The Bulldogs qualified for the playoffs with a hard fought 12-4 win over Illawarra South Coast in the clash at Taree's Jack Neal Oval.

"We haven't trained for about three weeks now because of all the wet weather,'' Mieni revealed after the game.

"We've been going through a bit of stuff while we're warming up. So It's been difficult.''

"So to win today is a credit to the players.''

Mieni said the wet weather was the main reason his side made heavy weather of beating Illawarra. The Bulldogs looked the better side for most of the contest. However, they couldn't convert pressure into points, despite dominating field position for much of the encounter.

"We made it hard for ourselves for sure,'' Mieni admitted.

"It was frustrating. We were missing the one per centers, we just weren't getting them right. We were pushing too many passes and they're the things you just have to get right in semi-finals.''

Illawarra scored the opening try of the game and led 4-0 at halftime. The visitors held on tenaciously for most of the second half while the Bulldogs continued to fritter away possession.

However, North Coast finally found a gap when halfback Larissa Ward slipped a tackle and dived over to level the score at 4-4. The try wasn't converted.

North Coast were finishing the stronger and Emily Wright, who was one of the side's best, beat the line and sent a smart ball to centre Kiah Flett, who did the rest. Flett scored a second try after another of North Coast's top players, second rower Brooklyn French, had earlier made a strong run. Both conversions went astray, but at 12-4 the Bulldogs had booked a passage to the playoffs.

Mieni will have to check the fitness of a number of players before naming the side for the semi-final.

"We had a few injuries today and we also have players with Oztag and touch football commitments,'' he said.

This was North Coast's second win in the championship following a close result over Central Coast the previous week.