Cronulla have been handed an NRLW reality check, humbled 40-0 by the Sydney Roosters in a massive blow to their minor premiership hopes.
It came as Parramatta kept their finals hopes alive and left Gold Coast's hanging by a thread with a surprise 24-14 win at Eric Tweedale Stadium in western Sydney.
In the final clash on Sunday, Brisbane beat back-to-back defending premiers Newcastle 32-24 after scoring five second-half tries in 18 minutes to storm home after trailing 18-4.
The Knights led 24-16 in the 53rd minute, but the Broncos, on the back of second-rower Romy Teitzel, finished with a bang.
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Former Knights captain Teitzel threw a bullet pass to superstar winger Stacey Waaka, who beat three defenders to score her second try in the corner before veteran utility Lavinia Gould burrowed over from dummy-half.
Teitzel then iced the win with a try of her own to secure the Broncos' fifth win on the trot and take them to third place on the ladder.
On a run of eight straight wins before Sunday, the Sharks were blown away in the opening 15 minutes and were never in the contest.
The win moves the Roosters one step closer to the finals, now in second spot and two points clear of fifth-placed North Queensland with two games to play.
In the only blemish for the Roosters, halfback Tarryn Aiken went down with a shoulder injury in the lead-up to the Brydie Parker try that made it 30-0 in the second half.
But the club is hopeful the Queensland representative has only suffered an AC joint injury, which would give her a chance to return this season.
A win over the Cowboys next Sunday would all but ensure the Tri-colours play finals football again, ahead of their last-round match against Parramatta.
And if they play the way they did on Sunday at Shark Park, the Roosters look a genuine chance of their second title.
They scored three times in the opening 15 minutes, with Otesa Pule firing and Sam Bremner able to create something out of nothing.
Olivia Kernick was also superb at right second row, running 185 metres and setting up two tries with offloads for winger Mia Wood.
Isabelle Kelly also scored one late after dominating on the left, finishing with 263 metres and 11 tackle busts.
The result leaves Cronulla two points clear at the top, but the battering their for-and-against took means they could lose top spot if beaten by Brisbane on Saturday.
A try-scoring double to prop Elsie Albert kept Parramatta in the finals race later on Sunday.
The Eels have now won as many games in Steve Georgallis' first campaign at the helm as in their first three regular seasons combined and are set to finish the weekend outside the top four on for-and-against only.
Papua New Guinea international Albert sealed the win by bursting past Titans fullback Evania Pelite and Laikha Clarke with four minutes to play.
It had been Albert who began an early blitz from the Eels, bouncing through Brittany Breayley-Nati en route to the try-line in the third minute.
Right winger Monique Donovan latched on to a grubber kick to make it 12-0 shortly thereafter.
Rated highly in the pre-season, the Titans are one win and points differential outside the top four and likely need to win their last two games of the regular season to make a late charge for finals.
That will be easier said than done for last season's runners-up, who face Newcastle next week.
AAP