, which would have been a relief to the Warriors who had suffered two heavy defeats at home in terrible conditions this season.

The dry surface allowed them to start with a bang.

Fresh off a three-week suspension, Marata Niukore burst onto a Wayde Egan short ball in the third minute, scoring near the posts to give the Warriors a 6-0 lead.

While it appeared the Warriors had simply picked up where they left off last weekend when they thumped the Sharks, the Raiders had other ideas.

Strong defence forced a number of errors from the Warriors, including Shaun Johnson throwing an errant pass to Niukore that hit the deck and was pounced on by Hudson Young, who ran 40 metres untouched to level the scores.

Tight defence turned the game into an arm wrestle, with Johnson opting to take the two points on offer when the Raiders infringed after half an hour.

Canberra were left to rue a missed opportunity before fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad scored to give the Warriors a 14-6 lead at the break.

After a weight of Warriors' possession early in the second half, Johnson combined with Rocco Berry to put Dallin Watene-Zelezniak in the corner.

Jordan Rapana hit back for Canberra in the 63rd minute, climbing beautifully over Marcelo Montoya to claim a Fogarty cross-field bomb and draw the Raiders within two converted tries.

The Warriors defence, which had previously given up 34 missed tackles, looked to have tightened up before Canberra's late flurry.

The win moves the Warriors into third equal as they head into their bye week.

AAP

Fixtures

Ladder