St George Illawarra has revitalized the NRLW's playoff race, snapping their record losing streak with a dramatic 22-18 victory over the Warriors.
New Zealand aimed to recover from last week's historic 66-8 defeat to the Sydney Roosters, the largest loss recorded in the league's history.
However, at Go Media Stadium in Auckland on Sunday, the Warriors struggled again as the Dragons showcased a determined defensive performance, even after two players were sin-binned, helping them move off the bottom of the standings.
Centre Tahlia O'Brien emerged as the standout player, scoring two tries, including one just before full-time, preventing their seventh-placed rivals from breaking into the top six.
For the Warriors (eight points, -28), this defeat means they need to win their last two matches while hoping sixth-placed Newcastle (eight points, +70) loses to make the finals.
Dragons winger Jayme Millard was sin-binned early, but the Warriors only managed to score during her absence when centre Stacey Waaka capitalized on a big kick from halfback Patricia Maliepo.
The Dragons quickly followed with two tries, but New Zealand regained the lead through winger Lavinia Tauhalaliku, who scored twice around halftime.
Both teams faced time-outs, with Ivana Lauitiiti from New Zealand and Dragons fullback Teagan Berry also getting sin-binned.
The Dragons sealed the win when O'Brien caught a unique pass from Millard and dashed over the line in the 69th minute, bringing an end to their six-match losing streak.
In other matches, Ali Brigginshaw led Brisbane back to form, guiding the defending champions to a convincing 44-10 win against Parramatta.
Brigginshaw returned after a three-game suspension for a tackle on Canterbury's Tayla Preston, and had an impressive comeback at CommBank Stadium, contributing one try assist, two line-break assists, and 28 tackles.
Her presence sparked the Broncos, who were at risk of falling out of the top six due to a three-game losing streak.
Notably, star fullback Tamika Upton added to her Dally M campaign with two tries and two assists, while winger Kerri Johnson scored three tries.
Brisbane began the match with intensity, leading 34-0 at halftime after scoring six consecutive tries.
In another match on Sunday, Wests Tigers marked their first-ever finals appearance with an emphatic 44-14 victory over Canterbury, netting eight tries compared to the Bulldogs' two.
This victory stands as the Tigers' most significant win in the NRLW, surpassing their 28-point triumph against Parramatta in their 2023 debut.
Salma Nour, Faythe Manera, and Lily Rogan each scored doubles, while Raecene McGregor successfully converted six of eight attempts.
Wests Tigers (7-2) climbed to third place on the ladder with two rounds remaining, while the Bulldogs (3-6) are in eighth.