North Queensland have given their hopes of hosting their first home final in six years a massive boost, staying second with a 34-8 win over St George Illawarra.
In a crucial result for each team's season, the Cowboys barely looked threatened at Kogarah before running away with the match late in the second half.
With five rounds to play, the Dragons' season looks shot while North Queensland are now all but guaranteed to be finals-bound for the first time since 2017.
But much more beckons than just a return to the playoffs.
A crucial home game in the first week of the finals remains firmly in the Cowboys' grasp, with the win keeping them two points clear of the chasing Cronulla with a far superior for-and-against.
A top-two finish would also guarantee a second home final beyond the opening week, meaning North Queensland can dare to dream of playing all of September in Townsville until the grand final.
Among the favourites for the wooden spoon at the start of the season, the Cowboys are firming as a genuine title contender.
And for all the talk of their electrifying back five and impressive attack, it has been their forwards who have represented the biggest change.
Jeremiah Nanai scored two tries and Griffin Neame also crossed in Sunday's win, while Jason Taumalolo had an influential second half, tempered only by being put on report for a shoulder charge.
The Cowboys' first try was also from the work of Coen Hess, who earned a fast play-the-ball before Scott Drinkwater put Kyle Feldt over on the next play.
Moments later it was Nanai who produced the decisive play, bursting through the Dragons' defence before sending Drinkwater over under the posts.
After the Cowboys led 10-8 at the break, their forwards helped ensure they would spend most of the second half on the Dragons' line.
Taumalolo twice turned into provider as North Queensland pulled away, once going to the line and putting Neame through the middle of two defenders to score.
Nanai's first four-pointer was also off the back of some Taumalolo brilliance, as the Cowboys star burst downfield and the second-rower scored from the next play.
His second came when he ran onto a deft Chad Townsend pass, taking the edge forward's try tally for the year to 16.
In comparison, the Dragons were limited in their opportunities after not making the most of their chances in the first half.
Jack de Belin scored the Saints' only try when he toed ahead a Ben Hunt offload that went to ground, but they only completed at 64 per cent after the break.
The result leaves them struggling to hold onto any hope of playing finals football this year, sitting two points out of the top eight with a horror for-and-against.
