Ewan Irwin's second-half kick proved enough to sink injury-ravaged Leeds 14-12 at Headingley and send Warrington into next weekend's Betfred Super League Grand Final for the first time since 2018.
The visitors slowly cranked up the pressure in the later stages and Irwin's penalty proved the only score of a pressure-filled second period that shattered the hosts' dreams of returning to the season-ending showpiece.
Brad Arthur's Rhinos led the league table until the penultimate week of the season but a mounting injury crisis dealt a hammer-blow to their post-season chances and despite an heroic effort his patched-up starting 13 fell agonisingly short.
Leeds were gifted a last-ditch chance with the last kick of the game when they were awarded a penalty more than 60 metres from goal, but Jake Connor's effort to tie the scores fell short.
A rough week for Leeds got worse in the hours before kick-off. Already without Lachlan Miller and Ash Handley, they were forced to write off Maika Sivo following a shoulder injury in training, then lost Chris Hankinson, who pulled up in the warm-up. The Rhinos were forced to start brothers Fergus and Ned McCormack while another 21-year-old, Riley Lumb, was given the task of replacing Sivo on the wing.
Former Leeds man James Bentley needed just five minutes to barge over on the end of Warrington's first attack. Leeds responded on the quarter-hour mark when Brodie Croft – set to move to Warrington next season – found Ryan Hall in space to ease over. Ned McCormack then sprung the move that sent Connor galloping over for his second, which he converted, before Luke Yates twisted away to score and level shortly before the break.
A penalty awarded against James McDonnell for obstructing Williams gifted Irwin the chance to land his third kick of the night and nudge Warrington two points clear at 14-12 with less than quarter of an hour remaining. The hosts survived late pressure but failed to fight their way back into the contest, and it is Warrington who will await the winners of Saturday's second semi-final between Wigan and Wakefield.