Blues beat Roos to claim Queanbeyan bragging rights

Leave the captain's armband on Jake Wheeler. That way he doesn't have to talk to the referees so much. Plus Wheeler's done a good job in his absence.

Probably a good time of year to do it with the Blues taking a step closer to playing finals with their 28-16 Queanbeyan derby victory over the Kangaroos at Freebody Oval on Saturday.

It means the Blues probably only need one more win to secure their top-four berth.

Although they have a few tough games in the run home - second-placed Goulburn, a Woden Valley Rams that needs to win every game to make the top four and then the ladder-leading Tuggeranong Bushrangers.

It was Campese's first game back after a suspension for back chat - although his time off was extended by a few weeks away coaching.

He credited his forward pack, led by props Josh Hitchins and Aidan Woods, in setting up the win.

The Blues shot out to a 14-0 lead, through tries to Wheeler, George Stewart and Francis Fainifo, before the Kangaroos clawed their way back into the game.

A cracking Reece Robinson try levelled it at 16-all, after he scored their first and Nukurua Ngere also crossed.

But the visitors ran in two unanswered tries - to Wheeler and Hitchins - in the final 15 minutes to seal the win.

"Win one more game and we should be definitely in the top four, it just depends on where," Campese said.

"Next week's a massive game for us, Goulburn, they're equal with us at the moment so that will determine if we'll get a second bite of the cherry."

Kangaroos coach Aaron Gorrell couldn't believe his team was still in the game with 10 minutes to go.

He felt that was a good sign after an error-riddled game had put them on the back foot from the start.

But he was full of praise for his veteran forward Josh Ayers and also said Robinson was the pick of his backs.

"Josh Ayers. Week-in, week-out he puts his body on the line for you. Plays injured. He's in his mid-30s," Gorrell said.

"If you were a young bloke you'd like to aspire to be someone like him. he puts in every week no matter how the side's going. You know what you're going to get from him.

"If you had 17 of him you'd be pretty happy."

The fourth-placed Kangaroos' loss has opened the door for the Rams to come within one point on the ladder with a win over the Belconnen Sharks at Phillip on Sunday.

But Gorrell wasn't panicking.

"No matter what the [Rams] result we'll still be fourth. But that was a good opportunity to jump the Blues to third and potentially push for a top-two finish," he said.

"Now we're going to have to be good. We control our own destiny.

"If we win every game we make the four. If we drop another one we open the door."

Meanwhile, Yass didn't have a happy 100^th birthday - going down 62-10 to Goulburn at Walker Park - and West Belconnen kept their finals hopes alive with a 48-10 win over Gungahlin to draw level with the Rams three points behind the Kangaroos.

AT A GLANCE

Queanbeyan Blues 28 bt Queanbeyan Kangaroos 16 (R Robinson 2, N Ngere tries; Goals: L Ingram 2 goals)

West Belconnen Warriors 48 (R Roberts 3, B Litster, B Loughhead, E Peters, M Scott, M Shaw, T Vaughan tries; R Roberts 6 goals) bt Gungahlin Bulls 10

Goulburn Bulldogs 62 (D Rota 3, M Cornish 2, N Cornish, M Worboys, P Cooke, S Cummins, C Brebner tries; C Hart 7 goals) bt Yass Magpies 10 (B Housden, B Davis tries; C Rawlinson goal)