By Finn Morton; Photo – Brendan Hertel/QRU Media

After two consecutive losses, Wests are in danger of dropping out of the top four for the first time this season.

The Bulldogs enter round 13 coming off losses to last-placed Sunnybank and ladder-leaders Brothers.

This week they take on UQ in a Premier Grade ‘quarter-final’ of sorts and the equation is fairly simple:

Win or lose control of their future.

A win for the Students is equally as significant and would see last year’s grand finalists overtake Wests and potentially Souths and jump to third after sitting in seventh only two weeks ago.

Wests Head Coach Pat Byron is approaching this game with extra gusto and intensity as his side prepares for their most significant game of the season so far.

“We are treating this match as a ‘quasi’ quarter-final. We know that a win puts us in a good position,” said Byron.

“But a loss will see us (drop) out of the top four for the first time this year, and that is something (that) we are desperate to avoid.”

After losing five from six games during the middle period of the season, the Students have bounced back to win their last two, including a commanding 42-14 victory over Souths last weekend.

“They are very experienced at this time of year and have obviously found some good form when it counts,” Byron said.

“The thing that makes them dangerous is they are so good at the breakdown, in attack and defence. They’re able to put teams under a lot of pressure on the back of that.”

While UQ is their focus this week, Byron is expecting a finals-like atmosphere in the remainder of his side’s regular season games.

With only five points separating third through to seventh, Saturday’s clash will be the first of several potential do-or-die games for Wests.

“The other (games) we have remaining against Easts, Souths and Bond are all basically finals.

“Everyone is so close on the ladder so every win, (every) point is important.”