Inverell also cemented their  place in the finals, while Moree kept alive their hopes of finishing top.

That is likely to be decided in the final round when they match up against arch-rivals Narrabri.

The Bulls were too good for Pirates on Saturday conquering them 41-20 at Ken Chillingworth Oval.

As they have been most of the season, the forwards were immense for the Bulls. They scored all four of their tries as they picked and drove their way to a 21-point win.

The Highlanders won by a similar margin outgunning Quirindi 31-7 at Quirindi to kick 12 points clear of Scone with only two games to go.

Things were a bit tighter at Barraba where Walcha won the battle of the Rams 31-27.

The visitors led 21-7 at half-time but the home side fought back to within one before Walcha kicked away again.

At Gunnedah doubles to Sanimo Navatu and Lewyn Rapana lifted the Magpies to a 37-16 win. The win saw them leapfrog Pirates into third and all but ended the Red Devils hopes of sneaking into the top four.

It is still mathematically possible but they’d have to beat Moree and Pirates.

The intensity wasn’t quite there in the first half for the Magpies but picked up in the second half.

“We weren’t playing the way we wanted to play in the first half,” half-back Matt Blanch said.

Things improved in the second half.

“We had the breeze behind us in the second half and tried to play as much football down their end,” Blanch said. Red Devils co-coach Tim Walsh conceded they were outplayed.

“They (Tamworth) played really good footy and we couldn’t match -it,” he said.

He wasn’t that disappointed in the way they played and felt they were good in patches but the Magpies were around the field and at the breakdown a bit better than them.

“Once they got going they scored some good tries from a long way out,” he said.