While the Dolphins dominated their game against the brave but outgunned Harrington Hurricanes to win 60-0 at Tuncurry, the Cockies ended their abysmal run of three defeats and a forfeiture in their last five games to topple the second-placed Bulls at their Gloucester Oval home ground.

The Cockies' injury toll has been so serious that they were obliged to forfeit their last-round game against the Manning River Ratz, who put behind them a similar loss of players to reinforce third position with a 19-13 win over last year's premiers, the Myall Coast Mudcrabs, at Tea Gardens.

As a result of the bewildering 10th round results last Saturday, the Dolphins have jumped to a six-point lead over the Bulls with five rounds remaining before the semi-finals of the Tallwoods and Harrington Waters Golf Courses-sponsored premiership.Harrington's season has again been a gruelling one and though 10 tries to nil suggests little improvement, skipper Greg Hamilton's men tackled bravely until the last minute against the Dolphins.

Likewise, Clint Byron's scrum acquitted itself well against the Dolphins' pack, conceding only one tight-head to Rick Clifton's well-drilled unit, while Donovan Webb proved a handful in early lineouts before Ryan Scott and Jack Woods gained mastery.

The Dolphins had their own problems before the game with the loss of half Tim Chilton, flanker Tom Bolton and outside-centre Chris Wynne, leading coach Ron McCarthy to conduct a successful juggling act by moving Mark Hagarty from fullback to halfback and breakaway Steve Stanton to fullback.

Hagarty provided a tidy service to five-eighth Jamie Fernando while Stanton played the sort of tireless, working-everywhere, roaming-anywhere role which can lead a coach to a sanitarium but which worked splendidly on this occasion.

Two Dolphins' players celebrated a 100-game milestone against Harrington, flanker James Clarke enjoying his best game of the season and capping it with a try - and his last unsuccessful attempt at a conversion - while utility player Colin Harris combined splendidly with his brother, Tom, for a splendid chip and chase try.

Next Saturday, Gloucester host Forster-Tuncurry at their home ground again, anxious to capitalise on their morale-boosting success over Wallamba and to follow up their first-round 21-20 defeat of the Dolphins in the mud while Manning River play Harrington at Taree Rugby Park.

Gloucester's sudden revival makes Myall Coast's game against Wallamba at Tea Gardens all the more important if the Mudcrabs are to stay in contention for fourth position and the play-offs come the end of July.