St George Illawarra have revived their NRL finals hopes with a desperately needed 42-16 victory over the embattled Gold Coast Titans.
With their season on the line, the Dragons hauled themselves back into the top eight on Saturday with a seven-tries-to-three triumph at UOW Jubilee Oval.
Trycoring doubles from winger Jason Nightingale, playmaker Kurt Mann and impressive hooker Cameron McInnes and a further four-pointer to Joel Thompson earned the one-time competition leaders just their third win in nine starts.
Gold Coast’s fourth-straight defeat has piled yet more pressure on beleaguered coach Neil Henry, while another lacklustre Jarryd Hayne display is certain to add to speculation around the superstar code-hopper’s future at the Titans.
While the Dragons live to fight another day, coach Paul McGregor will be less than impressed with his side leaking three soft second-half tries after taking a commanding 22-0 lead into the break.
In ending a two-match losing run, St George Illawarra temporarily climbed above Penrith into eighth spot on points differential, ahead of the Panthers hosting North Queensland.
The Dragons next head to Brisbane on Friday night for a gruelling clash with the Broncos before taking on Penrith in a potentially decisive round-25 showdown. They finish the home-and-away season with another must-win contest against Canterbury.