NRL Weekly Wrap: Everything we saw in Round 23

Roosters too strong for Manly at SCG

The Roosters got one over the Sea Eagles 26-16 in the opening game of the round at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Thursday night.

The hosts leapt out to an 18-2 lead thanks to a first-half Daniel Tupou double as well as a Joseph Manu try.

A Billy Smith try extended their lead early in the second half before Nathan Brown was sent from the field 62 minutes in for a high shot on Ben Trbojevic.

Manly scored three tries to the Roosters one with Brown off the field but it was not enough with the Tricolours holding on for their second win from their past three.

Billy Smith scored a try, assisted on another, and ran for 127 metres with six tackle breaks whilst Joseph-Aukuso Sua’ali’i scored a try and ran for 194 metres.

Haumole Olakau’atu assisted on a try, ran for 132 metres with four tackle breaks, and made 33 tackles whilst Josh Schuster finished with a try, a try assist, and a trio of offloads.

Warriors squeak past 12-man Titans to extend winning streak

The Warriors secured their fourth win on the trot finishing atop the Titans – who played a man down for 64 minutes – 28-18 at Cbus Super Stadium on Friday evening.

A first-half Shaun Johnson double gave the Warriors a 12-6 half-time lead after Moeaki Fotuaika was sent from the field for a high shot that ended Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad’s night.

Jackson Ford scored on the other side of the break before the hosts mounted a fightback via tries to Joe Stimson and Jayden Campbell to tie it at 18-apiece.

Tohu Harris crossed late to put the Warriors ahead before Dallin Watene-Zelezniak capped off the win with a try of his own.

Johnson scored two, assisted on two, and kicked for 313 metres whilst Jackson Ford scored a try, ran for 158 metres with six tackle breaks, and made 36 tackles.

Jayden Campbell scored a try, assisted on another, and ran for 258 metres with six tackle breaks whilst David Fifita scored a try and ran for 140 metres with seven tackle breaks.

Panthers outclass Storm at BlueBet

Penrith have won six in a row after defeating the Storm 26-6 at BlueBet Stadium on Friday night.

Young Tonumaipea got the Storm on the board first before a trio of Panthers tries in the space of 14 minutes saw them take a 20-6 lead into the intermission.

Brian To’o snagged a second try early in the second half before the scoring dried up as Penrith continued their march towards the minor premiership.

Nathan Cleary assisted on two tries, ran for 111 metres, and kicked for 425 metres whilst To’o scored twice and ran for 204 metres with four tackle breaks.

For Melbourne, Trent Loiero ran for 111 metres and made 38 tackles.

Broncos outlast Cowboys in Townsville

The Broncos extended their winning streak to five behind a 30-14 victory over the Cowboys at QLD Country Bank Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The visitors leapt out to a 12-6 half-time lead behind tries to Jesse Arthars and Patrick Carrigan before Ezra Mam scored on the other side of the break to extend it.

Kyle Feldt grabbed a second for North Queensland before the Broncos capped off the afternoon with tries to Reece Walsh and Selwyn Cobbo.

Herbie Farnworth assisted on a try and ran for 178 metres with seven tackle breaks for Brisbane whilst Payne Haas ran for 219 metres with five tackle breaks and made 44 tackles without a miss.

Feldt scored two tries and ran for a team-high 207 metres with five tackle breaks whilst Murray Taulagi assisted on two tries and ran for 167 metres with seven tackle breaks.

Knights edge Dolphins in Perth to continue winning ways

Newcastle’s charge towards the top eight continued on Saturday with the side holding against the Dolphins 30-28 in Perth for their fifth straight win.

A 22nd-minute Lachlan Fitzgibbon sin bin paved the way for Jamayne Isaako to snag an absurd hat-trick within the space of nine minutes before Kurt Mann answered to cut the Knights’ half-time deficit to just two.

Valynce Te Whare scored the first points of the second half for the Dolphins before the Knights notched a trio of tries in the space of 16 minutes to wrestle the lead back.

Connelly Lemuelu crossed late to bring Wayne Bennett’s men within two but it proved in vain with the Knights holding on for another needed win.

Kalyn Ponga scored a try, assisted on two others, and ran for 179 metres with eight tackle breaks whilst Dom Young assisted on a try and ran for 213 metres with 10 tackle breaks.

Isaako scored three and ran for 170 metres with five tackle breaks whilst Connelly Lemuelu scored a try, ran 136 metres, and made 26 tackles.

Sharks respond vs. Rabbitohs as questions arise for Demetriou’s men

The Sharks are back in the winner’s circle after handing the Rabbitohs their seventh loss from their past 10 26-16 in Perth on Saturday night.

The Sharks jumped out to a 26-0 lead an hour in thanks to a Braydon Trindall double along with tries to wingers Mawene Hiroti and Sione Katoa.

South Sydney jumpstarted a comeback effort with a trio of tries in the space of 11 minutes late but had their hopes dashed by a 75th-minute Thomas Burgess sin bin.

Katoa finished with a try and 193 metres with eight tackle breaks whilst Siosifa Talakai assisted on two and ran for 144 metres.

Keaon Koloamatangi ran for 189 metres and made 24 tackles whilst Latrell Mitchell assisted on a try and ran for 124 metres with six tackle breaks.

Eels pull off come-from-behind win over Red V

The Eels willed their way to a come-from-behind 26-20 win over the Dragons at CommBank Stadium on Sunday afternoon to boost their postseason odds.

Parramatta jumped out to a 10-0 lead early before three Mikaele Ravalawa tries prior to half-time saw the visitors take a six-point edge into the sheds.

The Fijian international grabbed a fourth on the other side of the break before three Eels tries in the space of 12 minutes saw the blue and gold storm home to win it.

Bryce Cartwright scored two tries and ran for 158 metres with eight tackle breaks whilst Junior Paulo scored a try, ran for 174 metres with four tackle breaks, and made 33 tackles without a miss.

Ravalawa scored four and ran for 195 metres with five tackle breaks whilst Blake Lawrie ran for 170 metres with four tackle breaks and made 39 tackles.

Raiders narrowly brush past Wests Tigers in nation’s capital

A valiant Wests Tigers side were downed by the Raiders 22-18 at GIO Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Back-to-back tries to Sebastian Kris and Hudson Young saw the hosts earn a 10-0 lead before Charlie Staines scored a beauty for the visitors to cut into the deficit prior to the break.

Kris grabbed a second shortly after half-time before David Nofoaluma became the first player in Wests Tigers history to reach 100 career tries.

A Matt Timoko try put the Raiders up 10 before Luke Brooks crossed 70 minutes in to set up a grandstand finish but Ricky Stuart’s men held on for an ugly but needed pair of competition points.

Joseph Tapine ran for 179 metres with six tackle breaks and made 24 tackles whilst Kris snagged a double to go along with 154 run metres.

David Klemmer ran for 193 metres and made 22 tackles without a miss whilst Brooks scored a try, assisted on another, and ran for 161 metres.