Clint Gutherson scored twice as Parramatta Eels won a see-saw encounter against Newcastle Knights 20-14 to seal their place in the NRL finals and significantly damage their opponents' hopes.
A double from Gutherson had the Eels in an 8-2 half-time lead, and although the Knights – who have now lost six straight games – fought back through converted tries from Mitchell Barnett and Shaun Kenny-Dowall, the hosts ultimately prevailed at Bankwest Stadium.
Reed Mahoney's try in the 55th minute was swiftly followed up by another from in-form Maika Sivo to build a four-point lead, and Mitch Moses' late penalty sealed the victory.
The Eels move up to joint-fifth in the NRL ladder, while the Knights are 12th, three points adrift of the top eight with four regular season games to play.
.@TheParraEels prove they're Finals worthy #NRLEelsKnights pic.twitter.com/uzPZiwukeo
— NRL (@NRL) August 10, 2019
Elsewhere, Wests Tigers' finals hopes took a dent as they relinquished an eight-point lead at the interval in a dramatic 18-16 defeat to Canterbury Bulldogs that leaves them a point outside the top half.
Josh Jackson, Jeremy Marshall-King and Nick Meaney all crossed in an 11-minute blitz just after the restart to turn the game in the Bulldogs' favour at ANZ Stadium.
The Tigers' Paul Momirovski, who earlier scored two tries, then missed a crucial conversion in the final seconds after Luke Garner's score a minute from time appeared to have set the stage for a golden point battle.
There was more woe for the visitors with Robbie Farah leaving the field in the first half due to a suspected medial ligament injury that could bring a premature end to his final season, while captain Moses Mbye sustained a quad problem that ended his involvement.
You've got to feel for him!
— NRL (@NRL) August 10, 2019
Absolute heartbreak for the Tigers. #TelstraPremiership#NRLBulldogsTigers pic.twitter.com/gi3KdqYkfH
In Saturday's other game, Gareth Widdop shone by laying on three tries and kicking six conversions as St George Illawarra Dragons won an entertaining 12-try encounter 40-28 against Gold Coast Titans.
The match – which all but sealed the wooden spoon for the Titans - was James Graham's 400th first-grade appearance and the prop was emotional after a surprise visit from members of his family who travelled to watch the occasion from England.