Warriors coach Nathan Brown says the way his team reacted to Jazz Tevaga's 30th-minute sin-binning cost them a win over the Cowboys in Townsville.
The Warriors looked set to overcome a 22-6 half-time deficit when they struck the lead with 15 minutes to go, but a late try to Cowboys flyer Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and a late Valentine Holmes field goal gave the hosts a 29-28 victory.
While Chanel Harris-Tavita skewed what would have been a match-clinching one-pointer for the New Zealand club, Brown traced their downfall back to the period in which Tevaga was off the park.
The Warriors have now gone down by a field goal twice this season having also lost 13-12 to the Sea Eagles in round five.
Eighteen-year-old Reece Walsh, starting for the first time at fullback had two try assists and a runaway try in the second term.
The youngster ran for 230 metres and had four tackle breaks in another classy display which ignited the Warriors' second-half revival.