Sydney Roosters coach Trent Robinson has dismissed suggestions they clocked off after catching wind of Shaun Johnson's injury-enforced withdrawal.
The Johnson-less Warriors shocked the NRL premiership favourites with a 30-6 boilover at Allianz Stadium on Saturday night.
It was the Warriors' first win without Johnson since round 22, 2014 and indicated Stephen Kearney's new-look side were no longer reliant on their No.7 to carry them to victory.
In years past, the Warriors have dropped their bundle when Johnson was out.
And Kearney suggested the Roosters let their guard down when he was left back in New Zealand due to a groin problem.
"Possibly we caught them on an off day, when you get the news of someone like Shaun and James (Gavet) not in the side before the match," Kearney said.
However Robinson played down Kearney's summation of the Tricolours.
"No, I don't think that was the case," he said.
"Obviously we started the game as we wanted to but that's up to Steve to give his opinion on that.
"But he can say what he likes, I guess, with a winning team."
The Roosters jumped to a 4-0 lead when Latrell Mitchell sliced through in the third minute but managed just two points in the next 77 minutes.
Robinson said the manner in which his side turned over the ball presented warning signs.
"We've come up against a team that's played well each week," he said.
"They were ready to play and they've played really well.
"You want to respect the basic rules of rugby league, that (the Roosters didn't) concerned me. If you're not going to respect the ball and play that way, that's disappointing.
"There was no rhythm to get any flow of play there and that was due to us through errors."
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