WESTS TIGERS secured a first play-off appearance with a club-record 44-14 victory against CANTERBURY BULLDOGS.

It caps a fine turnaround from finishing bottom in each of the past two years, and they sit third with two rounds remaining.

Hookers Salma Nour and Faythe Manera each scored doubles from dummy-half against a poor Bulldogs defence, winger Lily Rogan also crossed twice and there were further tries by Christian Pio and Shaniece Monschau plus six Raecene McGregor conversions.

Simina Lokotui, Monica Tagoai and Daynah Nankivell crossed for Canterbury, the last goaled by Tayla Preston.

The top two, SYDNEY ROOSTERS and GOLD COAST TITANS, stretched their winning streaks to nine and eight respectively.

Sydney were far from perfect but Brydie Parker and Jessica Sergis braces headlined a 36-8 win over CRONULLA SHARKS.

Taina Naividi, Aliyah Nasio and Mia Wood also crossed for the Roosters, with Jocelyn Kelleher kicking four conversions, while Cronulla could only manage Jada Taylor and Tiana Penitani Gray tries and are now bottom.

Gold Coast were more comfortable than a 26-20 scoreline against CANBERRA RAIDERS would suggest after Mackenzie Wiki scored a hat-trick in the final eleven minutes for the losing side, who also registered an Elise Simpson try and two Zahara Temara goals.

Destiny Mino-Sinapati and Georgia Grey scored tries in each half while Phoenix-Raine Hippi and Ivana Lolesio also crossed for Gold Coast, for whom Lauren Brown could only kick one conversion from six.

After three defeats on the spin, BRISBANE BRONCOS returned to the top four with a 44-10 morale-booster at lowly PARRAMATTA EELS.

Kerri Johnson’s second hat-trick of the season was accompanied by two tries from Tamika Upton and one each by Jada Ferguson, Julia Robinson and Harlem Walker while Jesse Southwell kicked six conversions.

Only in the final ten minutes did the Eels get on the board through Zali Fay and Rory Owen touchdowns, the latter goaled by Rachael Pearson.

NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS are out of the top six after a shock 22-18 defeat at home to ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS.

Trailing 18-14 with five minutes to go, Jayme Millard and Tahlia O’Brien each scored their second tries of the match on the left wing to move the Dragons, who also had a Maria Paseka try and conversion, off the bottom.

Stacey Waaka, Lavinia Tauhalaliku (two) and Mele Hufanga got the Warriors’ touchdowns, with Patricia Maliepo only converting their first.

The New Zealand side are replaced in the play-off positions by NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS, who enjoyed a 40-6 rout of NORTH QUEENSLANDS COWBOYS.

Mercedez Taulelei-Siala’s hat-trick was the highlight, with further tries coming from Lucy Spain, Charley Lahmert, Tenika Willison and Georgia Roche.

Kirra Dibb kicked six goals, while the Cowboys’ own top-six hopes took a major dent after only managing a Jasmine Peters try improved by Rosie Kelly.

Results
Saturday 29 August
Gold Coast Titans 26 Canberra Raiders 20
Sydney Roosters 36 Cronulla Sharks 8
North Queensland Cowboys 6 Newcastle Knights 40
Sunday 30 August
New Zealand Warriors 18 St George Illawarra Dragons 22
Parramatta Eels 10 Brisbane Broncos 44
Wests Tigers 44 Canterbury Bulldogs 14

Fixtures
Saturday 5 September
New Zealand Warriors v Cronulla Sharks (3.45am)
North Queensland Cowboys v Sydney Roosters (6.15am)
Newcastle Knights v Canterbury Bulldogs (8.15am)
Sunday 6 September
St George Illawarra Dragons v Brisbane Broncos (2.50am)
Wests Tigers v Gold Coast Titans (4.45am)
Canberra Raiders v Parramatta Eels (9.15am)
(All UK time, all on Sky Sports and Watch NRL)

Table
Sydney Roosters 18 pts
Gold Coast Titans 16 pts
Wests Tigers 14 pts
Brisbane Broncos 12 pts
Canberra Raiders 10 pts
Newcastle Knights 8 pts
New Zealand Warriors 8 pts
Canterbury Bulldogs 6 pts
North Queensland Cowboys 6 pts
St George Illawarra Dragons 4 pts
Parramatta Eels 4 pts
Cronulla Sharks 2 pts