NRL Weekly Wrap: Everything we saw in Round 25
August 21, 2023
Sharks flex muscles vs. Cowboys in Townsville
Cronulla’s top four dream is still alive with Craig Fitzgibbon’s men proving a cut above the Cowboys in Townsville on Thursday night running out 32-12 winners.
A seesawing opening half-hour saw the visitors take a six-point edge into the intermission thanks to tries courtesy of interchange middles Thomas Hazelton and Royce Hunt.
An early Wade Graham try extended their lead on the other side of the break before Nicho Hynes crossed late to seal another statement win.
Connor Tracey assisted on a try and ran for 273 metres with four tackle breaks whilst Hynes scored a try, assisted on another, and ran for 190 metres with four tackle breaks.
For North Queensland, Scott Drinkwater scored a try and ran for 165 metres with nine tackle breaks whilst Semi Valemei scored a try and ran for 219 metres with eight tackle breaks.
Warriors outlast gutsy Sea Eagles
The Warriors are one step closer to sealing a top four berth after overcoming a tough Manly side 29-22 in Auckland on Friday evening.
An opening-minute Jake Arthur try kickstarted a first-half points fest which saw Jason Saab snag a hat-trick for the visitors and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak a double for the hosts with the former taking a 22-16 lead into the sheds.
Watene-Zelezniak found a third on the other side of the break before Marata Niukore came up with a 72nd-minute match-winner off the back of a controversial tackle that resulted in a Reuben Garrick error.
Addin Fonua-Blake’s continued his bid for a Dally M Team of the Year spot carrying the ball for a team-high 193 metres and making 20 tackles whilst Watene-Zelezniak scored three and ran for 173 metres with six tackle breaks.
Saab scored three for Manly to go along with 145 run metres and six tackle breaks whilst Garrick assisted on a try and ran for 139 metres.
Roosters keep finals hopes alive with win over Eels
The Roosters managed their fourth win from their past five finishing atop the Eels 34-12 at CommBank Stadium on Friday night.
The visitors took an 18-6 advantage into half-time thanks to a James Tedesco double plus a Joseph-Aukuso Sua’ali’i try.
Sua’ali’i grabbed a second on the other side of the break before a 62nd-minute Clint Gutherson try breathed some life back into the Eels’ chances only for back rowers Siua Wong and Nat Butcher to cross late for the Tricolours.
Tedesco scored two, assisted on another, and ran for 176 metres with 10 tackle breaks before being missing the final quarter of the clash due to a head knock whilst Lindsay Collins ran for 164 metres and made 34 tackles.
Gutherson scored a try and ran for 200 metres whilst Reagan Campbell-Gillard ran for 199 metres and made 31 tackles.
Wests Tigers pull off last gasp win over Dolphins
The Wests Tigers’ 10-game losing streak is over after pulling off a last-ditch 24-23 win over an undermanned Dolphins squad at CommBank Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The hosts took a 12-10 lead into the sheds thanks to first-half tries to Fonua Pole and Asu Kepaoa.
Rookie centre Jack Bostock crossed early in the second half to wrestle the lead in the Dolphins’ favour before a pair of Wests Tigers tries in the space of three minutes saw it seesaw back their way.
Debutant Trai Fuller crossed on the other side of the hour-mark before Jamayne Isaako tied it with a penalty goal soon after and put the visitors ahead with a field goal entering the final five.
A penalty off a short kick-off gave Apisai Koroisau the chance to win it for the hosts with a sideline conversion which snuck over the crossbar to send the CommBank faithful into a frenzy.
Pole scored a try, ran for 137 metres with four tackle breaks, and made 24 tackles whilst Alex Twal ran for a team-high 155 metres and made 44 tackles without a miss.
Sean O’Sullivan assisted on two tries and ran for 117 metres for the visitors whilst Isaako scored a try, kicked a field goal, and ran for 164 metres.
Panthers continue minor premiership tilt with Gold Coast win
The Panthers march towards their third minor premiership in four seasons looks to be in good shape with Ivan Cleary’s men notching a 40-14 win over a brave Titans outfit at Cbus Super Stadium on Saturday evening.
Despite conceding a try to Klese Haas just two minutes in, the visitors took a 22-6 lead into the sheds with Dylan Edwards and Isaah Yeo crossing before Tyrone Peachey and Tom Jenkins took advantage of an Aaron Schoupp bin to score late in the half.
Quick tries to Alofi’ana Khan-Pereira and David Fifita saw the hosts storm back into before a trio of tries in the space of 10 minutes sealed a Penrith win.
Edwards scored a double and ran for 303 metres with 11 tackle breaks whilst Stephen Crichton scored a try, assisted on three others, and ran for 118 metres.
Tino Fa’asuamaleaui added 176 run metres with five tackle breaks and made 28 tackles without a miss whilst AJ Brimson assisted on a try and ran for 153 metres with four tackle breaks.
Storm squeak past Dragons in Wollongong
The Storm came out on top of the Dragons in a seesawing affair at WIN Stadium on Saturday night to keep their spot in the top four.
A trio of tries to Billy Burns, Tyrell Sloan, and Junior Amone saw the hosts jump out to an 18-4 lead but a Will Warbrick hat-trick coupled with a Xavier Coates effort saw the contest tied heading into the break.
A second-half Eliesa Katoa double put Melbourne ahead before Mikaele Ravalawa nabbed his 20th try of the year to cut the deficit to two entering the final five only for a late Jahrome Hughes try to seal it for the visitors.
Warbrick scored three and ran for 205 metres with six tackle breaks whilst Hughes scored a try, assisted on three others, and ran for 142 metres.
Blake Lawrie ran for 196 metres and made 28 tackles for the Red V whilst Sloan scored a try and ran for 177 metres with three tackle breaks.
Knights dismantle Rabbitohs, extend winning streak to 7
The Knights have notched their first seven-game winning streak in over two decades thanks to a 29-10 over the Rabbitohs in front of a sold-out McDonald Jones Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The hosts got off to a dream start with a first-half Greg Marzhew hat-trick pushing them towards a 12-0 half-time lead.
Damien Cook scored early in the second half to improve the Bunnies’ hope before two tries in four minutes wrestled momentum back the way of the Knights with Bradman Best capping the afternoon off with a runaway four-pointer late.
Marzhew finished with three tries and 241 run metres with 11 tackle breaks whilst Kalyn Ponga assisted on two tries and ran for 172 metres.
Latrell Mitchell assisted on a line break and ran for 204 metres with a dozen tackle breaks before being binned late whilst Cameron Murray ran for 105 metres and made 49 tackles.
Raiders take care of Bulldogs at GIO
The Raiders came up with an ugly but needed 36-24 win over the Bulldogs in the nation’s capital on Sunday afternoon to keep their spot in the top eight somewhat secure.
A back-and-forth opening stanza saw both teams enter the break tied at a dozen with Matt Timoko and Jarrod Croker the try-scorers for Canberra and Blake Wilson and Jacob Kiraz the try-scorers for Canterbury.
Timoko grabbed a second and Toby Sexton grabbed a try in the second period before a trio of Raiders tries in the space of 12 minutes boosted them to victory.
Jordan Rapana scored a try, assisted on three others, and ran for 172 metres with nine tackle breaks whilst Joseph Tapine assisted on a try and ran for 186 metres with five tackle breaks.
Jake Averillo finished with a try assist and 142 run metres with five tackle breaks whilst Harrison Edwards ran for 89 metres and made 52 tackles.
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