The Wests Tigers are now just one win out of the top-eight following a comprehensive 25-4 defeat of the hapless Canberra Raiders at a wet and cold Canberra Stadium on Sunday.
If field position was sole indicator for a result, then the Raiders would have won this game in a canter, but their inept attack combined with the Tigers' tenacious goal-line defence ensured there was only going to be one winner in this game.
The Tigers took full toll of their limited opportunities in the first-half to go to the break leading 19-0 before easing back in a second 40 minutes that produced few highlights as the game drew to its inevitable conclusion.
Tim Moltzen continued his promising form in the half-back position with a quality two-try performance for the Tigers.
The Raiders are now officially out of the finals race, while the Tigers - on the back of their third successive win - are just one win behind the eighth-placed Cowboys.
The Raiders completed just three of their first seven sets and were finally made to pay in the 13th minute when Moltzen straightened his run through a yawning gap to score under the posts.
The hosts were denied a swift response by video referee Phil Cooley, who ruled Raiders back-rower Bronson Harrison had interfered with Tigers defender Gareth Ellis in the lead-up to full-back Josh Dugan crossing the line in the 15th minute.
Canberra continued to attack the Tigers' line over the next period of the game, but the visitors' were equal to the task in defence - an area of their game that led to Moltzen's second try in the 26th minute.
A desperate hand-off by a pressured Dugan into the waiting clutches of Moltzen resulted in the No. 7 racing away for a 90m intercept try and 12-0 lead for his side.
The Tigers' next try was all skill with some slick passing to the right allowing speedy full-back Shannon Gallant to find open spaces before kicking infield for interchange player John Morris to score.
Five-eighth Benji Marshall landed his third conversion to give the Tigers a commanding 18-0 lead as the heavens opened up.
Tigers skipper Robbie Farah popped over a field goal just before the break to give his side their 19-point lead at the break.
Winger Taniela Tuiaki crossed for the Tigers only second half try in the 47th minute, while opposite number Daniel Vidot scored Canberra's only points for the match with a 62nd minute four-pointer.
Tigers interchange forward John Skandalis was placed on report for a high shot on Raiders five-eighth Terry Campese in the lead-up to the Vidot try.
Canberra Raiders 4
Tries: Vidot
Wests Tigers 25
Tries: Moltzen 2, Morris, Tuiaki
Conversions: Marshall 4
Field goals: Farah