The stronger teams in the Otago rugby league have started to stamp their mark, with passes sticking as players' skill levels saw the benefit of sustained game time.
Week two of the seven-week competition was also notable for a win to perennial underdogs the South City Dragonz, the first in more than two seasons of trying.
At the upper end of the ladder, the South Pacific Raiders took on the Kaikorai Silverbacks, both winners from last week.
The Raiders came out on top 40-30 and had the better of the first half with five-eighth and man of the match Jonnie Hughes steering his team effectively around the field.
The Raiders looked comfortable at the break with a 12-point lead, but Kaikorai was not done.
The Silverbacks did a better job of controlling the ball and completing their sets as the half progressed, making the most of possession to get within two points late in the game.
The pace and toughness of the contest began to tell, with Raiders players going down with injuries and cramp, but the team hung in, and Hughes set up the last try of the match to get his team home.
He took the ball close to the line and off-loaded to Bruno Watkins, the centre running at an angle, wrong-footing the opposition, and dotting down for a try.
Coach Crete Whaanga said Hughes did a good job at set pieces.
The win came despite players going down with injuries "left, right and centre".
"They played with heart, mate, a lot of heart."
The Hawks also showed they would be strong contenders for the finals, thrashing University 78-6.
The students muscled up early in the game, tackling strongly, but with plenty of players new to the game, heads dropped after they leaked two tries in quick succession.
The Hawks showed some outstanding skills, off-loaded the ball at will in the tackle, and kept their foot on the pedal until the full-time whistle.
The Dragonz led from the start in their game against Pirates MT, and despite losing some intensity early in the second half, coasted home for a 32-18 win.
Player-manager AJ Valentine said his team had managed to recruit some "size and muscle" up front for what had, in the past, been a smaller team.
"We're hoping to be in the semifinals," he said of the his side's aspirations.
