Former NRL player Nathan Ross wound back the clock with a standout display to help Wests keep their slim finals hopes alive in a win over Cessnock on Sunday.
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The Rosellas, sixth on the Newcastle Rugby League ladder and with their campaign on the line, downed a depleted Goannas side 20-12 in cold and windy conditions at Harker Oval.
Ross, 35, bagged the opening try just five minutes in for the Rosellas, crashing over from dummy-half in the left corner after earlier being denied in a similar spot.
It was the first of three tries Wests scored in the opening 40 minutes to hold a 14-6 lead at half-time.
Cessnock hit back a few minutes after the break through Joe Woodbury and moved within two points following Rhys French's conversion from out wide.
They threw plenty at Wests but the home side produced a spirited defensive effort to hang on to their narrow lead for most of the second half.
Utility Harry Reid beat at least three defenders on a lively run from 20 metres out to score with five minutes left to play, the Rosellas taking an eight-point lead which sealed the win.
Wests are now just three points adrift the top five after fifth-placed Central lost to The Entrance on Sunday.
The Butcher Boys led 16-10 in the first half at St John Oval, and 22-20 in the second, but a Tigers outfit boosted by the return of veteran five-eighth Blake Austin finished 36-26 winners.
The Tigers move to third, leapfrogging Cessnock.
On Saturday, Matt Soper-Lawler and Ethan Parry bagged hat-tricks as the Pickers trounced Macquarie 50-0 on old boys' day at Maitland Sportsground.
Souths improved their for-and-against with a 56-8 win over Kurri, while Northern Hawks all but killed off Lakes' finals chances.
Trailing 12-0 after 20 minutes at Tomaree, and then 18-6 at half-time, the Hawks scored 22 unanswered points after the break to claim just their second win this season.
