NRL Weekly Wrap: Everything we saw in Round 26

Eels stun Panthers in Battle of the West behind Sivo quartet

The Eels got one over the Panthers in their final outing of 2023 coming away with a 32-18 win at BlueBet Stadium on Thursday night as the reigning champs were hit with another injury blow.

The Eels leapt out to an early lead behind a first-half hat-trick to Maika Sivo before a hobbling Clint Gutherson snagged two tries in six minutes to balloon the advantage to 28-4.

Penrith made a late fightback but Sivo claimed his fourth of the night to seal it for the Eels.

Panthers five-eighth Jarome Luai was taken from the field midway through the opening half with a shoulder issue that is expected to rule him out until perhaps the preliminary finals, should Penrith advance that far.

Sivo scored four and ran for 138 metres with four tackle breaks whilst Gutherson scored two, assisted on another, and ran for 135 metres.

Stephen Crichton assisted on two tries and ran for 203 metres with four tackle breaks whilst Nathan Cleary scored a try, assisted on another, and ran for 196 metres.

Warriors outlast Dragons in Auckland

The Warriors have secured a top four berth for the first time since 2007 after holding off a spirited Dragons outfit 18-6 in front of a sold-out Go Media Stadium on Friday.

The hosts took a 10-0 lead into the break behind first-half tries to Adam Pompey and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad.

Zac Lomax scored on the hour-mark to cut the lead to four for the Red V before Addin Fonua-Blake crossed late to seal it for the Warriors.

Fonua-Blake scored a try, ran for 223 metres, and made 27 tackles whilst Nicoll-Klokstad scored a try, and ran for 217 metres with nine tackle breaks.

Blake Lawrie ran for 201 metres and made 44 tackles for the Dragons whilst Moses Suli ran for 146 metres with eight tackle breaks and a line break.

Cowboys too strong for Dolphins, keep finals hopes alive

The Cowboys are still alive in the finals race after finishing on top of the Dolphins 34-10 at Suncorp on Friday night.

A trio of tries to Zac Laybutt, Scott Drinkwater, and Kyle Feldt in the space of six minutes saw the visitors leap out to an early lead before Laybutt crossed for his second with Josh Kerr in the sin bin to make it 24-0 heading into the break.

A second-half Jamayne Isaako double made the scoreboard a nicer sight for Wayne Bennett’s men but the damage had been done.

Drinkwater scored a try, assisted on another, and ran for 135 metres with five tackle breaks whilst Taulagi scored a try, assisted on another, and ran for 219 metres.

Isaako scored a double and ran for 271 metres with seven tackle breaks whilst Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow assisted on a try and ran for 216 metres with 10 tackle breaks.

Storm finish atop Titans as Papenhuyzen makes return

Melbourne have sealed a top four finish after defeating the Titans 37-16 at AAMI Park on Saturday afternoon in Ryan Papenhuyzen’s first NRL game in over 400 days.

A Xavier Coates double helped the Storm leap out to an 18-10 half-time lead before Jojo Fifita cut the deficit to just two 13 minutes into the second half.

Papenhuyzen was inserted into the action with 18 minutes remaining prompting an almighty cheers as the Storm found a trio of late tries to seal it.

Cameron Munster assisted on two tries and ran for 157 metres whilst Coates scored twice and ran for 206 metres with four tackle breaks.

Tino Fa’asuamaleaui ran for 218 metres and made 36 tackles whilst Brian Kelly scored a try and ran for 177 metres.

Roosters march towards finals continues with win over Wests Tigers

The Sydney Roosters have won four games in a row after coming out on top against the Wests Tigers 32-8 at Allianz Stadium on Saturday evening.

Debutant Triston Reilly scored just six minutes in for the visitors before returning halfback Sam Walker answered for the Tricolours.

Daniel Tupou scored on the stroke of half-time to ensure that the Roosters held the lead heading into the break before Terrell May, Joseph-Aukuso Sua’ali’i, and Victor Radley bagged second-half tries to win it.

Joseph Manu lasted just 23 minutes before succumbing to a hamstring injury and is no certainty to line up in the side’s must-win clash versus the Rabbitohs next week.

Sua’ali’i scored a try and ran for 248 metres with eight tackle breaks whilst Billy Smith assisted on a try and ran for 171 metres with seven tackle breaks.

Jahream Bula assisted on a try and ran for 152 metres whilst Fonua Pole ran for 131 metres and made 32 tackles.

Broncos survive Raiders, move one step closer to minor premiership

The Broncos outlasted the Raiders 29-18 in a fiery affair in the nation’s capital on Saturday night to move a step closer to their first minor premiership since 2000.

A back-and-forth first half saw the sides go into the break locked at 16-apiece with Matt Frawley, Nick Čotrić, and Hudson Young the try-scorers for Canberra and Selwyn Cobbo, Kotoni Staggs, and Ezra Mam crossing for Brisbane.

Cobbo’s second try wrestled the lead the way of the Broncos an hour in before a Jordan Rapana sin bin paved the way for Cobbo’s third.

Reece Walsh crossed late to seal it for the Broncos before being legally ironed out by Joseph Tapine in the final seconds to spark a push-and-shove.

Walsh scored a try, assisted on two others, and ran for 145 metres with eight tackle breaks whilst Cobbo scored three and ran for 156 metres.

Tapine ran for 125 metres and made 31 tackles whilst Jack Wighton ran for 141 metres with nine tackle breaks and a line break.

Sea Eagles take care of Bulldogs at Accor

The Sea Eagles were too strong for the Bulldogs at Accor Stadium on Sunday afternoon coming away with a 42-24 win.

Corey Waddell got over for the Dogs just four minutes in before Jason Saab, Toafofoa Sipley, and Raymond Tuaimalo Vaega crossed to put Manly ahead 16-6 heading into the half.

Second-half tries to Haumole Olakau’atu, Daly Cherry-Evans, Lachlan Croker and a second to Saab saw Manly pull away with it despite a late Canterbury fightback.

Toluta’u Koula assisted on three tries and ran for 312 metres with seven tackle breaks at fullback whilst Cherry-Evans scored a try, assisted on another, and ran for 145 metres with eight tackle breaks.

Knights dismantle Sharks, extend winning streak to 8

The good times continue to roll for the Newcastle Knights who took care of business 32-6 against the Nicho Hynes-less Sharks on Sunday afternoon at McDonald Jones Stadium for their eighth-straight win.

Connor Tracey got the Sharks on the board early before Kalyn Ponga joined the party to make it 6-6 heading into the break.

Things opened up in the second half for the hosts with Bradman Best bagging a double to go along with tries to Dom Young, Greg Marzhew, and Dylan Lucas.

Ponga failed to finish the game due to a shoulder concern picked up in a heavy collision with Sharks centre Jesse Ramien but it hopeful to be fit for the first week of the finals.

Ponga was everywhere for Newcastle scoring a try, assisting on another, and running for 198 metres with eight tackle breaks whilst Dane Gagai assisted on a pair of line breaks and ran for a game-high 221 metres with 13 tackle breaks.

For Cronulla, Tracey scored a try and ran for 190 metres with four tackle breaks whilst Cameron McInnes ran for 103 metres and made 60 tackles.

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