NRL round-up: Parramatta win, Marsters inspires Wests, Holmes hitting straps

Drew Darbyshire

There were a few individual pieces of brilliance in Round 19 of the NRL.

Parramatta Eels won only their fourth game of the season as they beat Canterbury Bulldogs 14-8 at ANZ Stadium. Kaysa Pritchard and Mitchell Moses scored Parramatta’s tries, while Canterbury had Brett Morris sin-binned in the first half for a professional foul.

Brisbane Broncos scored 32 unanswered first half points to ease past Penrith Panthers 50-18 at Suncorp Stadium. Tevita Pangai Junior and Kodi Nikorima scored two tries each for the Broncos.

Newcastle Knights edged past Gold Coast Titans 30-24 at McDonald Jones Stadium. Mitch Barnett scored two for Newcastle, while Shaun Kenny-Dowall also crossed for a try. Anthony Don bagged a brace for the Titans.

New Zealand star Esan Marsters scored a try and kicked three goals to inspire Wests Tigers to a 22-6 victory over South Sydney Rabbitohs at ANZ Stadium on Saturday.

England international Gareth Widdop guided St George Illawarra Dragons to a 24-10 win over North Queensland Cowboys at 1300Smiles Stadium on Saturday. The Dragons had Jack de Belin sin-binned in the first half due to persistent team offences.

A try from Fiji winger Suliasi Vunivalu in the 40th minute proved to be the match winner in Melbourne Storm’s 12-6 win over New Zealand Warriors at Mt Smart Stadium. Australia international Will Chambers also scored for Storm.

Blake Ferguson and Latrell Mitchell scored two tries each to help Sydney Roosters win convincingly against Manly Sea Eagles thanks to a 56-24 scoreline.

Cronulla Sharks just did enough to claim the two points against Canberra Raiders. The Sharks ran-out 28-24 winners and Australia star Valentine Holmes put in a man of the match display for Cronulla.

The Dragons, Rabbitohs and Storm are all on level points at the top of the NRL ladder.

NRL Round 19 results:

Parramatta Eels 14-8 Canterbury Bulldogs (8,437)

Brisbane Broncos 50-18 Penrith Panthers (26,357)

Newcastle Knights 30-24 Gold Coast Titans (14,095)

Wests Tigers 22-6 South Sydney Rabbitohs (25,963)

North Queensland Cowboys 10-24 St George Illawarra Dragons (18,068)

New Zealand Warriors 4-12 Melbourne Storm (17,695)

Manly Sea Eagles 24-56 Sydney Roosters (9,427)

Cronulla Sharks 28-24 Canberra Raiders (10,016)