Rain continued to fall sporadically over the weekend but it didn't dampen the spirits of many codes still in action.
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The Newcastle Knights doubled down with a win in Canberra, staving off a late fightback from the Raiders.
Centre Bradman Best played a starring role to earn himself an Origin call-up when the Blues' squad was announced on Sunday night but was sent for scans on Monday morning for hamstring tightness.
Best's Knights teammates Kalyn Ponga and Dane Gagai were named in the Maroons' squad.
In Wagga Wagga on Saturday, the Knights' women's squad produced a strong performance to also over-run Canberra in their one and only NRLW hit-out before opening the season against the Sydney Roosters at McDonald Jones Stadium on July 25.
Caitlan Johnston-Green was a notable absence due to a pectoral issue but Knights coach Ben Jeffries expected the NSW and Australian prop to fit and firing come round one.
There was no Newcastle Rugby League over the weekend with competition organisers announcing they would extend the season due to relentless wet weather.
Magic end Jaffas' stunning run
The Jaffas finished the game with 10 men after midfielder Reece Papas was red-carded for dissent.
The win moved Magic within one point of the back-to-back champions as the premiership race looks set to go down to the wire.
Newcastle Olympic took an important win of their own, downing Charlestown 2-1 to jump from seventh into fifth place.
In NPLW, Charlestown Azzurri scored four goals in 15 minutes to come from 3-0 down and draw 4-4 against Broadmeadow.
High-flying Falcons bank maximum points
Elissa Brett led the way as the Newcastle Falcons women produced back-to-back wins over Hornsby and Inner West in NBL1 East from a weekend double-header.
After averaging 10 points in her opening five games since arriving from the University of Michigan, Brett has doubled that output in the past three.
The Falcons sit in third place with a 15-4 win-loss record heading into the final regular season game against arch rivals Maitland at home.
The Falcons men split their weekend, beating Hornsby 104-97 before a 80-76 defeat to Inner West.
Wildfires women overpower Easts
There was a bit of rust but the Hunter Wildfires women flexed their finals credentials with a strong win over Easts as Sydney women's premier rugby union entered its second phase of the season.
The match at Woollahra Oval on Saturday was only Hunter's third in six weeks after a disrupted period but they made a strong start to lead 19-0 before Easts came back at them.
Hunter now turn their focus to unbeaten heavyweights Sydney Uni.
Back in Newcastle, Maitland delivered a professional performance to dispose of Wanderers 46-19 in Hunter Rugby Union while Merewether and Hamilton also won.
In Hunter Rugby Women on Saturday, Merewether beat University 58-0, Hamilton were 87-7 winners over Southern Beaches and Maitland defeated Cooks Hill 74-0. Wanderers downed Nelson Bay 38-7 on Wednesday night.
What else happened?
Warners Bay beat men's Black Diamond Cup heavyweights Newcastle City for the first time in a decade as Bulldogs' belief keeps building.
Tigers coach Ben Brown labelled it "absolutely atrocious" and "our worst performance in two years" after succumbing 9-1 to Norths in Hunter Coast Premier Hockey League.
In the women's first-grade competition, leaders Oxfords easily accounted for second-placed Regals 7-1, Tigers upset Souths 3-2 and University edged past Gosford 3-2.
