NRL Weekly Wrap: Reviewing Round 15

Dolphins survive Sharks comeback in Thursday night thriller

The Dolphins survived a Sharks fightback to down Craig Fitzgibbon’s men 30-28 in the Shire on Thursday night and hand them their third loss from their past four.

A hot start saw the Dolphins leap out to a 22-0 lead nil via tries to Max Plath, Herbie Farnworth, Jack Bostock and Jake Averillo.

Things quickly went south for the visitors however with the Sharks scoring the next four tries – to Royce Hunt, Briton Nikora, Ronaldo Mulitalo and Will Kennedy – to go two points ahead.

A length-of-the-field Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow pearler swung things for the Dolphins in the 58th-minute before Sione Katoa crossed on full-time to cut the deficit back to two only for Nicho Hynes’ game-tying conversion attempt to be waved away.

Tabuai-Fidow scored a try and ran for 253 metres with 10 tackle breaks whilst Farnworth scored a try and ran for 215 metres with five tackle breaks.

Katoa scored a try and ran for 152 metres with eight tackle breaks whilst Nikora scored a try, assisted on two others, and ran for 127 metres.

Cowboys leave Canberra with valuable 2 points

The Cowboys came away from the nation’s capital with a comprehensive 34-16 win over the Raiders on Friday evening to snag their fourth win from their past five.

It was all North Queensland from early on with Todd Payten’s men jumping out to a 28-0 lead early in the second stanza thanks to a Kyle Feldt double as well as tries to Heilum Luki, Jeremiah Nanai, and Valentine Holmes.

The Raiders wrestled back some ascendancy in the second half to keep the scoreboard from ballooning out, but it proved in vain with the Cows holding on for a key win.

Scott Drinkwater assisted on two tries and ran for 207 metres with five tackle breaks whilst Reuben Cotter ran for 157 metres and made 50 tackles.

Jordan Rapana scored a try and ran for 176 metres with eight tackle breaks whilst Joseph Tapine ran for 172 metres and made 37 tackles.

Rabbitohs take down Broncos, continue winning ways

South Sydney’s shock run of form continued on Friday night with Ben Hornby’s men downing the Broncos 22-12 at Accor Stadium.

The hosts ran out to a 22-0 lead shortly after halftime with Damien Cook, Keaon Koloamatangi, Latrell Mitchell and Alex Johnston the try-scorers.

Deine Mariner grabbed a late double for the Broncos to make the scoreboard flatter the visitors.

Koloamatangi scored a try, ran for 200 metres, and made 29 tackles whilst Mitchell scored a try, assisted on another, and ran for 176 metres.

Mariner scored twice and ran for 194 metres with eight tackle breaks whilst Selwyn Cobbo ran for 228 metres with eight tackle breaks and a line break.

Wests Tigers snap 9-game losing streak as Leichhardt erupts

The Wests Tigers nine-game losing streak is over having defeated the Titans 18-10 at Leichhardt Oval on Saturday afternoon behind a Justin Olam double.

Tries to Jojo Fifita and Jayden Campbell saw the visitors take a 10-6 lead into the sheds with Olam the lone try-scorer for the Wests Tigers.

Olam scored an hour in to put the hosts ahead before a late Fonua Pole try sealed it for Benji Marshall’s men.

Olam scored a double and ran for 131 metres with four tackle breaks whilst Stefano Utoikamanu ran for 206 metres with seven tackle breaks and made 31 tackles without a miss.

Keano Kini assisted on a try and ran for 321 metres with eight tackle breaks whilst Fifita scored a try and ran for 216 metres with four tackle breaks.

Storm continue 8-year stranglehold over Warriors

The Storm have now won 17 games in a row against the Warriors having come out on top of them 38-24 in Auckland on Saturday evening.

Tries to Adam Pompey and Marcelo Montoya saw the hosts earn an early 14-0 lead before the tide turned firmly the way of the visitors.

Eliesa Katoa, Grant Anderson, Dean Ieremia and Nick Meaney all scored for the Storm within the space of 15 minutes to put them ahead before a late Sualauvi Fa’alogo double sealed the win.

Wingers Marcelo Montoya and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak were both binned for the Warriors in the second half leaving them with just 11 men for a short period.

Fa’alogo scored two and ran for 147 metres with five tackle breaks whilst Katoa scored a try, assisted on another, and ran for 143 metres.

Mitchell Barnett scored a try and ran for 145 metres with seven tackle breaks whilst Addin Fonua-Blake ran for 152 metres and made 18 tackles without a miss.

Roosters outlast Eels at CommBank

The Roosters came out on top of the Eels 28-18 at CommBank Stadium on Saturday night behind a Daniel Tupou double.

An early Kelma Tuilagi sin bin saw the Roosters lay on a trio of quick tries via Junior Pauga, Michael Jennings, and Tupou.

The shoe switched to the other foot soon after however with a Jared Waerea-Hargreaves sin bin seeing the Eels grab three tries in the space of just nine minutes – through Mitchell Moses, Dylan Brown, and Blaize Talagi – to roar back into it.

Tupou grabbed a second 65 minutes in before Angus Crichton crossed late to seal it for the Tricolours.

Tupou scored two and ran for 199 metres whilst Crichton scored one, assisted on another, and ran for 124 metres.

Brown scored a try and ran for 130 metres with five tackle breaks whilst Will Penisini assisted on a try and ran for 173 metres with six tackle breaks.

Gutsy Sea Eagles trump Dragons at 4 Pines

Despite finishing the clash with an empty bench, the Sea Eagles managed to run away with a 30-14 win over the Dragons at 4 Pines Park on Sunday afternoon.

The Dragons took a two-point lead into the break with both sides snagging two first half four-pointers – Jacob Liddle and Kyle Flanagan the scorers for the visitors and Lehi Hopoate and Haumole Olakau’atu for the hosts.

The second half was all Manly however with Luke Brooks, Ben Trbojevic, Jake Trbojevic and Jason Saab all finding tries to seal a vital win.

Hopoate scored a try, assisted on another, and ran for 178 metres with eight tackle breaks whilst Olakau’atu scored a try, assisted on another, and ran for 147 metres with 11 tackle breaks.

Jaydn Su’A ran for 130 metres with seven tackle breaks and made 20 tackles whilst Zac Lomax scored a try and ran for 129 metres.

Panthers hold off Knights in Hunter

The Panthers managed to hold off the Knights 26-18 at McDonald Jones Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

The Panthers overcame an early Fletcher Sharpe try to take a 20-6 lead into the sheds courtesy of tries to Scott Sorensen, Brian To’o, Jarome Luai and Lindsay Smith.

Quicks tries to Dylan Lucas and Bradman Best saw the Knights storm back into it only for Dylan Edwards to seal it for the visitors.

Edwards scored a try and ran for 278 metres with nine tackle breaks whilst To’o scored a try and ran for 239 metres with six tackle breaks.

Sharpe scored a try and ran for 132 metres with eight tackle breaks whilst Best scored a try and ran for 209 metres.

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