STAND-IN Dubbo Westside captain Dylan Hill has praised his side's resilience after they overcame a torrid week to book a Group 11 finals spot with a 54-24 win over Nyngan at No.1 Oval on Saturday.
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With a Group 11 disciplinary hearing looming in relation to last week's incident at Caltex Park, the Rabbitohs cast that aside as they ran in six tries in the opening stanza, effectively killing off any chance Nyngan had of jumping into fifth spot and challenging for the last spot in the finals.
Viliame Turuva bagged two tries in the opening 40 minutes as five-eighth Josh Merritt orchestrated an almost faultless half from Westside as they jumped to a 34-6 lead.
Turuva's third early in the second stanza extended their lead but when Hammond Eripan barged over for Nyngan he gave his side a flicker of hope.
That was quickly extinguished though when Justin Shillingsworth pounced on a loose ball, first toeing it forward before retrieving the kick and scoring in the corner.
Jeremy Thurston's second for the afternoon boosted Tiger spirits but when Merritt bagged his second try and speedster Sam Coe scorched past some defenders it was 54-12.
Nyngan had the last say when Adi Spicer barged over near the posts to make the final score 54-24 to Westside.
"I thought our discipline was a lot better this week," Hill said when asked what was the biggest improvement in his side from the previous week's 44-42 loss to Macquarie.
"We let things get to us a bit but today both sides had plenty to play for and we came out and really put them away.
"There's not too many better players in the comp than 'Mero' when he's on his game, and he was today and he guided us around the park well.
"Our forwards do their jobs and go forward and sometimes you just watch those guys in the backs and laugh because they're so good.
"Even though we're in the finals, we've got Wello next week and that will be a big game. We might have to play them again at some stage in the next few weeks."
Nyngan coach Byron Warren praised Westside, saying the better side had won and admitting he was disappointed his charges had not put up a better fight.
"That's been the tale of our season a bit," he said.
"We've had injuries and things, but we've had a few games where we've lost by a few points that we could have won.
"We ended up in a situation in which we came here today needing to win, but we left our heads on the bus and were just never in the game.
"Westside were good though, and in a year when the competition is pretty even those top sides wouldn't want to have a bad day because they are more than capable of knocking anyone off."
DUBBO WESTSIDE 54 (Viliame Turuva 3, Josh Merritt 2, Corey Cox, Dylan Hill, Colt Tairua, Justin Shillingsworth, Sam Coe tries; Cox 7 goals) def NYNGAN TIGERS 24 (Jeremy Thurston 2, Hammond Eripan, Adi Spicer tries; Thurston 4 goals)