NRL Round Up – Round 21
St George remain in pole position for the NRL Premiership following their spectacular 26-12 win over Melbourne.
Brett Morris opened the scoring for the Dragons with a well-worked try in the corner before Melbourne enforcer Sika Manu was carried from the field with a sickening broken leg.
The Storm struck back with tries from Brett Finch, who stepped past the defence and Greg Inglis who held off an unconventional challenge from Jamie Soward to score in the corner.
St George started the second half in sparkling form adding tries through Beau Scott and Wendell Sailor either side of a spectacular effort by Joe Tomane which was ruled no try by the video ref.
The home side piled on the pressure and got their just rewards with a try to Jon Green who was put in thanks to a magnificent pass from Soward.
St George Illawarra Dragons 26
Tries: Brett Morris, Wendell Sailor (2), Beau Scott, Jon Green
Field Goals: Jamie Soward (0/1)
Goals: Jamie Soward (3/5)
Melbourne Storm 12
Tries: Brett Finch, Greg Inglis
Goals: Cameron Smith (2/3)
North Queensland turned on the style to overcome Gold Coast 34-18.
Matt Bowen claimed his 100th try for the Cowboys following a John Williams interception and Williams followed up with a try of his own soon after.
Bowen was on hand to deny Kevin Gordon an opening score and the home side were soon further ahead thanks to two tries from Michael Bani and Willie Tonga.
Gordon did get on the scoreboard after half time by latching on to Will Zillman’s kick ahead but Bowen raced clear from a Steve Rapira break to grab his brace.
Rapira weighed in with a try of his own soon after and despite two scores in succession for the Titans from Nathan Friend and Esikeli Tonga, the Cowboys were able to hold out.
North Queensland Cowboys 34
Tries: Matt Bowen (2), John Williams, Michael Bani, Willie Tonga, Steve Rapira
Goals: Johnathan Thurston (5/6)
Gold Coast Titans 18
Tries: Kevin Gordon, Nathan Friend, Esikeli Tonga
Goals: Scott Prince (3/3)
Brisbane find themselves well outside the top eight following their 56-0 hiding at the hands of Canberra.
The Raiders led just 16-0 at the break with scores from Joel Monaghan, Josh Dugan and Phil Graham but a second half avalanche of points left the Broncos red-faced.
Darren Lockyer’s missed tackle on Jarrod Croker allowed Graham in the corner before he weighed in with his third try from a Terry Campese pass.
Three tries in the next 16 minutes from Monaghan, Daniel Vidot and Graham took the Raiders out to 44-0 against a hapless Brisbane side.
The Green Machine were not finished though and added additional tries to Jarrod Croker and young halfback Josh McCrone.
Canberra Raiders 56
Tries: Joel Monaghan (2), Josh Dugan, Phil Graham (4), Daniel Vidot, Jarrod Croker, Josh McCrone
Goals: Terry Campese (8/10)
Sydney have put their recent problems behind them with an encouraging 30-18 over Newcastle.
Skipper Craig Fitzgibbon crossed early for the Roosters but a score from Kurt Gidley from an Adam MacDougall break levelled the scores.
A powerful score from Willie Mason was added to by Mitchell Pearce who got on the end of Sean Kenny-Dowall’s break.
Setaimata Sa wrestled his way over just before the break to ensure the Roosters held a handy 24-6 lead.
Setaimata Sa‘s second score edged the Roosters further ahead until Gidley secured his brace by touching down from Jarrod Mullen‘s kick.
McDougall barrelled his way over late on for the Knights but by then the game had been won.
Newcastle Knights 18
Tries: Kurt Gidley (2), Adam MacDougall
Goals: Kurt Gidley (3/3)
Sydney Roosters 30
Tries: Craig Fitzgibbon, Willie Mason, Mitchell Pearce, Iosia Soliola, Setaimata Sa
Goals: Craig Fitzgibbon (5/5)
Penrith snatched a 32-32 draw with the New Zealand Warriors following an action packed encounter at CUA Stadium.
Michael Jennings raced away to open the Panthers’ account but the Warriors hit back through Kevin Locke.
The visitors snatched the lead when Joel Moon crossed in the corner following some neat passing and the former Brisbane winger was in again soon after following a break-out from Manu Vatuvei to give his side a 20-6 lead at the break.
Moon was in action again after the break grabbing his third and fourth tries and when Warriors prop Lewis Brown barged his way over, the Panthers looked dead and buried at 32-6.
But the Panthers fought back and grabbed tries through Shane Elford and Luke Walsh.
Frank Puletua raced over from Frank Pritchard‘s bust and Michael Jennings raced in at the corner to set up a grandstand finish.
A penalty from Michael Gordon levelled the scores and despite a tense 10-minute golden point period neither side could find the winning score.
Penrith Panthers 32
Tries: Michael Jennings (2), Shane Elford, Luke Walsh, Frank Puletua
Goals: Michael Gordon (6/6)
Field Goals: Luke Walsh (0/1), Jarrod Sammut (0/1)
New Zealand Warriors 32
Tries: Joel Moon (4), Lewis Brown
Goals: Kevin Locke (6/6)
Field Goals: Lance Hohaia (0/2), Stacey Jones (0/2)
Parramatta’s surge in form continued when they demolished hapless Cronulla 30-0.
Joel Reddy opened the scoring for the Eels from Eric Grothe‘s pass and Jarryd Hayne sneaked over from dummy half to hand the home side a 10-0 half time advantage.
Krisnan Inu strolled over from Luke Burt‘s pass after the break for the Eels’ third and Hayne was soon over for his brace to extend their lead.
Hayne’s break out from defence was the catalyst for the Eels’ next score which came from Joel Reddy out wide to wrap up the game at 30-0
Cronulla Sharks 0
Parramatta Eels 30
Tries: Joel Reddy (2), Jarryd Hayne (2), Krisnan Inu
Goals: Luke Burt (5/6)
Canterbury brushed aside a resurgent South Sydney with a 36-18 win at ANZ Stadium.
Nathan Merritt got the Rabbitohs’ first score from a Chris Sandow bomb before David Fa’alogo spun out of a tackle for their second.
But the Bulldogs hit back through prolific try scorer Josh Morris who crossed in the corner and Hazem El Masri, who collected Jamal Idris‘ overhead pass.
A controversial try to Beau Champion left the Bulldogs chasing the game but they fought their way back and grabbed a crucial score when John Sutton‘s wayward pass was snapped up by EL Masri.
Bryson Goodwin squeezed in at the corner for the Bulldog’s fourth score which was added to by Gary Warbuton who raced in from a classy pass from Michael Ennis.
South Sydney Rabbitohs 18
Tries: Nathan Merritt, David Fa’alogo, Beau Champion
Goals: Chris Sandow (3/3)
Canterbury Bulldogs 26
Tries: Josh Morris, Hazem El Masri (2), Bryson Goodwin, Gary Warburton
Goals: Hazem El Masri (3/5)
Wests Tigers made it four wins from for with a spirited 19-18 win over Manly.
Benji Marshall got things underway with a penalty and he followed this up with a long range score to help his side out to a 8-0 lead.
Beau Ryan latched on to Robbie Farah‘s kick to extend the Tigers’ lead and Taniela Tuaki increased it yet further when he wrong-footed the Manly defence to give them an 18-0 half time lead.
Tony Williams hit back for Manly by bulldozing his way over the line before a Robbie Farah field goal edged the Tigers lead even more.
But Manly were not finished and two explosive scores from Anthony Watmough ensured the Sea Eagles would fight to the finish.
Manly pressed but were unable to find the crucial point.
Wests Tigers 19
Tries: Benji Marshall, Beau Ryan, Taniela Tuiaki
Field Goals: Robbie Farah (1/1)
Goals: Benji Marshall (3/4)
Manly Sea Eagles 18
Tries: Tony Williams, Anthony Watmough (2)
Goals: Matt Orford (3/3)