IT was not their prettiest performance of the season but the Dubbo Kangaroos returned home from Parkes with a bonus point win after defeating the Boars 29-19 on Saturday.
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The defending premiers needed a victory as they entered the weekend seven points off fifth spot and a place in the finals.
Saturday's win over the Boars was made even better by the fact Mudgee and Cowra, the two teams directly above the Roos on the ladder, both lost.
"It was good, ideally we'd like to be above them but it's all going to come down to these last four games and if we win those four then we should make the finals, it's as simple as that," Roos skipper Shaun McHugh said.
In a scrappy first half at North Parkes Oval, the Roos opened the scoring before the Boars lifted and their young and exuberant team started to get on top.
Both teams struggled with handling errors but Parkes made the most of their chances and by half-time they had got out to a 14-12 lead.
"We scored first after only five or 10 minutes but then our attitude changed, I think after that we just thought it was going to be a walk in the park but Parkes led at half-time," he said.
"But to come out and dominate the second half and play with structure and the way we wanted to was pleasing.
"We really only played one good half but it was good to put a few phases together and set a bit of a platform."
With Hena Tuatea and James Mata forming a strong bond in the halves in recent weeks, Joe Finch returned from injury at fullback while Anthony Golding moved to inside centre.
That reshuffle worked well with Golding and Filisione Pauta forming a dangerous centre combination while Finch and Tuatea both guided the team about the park.
Finch and Golding both got across the tryline in the win, as did skipper McHugh, while Benn Wright barged over to grab his first try in Dubbo colours.
"Anthony Golding was great at inside centre and Joey was good at fullback, I don't think we listened to him much in the first half but we did after the break and were able to plug a few holes," McHugh said.
"Hena directed us really well and his chat was good and it's been improving.
"Eli Kinscher came back and played his first full game too and he's always hard on the ball."
The fact the Roos came through the match with a clean bill of health was another positive with much of Dubbo's 2015 campaign disrupted by injuries.
