Knights coach Adam O'Brien has "parked" any thoughts of how Newcastle might make the finals, vowing to ensure his side are solely focused on securing another win against the Dolphins this week.
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After defeating the Raiders 28-6 at GIO Stadium in Canberra on Saturday, the Knights have moved to ninth on the NRL ladder and sit just a single competition point outside the top eight.
It's the highest position they've held since early April, after round six.
O'Brien admitted to having done the numbers last week on how many points his side might need to sneak into the eight, suggesting 31, and after recording their fourth consecutive victory they now have 25 to their name.
But in a congested ladder, with just two points separating the sides placed sixth to 11th, they could very well need to win the majority of their five remaining games to qualify for the play-offs.
Working in their favour is the fact the three sides above them, the Rabbitohs (sixth), Sharks (seventh) and Cowboys (eighth), have games against each other in coming weeks.
Newcastle's run home also features clashes with two of those three sides.
They make a trip to the west coast later this week to face the Dolphins in Perth on Saturday, before a run of three games at home against the Bulldogs, Rabbitohs and Sharks.
Their last match of the regular season is against the Dragons at Kogarah.
"I had looked at the ladder and tried to work out what I thought it would take to get the eight, but I've parked that now and just focus on Redcilffe," O'Brien said.
"That's all we've been doing most of the year, trying to stay consistent and not changing our demeanour based on result.
"I want to get the prep right for Dolphins now. We're going to Perth, so it will be a challenge there.
"It's a little bit different for us, but I think getting away on the road will be good for us as well."
Continuing their recent hot streak of form, the Knights fired from the outset in Canberra and dominated the Raiders most of the match.
Skipper Kalyn Ponga was at his electric best, scoring the opening try and threatening throughout.
He was on song with the boot too, kicking six from six.
There was some concern for the fullback, however, after he took a heavy fall when he was taken out in the second half leaping to catch a kick, and when he later copped a knee to the head and had to be sent for a head-injury assessment.
But the 25-year-old returned late in the game without drama.
"He's doing a really good job at identifying the stuff that we look at during the week," O'Brien said of Ponga.
"Him and Jackson Hastings, in particular, has done a good job with that too.
"They're taking their notes with [assistant coach Blake Green] 'Greeny' in the meetings and identifying the plays, or the style that we want to play with, and they're executing it at training which gives them confidence to go chase it early in games."
Perhaps in a sign of the team's burgeoning confidence, Ponga's four-pointer in the sixth minute came with a try celebration where he sat on the back of centre Bradman Best and pretended to be in a barber's chair. Winger Greg Marzhew had the clippers.
Marzhew scored the side's second try midway through the first half and fellow winger Dominic Young got in on the action eight minutes before half-time.
Young almost had a double late in the second half, which would have been his 21st try in 2023 and equalled the club's season try-scoring record jointly held by Timana Tahu and Akuila Uate.
In a nod to the past, Young slam-dunked the crossbar afterwards, replicating a try celebration that Tahu once performed.
O'Brien admitted there was a good feeling among his playing group after four consecutive wins, including two against top-five sides, but said they could not afford to get ahead of themselves.
"There's belief in our performances, certainly, and the way we are preparing," he said.
"This year, in particular, we've performed quite well against the top five.
"We lost one in golden point and one right at the death against the Broncos.
"We could quite easily be five from five against the top-five teams.
"There's belief that our best footy will hold up.
"We've just got to make sure we're playing our best footy."
