NRL

St George Illawarra secured a crucial two points against Wests Tigers which should all but help them avoid any thought of a wooden spoon at the club while the Sea Eagles survived a scare in Cronulla to stay within reach of the top eight.

Every week presents a new narrative for the Dragons ahead of Shane Flanagan's takeover next season and for the time being it seems winning after a bye week has help settling things down for the Red V. 

Newcastle's impressive victory over the Storm moved them to within one point of the top eight, filling the Knights faithful with hope that a return to the finals is a very real possibility.

With Kalyn Ponga in supreme form and their forwards rumbling through the middle of the ruck, Newcastle have piled on 126 points in the past three games to take their points differential into positive territory at +42.

With Grant bagging a double off some brilliant running from the ruck and Hughes chalking five assists, three line breaks and a try of his own, the Melbourne duo controlled proceedings at Marvel Stadium after being upset by the Knights in Newcastle last week.

Buoyed by the occasion of Old Boys' Day, Craig Bellamy's side well and truly staked their claim as 2023 premiership contenders, putting last year's grand finalists to the sword at home and securing their place in the top four.

After a disappointing loss to the Broncos last week, South Sydney bounced back in style at Scully Park, with Johnston's 12th career hat-trick cementing the lead which put the Rabbitohs back in the top eight.

The Wests Tigers were gallant in their defeat, with a second-half surge bringing them within two-points of the Rabbitohs' lead but the Round 22 defeat was costly for the home side with Shawn Blore (head knock) and Dane Laurie (knee) failing to finish the match.

The Storm were favoured to beat Newcastle on Saturday but were blown out of the water by a Knights team that has turned the corner big time in the past month.

The loss pushed Melbourne down one spot to fourth, and with the Raiders, Sharks and resurgent Cowboys hot on their hammer, Craig Bellamy's men need to make a statement in the next fortnight against Parramatta and Penrith.

Now sitting four points behind the 16th-placed Bulldogs it seems the wooden spoon is on its way to Concord for the second successive year unless Wests Tigers can spring some major upsets in the run home.

Tim Sheens' men face three of the big guns in the next three weeks with games against the Raiders and Warriors to follow Friday's clash against Souths, who now sit outside the eight after their loss to the Broncos.

In what was arguably their best opening 40 minutes of the year, Herbie Farnworth, Ezra Mam and Patrick Carrigan crossed for tries, with Adam Reynolds converting all three and adding a penalty in front of a boisterous crowd at The Gabba. 

While Brisbane's fourth-straight win keeps them right in the race for the minor premiership – jumping them to the top of the Telstra Premiership ladder for the meantime ahead of the Panthers playing on Saturday night – it could spell the end of the Roosters' hopes of playing finals in 2023. 

The Broncos continued their winning ways last weekend in a strong showing against the Rabbitohs, but were hit hard by the judiciary with both winger Jesse Arthars and forward Martin Taupau to miss this week's match with suspension.

The Roosters found form in their dominant win against the Titans, with their attack firing in the first half to post a 30-0 halftime lead before running out 36-18 winners.

An incredible late surge from Ricky Stuart's Raiders, with Elliot Whitehead and Jack Wighton tries saw the visitors go back-to-back in two minutes but a missed Jarrod Croker conversion put the game into extra time.

But when Johnson drilled the clutch moment with his first opportunity from 30m out, the Warriors broke the Raiders' hearts for a second time this season and booked a spot in the top three of the competition ladder.

The victory was just the fifth of the season for the Dragons and gave them some breathing space over Wests Tigers in the fight to avoid the wooden spoon.

The Dragons fired an early shot when Hunt took the line on from close range but he was denied by strong defence from Isaiah Papali'i.

On the back of a high tackle penalty against Jack de Belin, Wests Tigers marched up field and Junior Tupou disposed of Tyrell Sloan to score wide out to make it 4-0 to the visitors.