NRL Weekly Wrap: Everything we saw in Round 17

DWZ snags 4 as Warriors thump Dragons in Wollongong

The Warriors managed their third-straight win thanks to a four-try night courtesy of Dallin Watene-Zelezniak leading them over the Dragons 48-18 at WIN Stadium.

After a balanced opening quarter, a trio of Warriors tries in the space of seven minutes broke the game open prior to half-time.

Despite Marata Niukore earning a sin bin early in the second period, the visitors spread their attacking wings late to pull off a nine-tries-to-three rout of the Red V.

Watene-Zelezniak scored four tries, assisted on another, and ran for a game-high 226 metres whilst Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad assisted on two tries and ran for 198 metres with seven tackle breaks.

For the Dragons, Jack de Belin made a game-high 55 tackles in his 200th NRL game.

Flaming hot first half lifts Eels over Dolphins

The Eels have won five on the trot thanks to a point-a-minute opening half leading them to a 48-20 win over the Dolphins on the Sunshine Coast.

A Will Penisini double along with tries to Andrew Davey, J’maine Hopgood, Clint Gutherson, Bailey Simonsson and Sean Russell helped the Eels take a 42-4 lead into the sheds.

A Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow double helped the Dolphins halt the Parramatta charge in the second half but the damage had already been done.

Gutherson scored two, assisted on another, and ran for 188 metres whilst Hopgood scored one, assisted on another, and ran for 159 metres.

Tabuai-Fidow scored two tries and ran for a game-high 279 metres with eight tackle breaks.

Understrength Panthers outplay Knights

Despite being without their Origin stars, defending premiers Penrith proved too much for the Knights to handle on Saturday evening at BlueBet Stadium with Ivan Cleary’s men coming away with a 20-12 win.

A first-half Tyrone Peachey double helped Penrith run out to an early 16-6 lead before matters were made worse for the Knights with Jack Hetherington binned for slapping Izack Tago just shy of the break.

Jaeman Salmon crossed for the Panthers on the other side of half-time as they went on to win their sixth from their past seven.

Peachey scored two, assisted on another, and ran for 208 metres with six tackle breaks whilst Dylan Edwards scored a try and ran for 202 metres with eight tackle breaks.

Dane Gagai ran for 168 metres with eight tackle breaks and a line break.

Storm get one over Sea Eagles at AAMI Park

The Storm came away with a 24-6 win over the Sea Eagles on Saturday night in Melbourne behind a Xavier Coates double.

A Haumole Olakau’atu try got the visitors on the board first before the tide turned the way of the Storm via first-half tries to Jahrome Hughes and Jonah Pezet.

Nelson Asofa-Solomona struck first for the hosts in the second half before Coates snagged two late ones to put the cherry on top.

Coates scored two and ran for 208 metres with eight tackle breaks whilst Hughes scored a try and assisted on two others.

For Manly, Reuben Garrick ran for 213 metres with nine tackle breaks.

Titans hold off Broncos in thrilling southeast QLD derby

The Titans managed to spring an upset on the previously ladder-leading Broncos in a high intensity affair at Suncorp on Sunday afternoon coming away with an 18-12 win.

Thomas Flegler came away with the contest’s opening points just shy of the half-hour mark before David Fifita barged over on the stroke of half-time to tie it at six-apiece.

A pair of quick tries to Brian Kelly and Alofi’ana Khan-Pereira gave the Titans a 10-point buffer before their lead-blowing woes looked set to continue with Brisbane crossing through Ezra Mam on the hour-mark.

Brisbane threatened to break the Gold Coast hearts but several disallowed tries and some brave defence helped the Titans hold on in their first outing since Justin Holbrook’s sacking.

Moeaki Fotuaika ran for 210 metres and made 32 tackles whilst Kelly scored a try, assisted on another, and ran for 190 metres with seven tackle breaks.

Patrick Carrigan assisted on a try, ran for 149 metres, and made 35 tackles whilst Corey Oates ran for 221 metres with six tackle breaks.

Cowboys pull off statement win as questions arise over Rabbitohs

The Cowboys surged home to hand the Rabbitohs a 31-6 loss – their biggest of the year and fourth from their past five – at Accor Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

The Cowboys took a peculiar 5-0 lead into the sheds thanks to a Murray Taulagi try and Scott Drinkwater field goal before the floodgates opened in the second stanza.

Valentine Holmes scored two tries in two minutes just after half-time before Kulikefu Finefeuiaki and Tom Dearden joined the try-scorers’ party late.

Drinkwater assisted on three tries and ran for 223 metres with 11 tackle breaks whilst Jeremiah Nanai assisted on two line breaks and ran for 182 metres with five tackle breaks.

The Bunnies have secured just one win from their past five and are now sitting only two competition points ahead of the 12th-place Roosters.

Raiders survive Roosters fightback in Sunday night belter

The Raiders came away with an 18-16 win over a fast-finishing Roosters outfit in the final clash of Round 17 at Allianz on Sunday night.

Tries to Jack Wighton, Albert Hopoate, and Matt Timoko got the Raiders off to a flying start before Joseph Manu scored moments before the break to cut into the Green Machine’s 18-point advantage and breathe some life back into the listless Chooks.

Manu grabbed a second two minutes into the second half before a 75th-minute Lindsay Collins try set up a grandstand finish but the Raiders managed to hang on for a pivotal win.

Hopoate scored a try and ran for 249 metres whilst Sebastian Kris assisted on a try and ran for 234 metres.

Jared Waerea-Hargreaves ran for 162 metres and made 41 tackles whilst Luke Keary assisted on a pair of tries and kicked for 259 metres.

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