Paul Barbieri at the WACA
The Warriors are still on track for first innings points after the opening day of their Weetbix Sheffield Shield clash with New South Wales, reaching stumps at 3-106 after bowling the Blues out for 177 by tea.
Western Australia appeared in cruise control just before the end of play, with skipper Marcus North (24 not out) and Australian prospect Shaun Marsh (26) at the crease.
But, with the third last ball of the day, a tireless Nathan Bracken, who scored a blistering half-century earlier in the day, tempted Marsh into his first rash shot of the afternoon.
The usually explosive Marsh, playing a more cautious role as he looked to anchor WA's innings, mistimed his stroke, sending an outside edge to Philip Hughes at second-slip, leaving unbeaten nightwatchman Trent Kelly to face two balls.
Earlier in the innings, the flashy Liam Davis scored 30 off 29 balls before being caught by Steven Smith off Greg Lambert's bowling, while Mark Cameron had Luke Pomersbach caught in front for 23.
But the day still belonged to the Warriors after its attack ripped through the Blues top-order, leaving them at 6-65 at lunch and forcing Bracken (63) and Lambert (37) into a late rescue effort.
Western Australian bowlers Steve Magoffin (4-36) and debutant Arron Crawford (3-36) led the charge, while Brett Dorey (2-42) and Theo Doropoulos (1-9) chimed in for three wickets between them as well.
But their efforts were undermined somewhat by Bracken's explosive innings as he belted a rapid-fire half century from 33 balls which included six boundaries and three sixes.
In warm and sunny conditions at the WACA, North won the toss for WA and sent New South Wales into bat, laying the challenge to his strike bowlers.
Magoffin and Dorey certainly delivered, pinning down the Blues' openers before Magoffin claimed Hughes for four with the score on 15, as he was caught by North.
Greg Mail (10) followed in the next over, caught at third slip by Marsh off Dorey's bowling and the Blues were three down when Moises Henriques was caught by Pomersbach for one off the sixth ball of Crawford's career.
Blues skipper Dominic Thornely (four) was then trapped in front by Crawford with the score at 4-30 and the collapse continued when Steven Smith was bowled by Magoffin just six runs later.
Forrest looked likely to attack the Warriors' bowlers, hitting a sensational cover drive down the ground for four off all-rounder Theo Doropoulos in the 24th over.
But the very next ball, Doropoulos deceived Forrest in the air, earning a thick outside edge that carried through to Luke Ronchi behind the stumps and saw Forrest returning to the pavilion for 16.
It only got worse for the Blues immediately after lunch as Daniel Smith (28) top-edged an attempted hook shot, skying the ball and giving Ronchi an easy catch, while potential Australian spinner Beau Casson (zero) fell victim to a fantastic diving catch by Kelly at fine leg.
Casson's wicket brought Bracken to the crease and he immediately set about dominating a bowling line-up that had been on top all day.
The Australian ODI bowler smashed 18 off Crawford in his first over, including a massive six from his first ball that landed on a roof in the Lillee-Marsh stand.
Bracken and Lambert quickly set about putting on 38 for the ninth wicket before the latter was caught down low by Ronchi