With three rounds to play, the Raiders (fourth) and Wests Tigers (third) are almost certain to qualify for this season's six-team finals format - a first for both clubs.
The pair will square off at Campbelltown Sports Stadium next Sunday in what is sure to be the match of the round.
The Raiders' demolition job at Belmore Sports Ground in Sydney on Saturday was built on the platform laid up the middle by their forwards, allowing star halves Zahara Temara and Krystal Blackwell to pull the strings.
Coming off back-to-back wins over premiers Brisbane and Newcastle, the Raiders were in control from the outset, with Simaima Taufa bulldozing her way over in the third minute, before unanswered tries to Mackenzie Wiki, Krystal Blackwell (two) and Isabella Waterman saw them go to the sheds up 28-0.
The second stanza began in the same way as the first, with Elise Simpson, Leianne Tufuga and Blackwell all crossing for the Raiders inside 10 minutes, extinguishing any hope of an unlikely Bulldogs comeback.
Blackwell's treble was the first in NRLW for Canberra.
The Bulldogs remain in eighth spot on the ladder and need to find some form fast to be any hope of making a debut finals appearance.
Earlier at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle, Wests Tigers overcame a stirring comeback from the Knights to get home 27-26 via a Raecene McGregor field goal two minutes from time.
It was the fourth consecutive win for the Tigers, who are warming nicely at the right end of the season.
The match began in a whirlwind, with Wests receiving the kick-off before strike back-rower Shaylee Bent split the defence to score from just the fourth play of the game, 44 seconds into proceedings.
Tries followed to Caitlin Turnbull, Harmony Crichton and Shaniece Monschau, before the Knights finally got on the board courtesy of Tenika Willison, and at the break the visitors led 20-6.
Losana Lutu stretched the advantage three minutes into the second term, but with the Knights enjoying some sustained ball, four-pointers resulted for Mercedez Taulelei-Siala, Sidney Taylor and Olivia Higgins, and the comeback was on.
When Kirra Dibb booted a simple penalty goal with three minutes remaining, scores were level.
Enter McGregor, who calmly slotted the game-winning field goal.
The veteran half, who only joined Craig Sandercock's side this year, contributed seven points to take her season tally to 65 and break the club's all-time NRLW points-scoring record previously held by Pauline Piliae-Rasabale.
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