NRL Round Up – Round 5
St George bounced back from last week’s defeat by the Storm by overwhelming Brisbane 34-16.
Brett Morris kept up his enviable try scoring form with a hat-trick of tries and despite scores from Broncos youngsters Dale Copley and Josh Hoffman, the Dragons ran riot in the second half.
ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA (34)
Tries: Brett Morris (2), Beau Scott, Jason Nightingale, Ben Hornby, Dean Young
Conversions: Jamie Soward 5
BRISBANE BRONCOS (16)
Tries: Dale Copley, Andrew McCullough, Josh Hoffman
Conversions: Peter Wallace 2
Gold Coast inflicted a first defeat of the season on Melbourne 20-16 in an exciting encounter at Skilled Park.
Anthony Quinn’s first half hat-trick helped the Storm establish a 16-4 half time lead with Joe Tomane scoring in response for the Titans.
The home side put their foot down after the break and grabbed the win thanks to scores from Ashley Harrison and Greg Bird.
GOLD COAST TITANS (20)
Tries: Greg Bird, Ashley Harrison, Joseph Tomane
Conversions: Mat Rogers 2
Penalty Goals: Mat Rogers 2
MELBOURNE STORM (16)
Tries: Anthony Quinn 3
Conversions: Cameron Smith 2
South Sydney recorded their third successive win with an emphatic 38-10 victory of Newcastle in Gosford.
Dane Tolar scored first for the Knights but two scores from Nathan Merritt and Beau Champion in reply gave the Rabbitohs a 12-4 half time lead.
Akuila Uate scored first for Newcastle after the restart but Souths put their foot down and added scores from Champion, Merritt, Talanoa and Wesser.
SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS (28)
Tries: Rhys Wesser, Beau Champion, Nathan Merritt (2), Fetuli Talanoa
Conversions: Issac Luke 3
NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS (10)
Tries: Daniel Tolar, Akuila Uate
Conversions: Wes Naiqama 1 Isaac De Gois 1
Lance Hohaia’s last minute try handed New Zealand Warriors a dramatic 30-24 victory over Canterbury.
Brett Kimmorley dummied his way over early on but tries from Brent Tate and the returning Manu Vatuvei took the away side ahead.
That was until a mesmerizing try from Ben Barba tied the scores at 12-12 at the break.
Tries from Jacob Lillyman and Kevin Locke restored the Warriors’ lead but the Bulldogs hit back through Luke Patten and Jamal Idris.
However a late try from Hohaia sealed an unlikely win for the Warriors.
CANTERBURY BULLDOGS (24)
Tries: Luke Patten, Ben Barba, Jamal Idris, Brett Kimmorley
Conversions: Bryson Goodwin 4
NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS (30)
Tries: Brent Tate, Lance Hohaia, Manu Vatuvei, Jacob Lillyman, Kevin Locke
Conversions: James Maloney 5
Wests Tigers scored a useful win over North Queensland 23-16.
Three scores for the Tigers from Chris Lawrence, Lote Tuqiri and Chris Heighington helped the visitors into an 18-2 lead at the break.
The Cowboys came out firing in the second period and posted successive scores through Scott Bolton and Willie Tonga but a Robbie Farah field goal and a Chris Lawrence try sealed the Tigers’ win.
NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS (16)
Tries: Scott Bolton, Anthony Watts, Willie Tonga
Conversions: John Williams 1
Penalty Goals: Johnathan Thurston 1
WESTS TIGERS (23)
Tries: Chris Heighington, Chris Lawrence (2), Lote Tuqiri
Field Goals: Robbie Farah 1
Conversions: Benji Marshall 2
Penalty Goals: Benji Marshall 1
Cronulla suffered a 40-12 hammering at the hands of Manly at Brookvale.
Tim Smith grabbed his first try in a Sharks jersey early on but Manly roared back with five unanswered tries to lead 30-6 at the interval.
Jamie Lyon and Michael Robertson doubled their tallies with second half tries while Cronulla had scant consolation from a Grant Millington score in response.
MANLY SEA EAGLES (40)
Tries: Glenn Stewart, Michael Robertson (2), Jamie Lyon (2), Matt Cross, Trent Hodkinson
Conversions: Jamie Lyon 6
CRONULLA SUTHERLAND SHARKS (12)
Tries: Grant Millington, Tim Smith
Conversions: Nathan Stapleton 2
Penrith backed up from last week’s win over Newcastle with a 28-6 victory over Sydney.
Three first half tries from Joseph Paulo, Michael Jennings and Adrian Purtell established a 16-0 half time lead for the Panthers.
Lachlan Coote weighed in with Penrith’s fourth score and despite a Mitchell Aubusson try for the Roosters Michael Gordon sealed the result when he barged his way over in the corner.
PENRITH PANTHERS (28)
Tries: Adrian Purtell, Michael Gordon, Michael Jennings, Lachlan Coote, Joseph Paulo
Conversions: Michael Gordon 4
SYDNEY ROOSTERS (6)
Tries: Mitchell Aubusson
Conversions: Todd Carney 1
Parramatta crashed to their fourth defeat of the season at home to Canberra 24-14.
The teams traded scores with Joel Thompson and Daniel Vidot crossing for Canberra and Luke Burt grabbing a double for Parramatta.
Sean Fensom crossed for a long range score late in the half to hand the Raiders an 18-10 interval lead.
Ben Smith struck back for the Eels after the break but Josh McCrone’s individual score put the result beyond doubt.
PARRAMATTA EELS (14)
Tries: Luke Burt (2), Ben Smith
Conversions: Luke Burt 1
CANBERRA RAIDERS (24)
Tries: Joel Thompson, Daniel Vidot, Shaun Fensom, Josh McCrone
Conversions: Terry Campese 4