NRL Weekly Wrap: Everything we saw in the Qualifying Finals

Broncos hold-out Storm to book preliminary finals ticket

The Brisbane Broncos have punched their ticket to a preliminary final for the first time in six years after defeating the Storm 26-0 at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night to open the finals series.

The night ended in deflating fashion with Storm star Ryan Papenhuyzen stretchered off the field after suffering a right ankle fracture in just his third NRL game since returning from a long-term kneecap injury.

A 7th-minute Kotoni Staggs try got Brisbane off to a hot start before Adam Reynolds knocked over a gift two points courtesy of an incorrect dropout to make it 8-0 heading into the sheds.

Reece Walsh and Jordan Riki scored back-to-back tries for Brisbane early in the second half before Selwyn Cobbo grabbed a late try to seal it for the hosts.

It marked just the third time in club history that the Storm had been kept to zero in a postseason outing.

Craig Bellamy’s men missed 57 tackles, conceded 10 penalties, and made 12 errors in a what proved a horrifically uncharacteristic night.

Reece Walsh was excellent in his NRL finals debut scoring a try, assisting on another, and running for 118 metres with eight tackle breaks whilst Patrick Carrigan ran for 193 metres and made 25 tackles.

Panthers flex muscle vs. Johnson-less Warriors

Penrith have qualified for their fourth-successive preliminary final after taking care of the Warriors 32-6 at BlueBet Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The Warriors were dealt a blow earlier in the week with Dally M Medal favourite Shaun Johnson ruled out with a calf issue.

The hosts were on song early with Brian To’o scoring just four minutes in before Liam Martin and Sunia Turuva joined him on the scoresheet soon after to make it 20-0 heading into the break.

A Wayde Egan try got the Warriors on the board on the other side of the half before Turuva snagged a second and Nathan Cleary crossed to seal it late.

The Panthers have now won seven finals game in a row as their march towards an elusive three-peat continues.

Ivan Cleary’s men dominated possession and yardage whilst also winning the line break count nine to nothing in what proved to be a beatdown.

Cleary scored a try, assisted on another, and ran for 194 metres with five tackle breaks in another classy performance whilst Isaah Yeo ran for 196 metres and made 43 tackles without a miss.

Courageous Chooks eke out win in one-point Shire nailbiter

A busted Sydney Roosters outfit has lived to fight another day after a late Sam Walker field goal piloted them to an against-the-odds 13-12 win to end the Sharks’ season at PointsBet Stadium on Saturday night.

Amidst a slew of disallowed tries early on, Sione Katoa got the Sharks on the board 14 minutes in as the hosts took a 6-0 advantage into the intermission.

Joseph Manu crossed early in the second half to tie it before a James Tedesco sin bin paved the way for Ronaldo Mulitalo to put the hosts back ahead midway through the second stanza.

A try courtesy of rookie Siua Wong levelled things up with less than a quarter to play before Walker nailed a 72nd-minute field goal to win it.

Nicho Hynes tried his hand at a pair of field goals late but had both charged down as the Roosters – who lost Joseph-Aukuso Sua’ali’i (head knock) at half-time and Manu (hamstring) early in the second half whilst Tedesco spent 10 minutes bin and Billy Smith finished the game with a fractured jaw – limped their way to a famous victory.

Wong scored a try, ran for 122 metres with nine tackle breaks, and made 31 tackles for the Roosters whilst Victor Radley ran for 141 metres with five tackle breaks and made 42 tackles.

Hynes assisted on both tries for Cronulla and ran for 169 metres whilst Briton Nikora ran for 102 metres and made 44 tackles.

The Roosters will make the trip to Melbourne to face the Storm on Friday night with the winner earning a preliminary finals face-off versus the Panthers.

Knights snare win over Raiders in extra-time thriller

The Raiders gave the Knights an almighty scare in Sunday afternoon’s elimination final at McDonald Jones Stadium but the hosts held on for a 30-28 extra-time win.

Canberra overcame an early Greg Marzhew try to take a 16-6 edge into the break via James Schiller double as well as a try to Trey Mooney – the first of his NRL career.

The Knights stormed back thanks to a quartet of tries in the space of 15 minutes – including a Dom Young double – and looked primed to run away with it only for a late Canberra fightback.

Matt Frawley strolled over to breathe some life back into the contest before Tom Starling finished off a late exchange of offloads in the dying stages to tie things up.

An 88th-minute Kalyn Ponga penalty goal proved the difference in a what proved to be a finals clash for the ages.

Ponga scored a try, assisted on another, and ran for 125 metres whilst Young scored two, assisted on another, and ran for 224 metres with seven tackle breaks.

For Canberra, Jordan Rapana ran for 280 metres from 33 carries with 10 tackle breaks and assisted on a line break whilst Joseph Tapine ran for 178 metres and made 36 tackles.

The Knights will now journey across the Tasman for a Saturday meeting with the Warriors at Go Media Stadium with a preliminary finals berth against the Broncos awaiting.

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