NRL Round Up – Round 3
Sydney Roosters came back to earth with a bump with a 60-14 thrashing at the hands of Canterbury.
Josh Morris played a starring role for the Bulldogs with four tries while there were a brace of scores each for Steve Turner and Jamal Idris.
Promising youngster Ben Barba also weighed in with a hattrick.
The Roosters were powerless to stop the Canterbury attack although there were scores for the halfback combination of Mitchell Pearce and Braith Anasta.
CANTERBURY BULLDOGS (60)
Tries: Andrew Ryan, Steve Turner (2), Ben Barba (3), Jamal Idris (2), Josh Morris (4)
Conversions: Bryson Goodwin 6
SYDNEY ROOSTERS (14)
Tries: Braith Anasta, Mitchell Pearce, Ben Jones
Conversions: Todd Carney 1
A virtuoso performance from young halfback James Maloney helped the New Zealand Warriors to a crushing 48-16 win over Brisbane.
The Broncos scored first through Israel Folau but the Warriors replied with two scintillating scores through Simon Mannering and Lance Hohaia.
Two tries for Brisbane from Matt Gillett and Andrew McCollough gave the home side hope but the Warriors were too good and added a further six tries with Maloney grabbing a hattrick.
BRISBANE BRONCOS (16)
Tries: Matt Gillett, Andrew McCullough, Israel Folau
Conversions: Peter Wallace 2
NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS (48)
Tries: Lance Hohaia, Simon Mannering, Jerome Ropati (2), Joel Moon, James Maloney (3)
Conversions: James Maloney 7
Penalty Goals: James Maloney 1
Gold Coasts’ perfect start to the season has continued with a workmanline 24-4 win over Canberra.
A Scott Prince try and penalty gave the Titans a narrow 8-0 half time lead but the home side recovered after the break to notch three more scores from Joseph Tomane, Kevin Gordon and David Mead helped them out to a comfortable margin.
Daniel Vidot’s late try prevented the Raiders’ blushes.
GOLD COAST TITANS (24)
Tries: Scott Prince, Joseph Tomane, Kevin Gordon, David Mead
Conversions: Scott Prince 3
Penalty Goals: Scott Prince 1
CANBERRA RAIDERS (4)
Tries: Daniel Vidot
Conversions:
A lack of precision in attack and a leaky defence saw Penrith fall to their second defeat in three matches, this time at home 16-10 to Melbourne.
The home side trailed 6-4 at the break with Cameron Smith’s conversion the only difference between the two teams.
But tries to Billy Slater and Luke MacDougall extended the visitors’ lead, and despite a late try to Lachlan Coote, the Panthers could not stage a fightback.
PENRITH PANTHERS (10)
Tries: Sam McKendry, Lachlan Coote
Conversions: Michael Gordon 1
MELBOURNE STORM (16)
Tries: Billy Slater, Luke MacDougall, Brett Finch
Conversions: Cameron Smith 2
Manly grabbed their first win of the season by inflicting a convincing 36-12 defeat on Newcastle in Gosford.
After trailing 6-0 the Sea Eagles raced into a 24-6 interval lead with tries from Ben Farrar, Jason King and a brace from Steve Matai.
Matt Ballin, Jason King and Shane Rodney also crossed for Manly with Evarn Tuimavave grabbing the solo reply for the Knights.
MANLY SEA EAGLES (36)
Tries: Matt Ballin, Jason King, Steve Matai (2), Shane Rodney, Ben Farrar
Conversions: Jamie Lyon 6
NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS (12)
Tries: Evarn Tuimavave, Richard Fa’aoso
Conversions: Wes Naiqama 2
St George continued their superb start to the NRL with a 33-8 defeat of the hapless North Queensland Cowboys.
Brett Morris and Jason Nightingale weighed in with a brace of tries each for the Dragons who also crossed through the fit-again Matt Cooper and Ben Creagh.
The Cowboys’ only score came from Ashley Graham.
ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS (33)
Tries: Matt Cooper, Ben Creagh, Brett Morris (2), Jason Nightingale (2)
Field Goals: Jamie Soward 1
Conversions: Jamie Soward 4
NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS (8)
Tries: Ashley Graham
Conversions: Johnathan Thurston 1
Penalty Goals: Johnathan Thurston 1
Benji Marshall was at his brilliant best as Wests Tigers saw off Parramatta 23-12.
Marshall was the provider for Lote Tuqiri’s opening score and the New Zealander produced a rare drop goal to help his side to a narrow 9-0 interval lead.
The Eels staged a mini fightback with scores from Joel Reddy and Krisnan Inu but another from Tuqiri and a brace from Marshall, which included a fabulous solo score, helped the Tigers come home.
WESTS TIGERS (23)
Tries: Benji Marshall (2), Blake Ayshford, Lote Tuqiri (2)
Field Goals: Benji Marshall 1
Conversions: Benji Marshall 1
PARRAMATTA EELS (12)
Tries: Joel Reddy, Krisnan Inu
Conversions: Krisnan Inu 2
South Sydney marched their way to their first victory of the season, over a disappointing Cronulla side 30-8.
Luke Covell scored first for the Sharks but a brace of scores from Beau Champion and a try from Colin Best established a commanding 18-4 lead at the break for the Rabbitohs.
Two further scores from the Rabbitohs from Sam Burgess and Isaac Luke either side of a Blake Ferguson try put the result beyond doubt.
CRONULLA SUTHERLAND SHARKS (8)
Tries: Luke Covell, Blake Ferguson
SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS (30)
Tries: Beau Champion (2), Sam Burgess, Colin Best, Issac Luke
Conversions: Issac Luke 5