NRL Weekly Wrap: Everything we saw in Round 8

Souths pip Penrith at post in Thursday night belter

Viewers were treated to another Rabbitohs-Panthers classic to open the round with a 78th-minute Isaiah Tass four-pointer sealing a 20-18 win for South Sydney on Thursday night.

Damien Cook grabbed the first try of the contest for South Sydney before Stephen Crichton answered for Penrith on the stroke of half-time to tie proceedings heading into the sheds.

Latrell Mitchell put Souths back ahead just shy of the hour-mark only for Crichton to grab his second shortly after.

Crichton claimed the second hat-trick of his NRL career in the 70th minute to put the defending champions ahead by eight.

Mitchell grabbed his second with five minutes to play after the ball ended up in his lap off an aerial scrum before Alex Johnston and Cody Walker combined down the left edge to send Tass over for a stupendous match-sealer.

Mitchell was phenomenal for Souths scoring two and running for 109 metres with a dozen tackle breaks whilst Tass scored the match-winner, assisted on a pair of line breaks, and ran for 162 metres with four tackle breaks.

For Penrith, Crichton scored three and ran for 181 metres with six tackle breaks whilst Isaah Yeo ran for 188 metres from 22 carries and made 45 tackles without a miss.

Brisbane finish atop Parra in Darwin, continue winning ways

The Broncos were able to continue their winning ways after outlasting Parramatta 26-16 in trying Darwin condition on Friday night.

Brisbane leaped out to a 24-6 half-time lead thanks to tries from Herbie Farnworth, Adam Reynolds, Ezra Mam and Kotoni Staggs.

J’maine Hopgood and Mam both found themselves binned for illegal hip drops in the second half before Payne Haas found himself lucky not to have earnt the same fate later in the contest.

Tries to Maika Sivo and Sean Russell breathed some life back into Parramatta but it wasn’t enough as the Eels dropped their fifth game of the season.

Mam showed out for Brisbane scoring one try, assisting on another, and running for 96 metres with five tackle breaks whilst Haas ran for 212 metres from 17 carries with seven tackle breaks and made 18 tackles without a miss.

For Parramatta, Clint Gutherson scored a try and ran for 125 metres whilst Dylan Brown assisted on a pair of tries and made 28 tackles.

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Gutsy Dogs not enough to slow down Sharks

The Sharks managed their third win from their past four after overcoming an undermanned Canterbury outfit 33-20 at Accor on Saturday evening thanks to a first-half, Will Kennedy hat-trick.

The Dogs were able to keep the half-time deficit to just four thanks to tries to stand-in wingers Braidon Burns and Declan Casey.

Second-half tries to Matt Moylan and Sione Katoa gave the Sharks some breathing room before a 67th-minute Corey Waddell try cut the lead to just 10.

Ronaldo Mulitalo came up with a howler of a bombed try before Nicho Hynes slotted a penalty goal and field goal to improve the scoreboard ever so slightly for the visitors.

Kennedy grabbed a hat-trick and ran for 172 metres whilst Briton Nikora assisted on a try, ran for 132 metres with five tackle breaks, and made 26 tackles.

Hayze Perham assisted on a try and ran for 137 metres for Canterbury whilst Max King ran for 101 metres and made 36 tackles.

Cowboys earn much-needed win in tight affair versus Newcastle

The North Queensland Cowboys managed to halt a three-game skid thanks to a hard-fought 18-16 win over the Knights in Townsville on Saturday night.

Reece Robson crashed over early for the Cows before Greg Marzhew’s strong, try-scoring form continued with the rampaging Knights winger crashing over moments later.

A Kyle Feldt try gave the hosts the lead heading into the break before Newcastle scored the first two tries of the second half with Murray Taulagi in the bin to earn a 16-12 lead heading into the final quarter.

A 64th-minute Tom Dearden try off the back of some slick and powerful work courtesy of Valentine Holmes proved the difference as the Cowboys held on for a much-needed win.

Holmes was sensational for the Cowboys assisting on a decisive try and running for a game-high 254 metres whilst Scott Drinkwater assisted on two tries of his own and ran for 245 metres with five tackle breaks.

For Newcastle, Dane Gagai ran for 237 metres with 13 tackle breaks whilst Lachie Miller assisted on two line breaks and ran for 151 metres with five tackle breaks.

Kalyn Ponga managed to get through the contest unscathed in his first outing since his Round 1 head knock.

Historic comeback: Dolphins erase 26-point deficit to stun Titans at Suncorp

The Dolphins’ incredible start to the season continued on Sunday afternoon after they became just the second team of the NRL era to run down a 26-point lead as they beat the Gold Coast 28-26.

The Titans were on a tear early with Chris Randall, Isaac Liu, Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and Tanah Boyd all crossing for rather soft tries within a 12-minute period in the first half to take a 26-0 lead into the sheds.

The Dolphins started the second half with a flurry with Robert Jennings, Mark Nicholls, and Jarrod Wallace all scoring within the opening 10 minutes to drag the side back into it.

Jennings decided not to score a try after falling to the deck several metres short with no defender in sight in what was an absurdly bizarre sequence before having another taken off him soon after for a knock-on.

He eventually grabbed his second try with 15 minutes remaining to help cut the lead to two before a barnstorming Euan Aitken barrelled through a pair of Gold Coast defenders to score the match-winner and seal one of rugby league’s greatest comebacks.

18-year-old Isaiya Katoa enjoyed arguably his best outing of his young career assisting on a try, running for 91 metres, and kicking for 416 metres whilst Euan Aitken scored a try, assisted on another, and ran for a team-high 214 metres and Jarrod Wallace scored one, assisted on one, and ran for 181 metres against his former-club off the bench.

For the Titans, Moeaki Fotuaika ran for a game-high 222 metres and made 38 tackles whilst Chris Randall scored one, assisted on another, and made 24 tackles.

Wests Tigers fall agonisingly short of first win in Manly showdown

The Wests Tigers are still winless after surrendering a late lead to the Sea Eagles to fall 22-16 in wet conditions at Campbelltown on Sunday afternoon.

Manly looked ready to go big after tries to Daly Cherry-Evans and Haumole Olakau’atu in the opening quarter had them up 12-0 early before a Charlie Staines got the hosts on the board minutes before half-time.

An Apisai Koroisau four-pointer brought the Wests Tigers back within striking distance mid-way through the second stanza before a superb Starford To’a effort gave them the lead with less than a quarter to play.

A 71st-minute, Jason Saab aerial effort, however, proved the difference with the towering winger crossing to push Manly into outright second on the premiership ladder.

For Manly, Saab notched the match-winner, made two line breaks, and ran for 133 metres whilst Olakau’atu scored a try, ran for 111 metres, and made 34 tackles.

Wests Tigers debutant Jahream Bula had a terrific outing at the back running for a game-high 177 metres with five tackle breaks whilst Koroisau scored a try and made 39 tackles.

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Keary field goal the difference in ANZAC Day classic

The Dragons and Roosters produced another ripping ANZAC Day clash with a Luke Keary field goal all that could separate the two sides in a 27-26 affair at Allianz Stadium.

The Roosters looked primed to run away with early after jumping out to a 20-6 lead after just half-an-hour and crafting numerous inroads from all across the field.

The Dragons showed some fight, however, scoring a trio of tries in eight minutes thanks to several instances of Tyrell Sloan brilliance to tie things at 26 heading into the final quarter.

A 63rd-minute Victor Radley sin bin had the Roosters reeling but the tricolours held on thanks to a Keary one-pointer with seven minutes to play.

James Tedesco scored a try and ran for 236 metres with seven tackle breaks whilst Joseph Manu, wearing the six jumper in place of Sam Walker, scored a try, ran for 127 metres with 11 tackle breaks, and made 29 tackles.

For St. George Illawarra, Sloan scored a try, assisted on another, and ran for 142 metres with five tackle breaks whilst Tautau Moga finished with a hat-trick and 157 run metres before leaving the contest early with a shoulder injury.

Storm limp past courageous Warriors to continue remarkable hoodoo

The Melbourne Storm have now won 14 in-a-row against the Warriors after downing their trans-Tasman rivals 30-22 to cap off ANZAC Day.

The Warriors, who finished with an empty bench after a raft of injury concerns, got off to a flier leaping out to an 18-6 lead after just 20 minutes.

Melbourne wrestled back some ascendancy, however, thanks to a Cameron Munster try and a Nick Meaney double.

A 75th-minute, Harry Grant try put the icing on the cake for the Storm as they held on against a brave Warriors squad.

Meaney was superb scoring two tries and running for a game-high 241 metres with five tackle breaks whilst Munster grabbed a try and ran for 173 metres with eight tackle breaks.

The Warriors were led by Addin Fonua-Blake’s 177 run metres with seven tackle breaks whilst Dallin Watene-Zelezniak scored a double and ran for 157 run metres with eight tackle breaks.

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