Last week the Mudgee Dragons fell to the Lithgow Workies in a tight match, and this week it was all Dragons for eighty minutes straight.

In the opening forty minutes of the match, only two tries were scored, with Andrew Laurie and Jared Robinson both netting themselves four-pointers.

Coming out of the sheds 8-0, the game still seemed like it could be a close conflict considering the photo finish from the Workies last weekend.

It wasn't to be for the Lithgow team however, as Lee Hicks scored his first of two for the match, and Ethen Butler impressed as he ran in three times in eight minutes to blow out the lead and send Lithgow home with nothing.

Head coach Pete Hickman knew that the close defeat last week was a motivator for the team heading into the elimination final.

“The 16-14 in the last round gave us the motivation heading in,” he said.

“Good to get a couple of the blokes back, with Hamish [Bryant], Corin [Smith] and Ben [Thompson] all having experience, and we had 17 perfect performances across the park.

The motivation, Hickman said, may not have been equal on both sides for the elimination round either.

“Lithgow’s goal before the event was getting to the finals. They weren’t looking to go on and we are looking to win,” he said.

“I think they were happy just to be there, but we want to go on and that’s reflected in the scoreline as well.”

The Dragons now travel to Bathurst to take on the Bathurst Panthers, with the momentum behind the defending premiers.

Mudgee Dragons 32 (Ethan Butler 3, Lee Hicks 2, Jared Robinson, Andy Laurie tries; Sam Wooden 2 goals) defeat Lithgow Workies 0.