NRL Weekly Wrap: Everything we saw in Round 20

Knights too strong for Wests Tigers

The round opened with the Knights finishing atop the Wests Tigers 34-16 at McDonald Jones Stadium on Friday night.

It was all Newcastle early with the hosts piling on three tries in the opening 12 minutes before Tim Sheens’ men answered with a pair of tries prior to the break to cut the lead to just six.

Second-half tries to Kalyn Ponga, Tyson Gamble, and Dom Young sunk the visitors, however, as they slumped to their sixth loss on the trot.

Ponga scored a try, assisted on three others, and ran for 151 metres with six tackle breaks whilst Greg Marzhew scored a try and ran for a game-high 231 metres with nine tackle breaks.

Jahream Bula scored a double to go along with 128 run metres and eight tackle breaks whilst John Bateman ran for 162 metres and made 46 tackles.

Broncos pull away from Bulldogs at Belmore

A fast-finishing Broncos outfit triumphed over the Bulldogs at Belmore on Saturday afternoon 44-24.

A first-half Jake Averillo double had the Bulldogs tied with Brisbane a half hour in before Deine Mariner crossed to give Kevin Walters’ men a half-time lead.

Tries to Xavier Willison, Ezra Mam, Brendan Piakura and Herbie Farnworth powered the Broncos to a four-tries-to-one second stanza and their fifth win from their past six.

Adam Reynolds assisted on three tries and kicked for 375 metres whilst Tristan Sailor assisted on two tries and ran for 177 metres.

Averillo scored two tries and ran for 122 metres with seven tackle breaks whilst Jacob Kiraz ran for 230 metres with 10 tackle breaks.

Cowboys continue winning ways vs. Manly

North Queensland have won five in a row after coming away with a 19-8 win over the Sea Eagles at 4 Pines Park on Saturday evening.

Manly got on the board first via debutant Dean Matterson before a pair of Cowboys tries in the space of three minutes saw the visitors take a lead into the sheds.

Brad Parker crossed for the hosts on the other side of the half to cut the lead below a converted try but a late Scott Drinkwater four-pointer sealed it for Todd Payten’s men.

Drinkwater scored a try and ran for 201 metres with five tackle breaks whilst Valentine Holmes assisted on a try and ran for 204 metres with six tackle breaks.

Haumole Olakau’atu assisted on a try and ran for 152 metres whilst Jake Trbojevic ran for 104 metres and made 54 tackles.

Storm hand Roosters another loss as season slips away from Tricolours

The Storm handed the Roosters their seventh loss from their past nine at the SCG on Saturday night with Craig Bellamy’s men coming away 30-16 victors behind a Xavier Coates hat-trick.

A back-and-forth opening half saw the Storm take a 6-4 advantage into the sheds before the floodgates opened in the second period.

Melbourne scored a quartet of tries in the space of 21 minutes to blow the Roosters out of the water and earn their fourth win from their past five.

Coates scored three and ran for 160 metres with six tackle breaks whilst Cameron Munster assisted on a pair of tries and ran for 141 metres.

Joseph Manu assisted on a try and ran for 224 metres with nine tackle breaks at fullback.

Warriors make huge statement as Sharks top eight struggles continue

The Warriors top four hopes were dealt a huge boost with Andrew Webster’s men pulling off a decisive 44-12 win over the Sharks in Auckland on Sunday.

A 12-minute, four-try avalanche – including a Luke Metcalf double – saw the Warriors jump out to a 22-6 half-time lead.

The scoring continued into the second stanza with an eight-minute, three-try period sinking the Sharks and leading the hosts to their fifth win from their past six.

Shaun Johnson assisted on a trio of tries and kicked for 601 metres whilst Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad scored a try, assisted on another, and ran for 198 metres.

Undermanned Panthers outlast Dolphins

Penrith have won eight of their past nine after beating the Dolphins 24-14 at Kayo Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

The defending premiers were on the front foot early thanks to a trio of tries in the opening 12 minutes before the Dolphins wrestled back some ascendancy thanks to a Jack Cogger sin bin.

Two tries in four minutes helped the Dolphins take their first lead of the contest midway through the second period before a late Tom Jenkins double willed the Panthers to a gutsy 10-point win.

Izack Tago scored two tries, assisted on two others, and ran for 200 metres with seven tackle breaks whilst Jenkins scored a double, assisted on another, and ran for 126 metres.

Kodi Nikorima scored a try, assisted on another, and ran for 134 metres with six tackle breaks whilst Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow scored a try and ran for 119 metres with five tackle breaks.

Moses field goal sinks Titans at CommBank

A 74th-minute Mitchell Moses one-pointer was all that could separate the Eels and the Titans at CommBank Stadium on Sunday night with the blue and golds coming away with a 25-24 win.

Two tries in the opening 11 minutes had the hosts on the front foot before a pair of back-to-back sin bins paved the way for the Gold Coast to snag a trio of tries in 14 minutes and take a lead into the half.

The sides went back and forth throughout the second period until Moses knocked over a field goal to put the Eels ahead and, despite Tanah Boyd being presented several opportunities to tie, seal the win.

Bryce Cartwright scored a try, assisted on another, and ran for 124 metres with five tackle breaks whilst Reagan Campbell-Gillard ran for 167 metres and made 21 tackles.

Phillip Sami scored a try and ran for 229 metres with four tackle breaks whilst Tino Fa’asuamaleaui ran for 161 metres and made 25 tackles.

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