NRL Weekly Wrap: Reviewing Round 18

Rabbitohs down Eels for 5th-straight win

The Rabbitohs’ continued their midseason turnaround with a 32-16 win over the Eels at CommBank Stadium on Thursday night to make it five on the trot.

Tries to Jacob Gagai, Jack Wighton, and Cody Walker saw the Rabbits take a double-digit lead into the sheds.

A Reagan Campbell-Gillard try ate into the lead for Parra before Latrell Mitchell crossed to earn the visitors some breathing room with Gagai and Wighton securing late doubles to seal it for the Bunnies.

Mitchell scored a try, assisted on two others, and ran for 126 metres whilst Keaon Koloamatangi ran for 221 metres and made 37 tackles.

Clint Gutherson assisted on a pair of tries and ran for 245 metres with five tackle breaks whilst Ryan Matterson ran for 212 metres and made 34 tackles.

Titans upset struggling Sharks in Coffs

The Titans handed the Sharks their fifth loss from their past six 20-16 at Coffs Harbour on Friday evening.

Two early tries to Kieran Foran and Chris Randall – the second of which coming with Siosifa Talakai in the bin – put the Titans up 12-0.

A 51st-minute Keenan Palasia try put the Titans up 20-4 before they held off a late Sharks fightback which included tries to Daniel Atkinson and Nicho Hynes.

Sam Verrills assisted on a try and made 40 tackles whilst Randall scored a try, ran for 104 metres, and made 34 tackles.

Jesse Ramien ran for 214 metres and made 16 tackles whilst Braydon Trindall scored a try, assisted on another, and kicked for 197 metres.

Panthers hold off Broncos in GF rematch

The Panthers downed the Broncos 14-6 in a dire Grand Final rematch at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night.

Jack Cole got over early for the visitors before a Reece Walsh try saw the Broncos take a two-point edge into the sheds.

Second half tries to Brian To’o and Mitch Kenny sealed the result for the defending premiers as the Broncos dropped their fifth game in a row.

Dylan Edwards ran for 237 metres with 10 tackle breaks whilst To’o scored a try, assisted on another, and ran for 195 metres.

Walsh scored a try and ran for 190 metres with six tackle breaks whilst Patrick Carrigan ran for 109 metres and made 41 tackles.

Lightning strikes twice as Burton boot lifts Dogs to golden point victory

Matt Burton slotted a second-consecutive golden point field goal to drag the Dogs to a 13-12 victory over the Warriors at Accor Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Quick tries to Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and Marcelo Montoya saw the Warriors take a 12-6 lead into the break.

Viliame Kikau crossed 54 minutes in before a stalemate ensued forcing the sides into a field goal shoot-out with both missing opportunities before Burton slotted one in the 87th minute.

Blake Wilson ran for 261 metres with a pair of line breaks whilst Reed Mahoney made a game-high 70 tackles.

Roger Tuivasa-Sheck assisted on a try and ran for 281 metres with five tackle breaks whilst Mitch Barnett assisted on a try, ran for 226 metres, and made 56 tackles.

Storm too good for improving Wests Tigers at Leichhardt

The Storm outlasted the Wests Tigers 40-28 in a Leichhardt Oval shootout on Saturday evening behind a Sua Fa’alogo double.

Both sides traded blows early with Charlies Staines and Fonua Pole the first-half try-scorers for the hosts and Eliesa Katoa, Ryan Papenhuyzen, and Will Warbrick for the visitors who took a four-point lead into the sheds.

A second-half Fa’alogo double along with tries to Grant Anderson and Tyran Wishart sealed the win for the Storm despite a spirited Wests Tigers finish.

Wishart scored a try and ran for 114 metres whilst Jahrome Hughes assisted on two tries and kicked for 293 metres.

Jahream Bula scored a try, assisted on two others, and ran for 181 metres whilst Pole scored a try and ran for 167 metres with seven tackle breaks.

DCE boots Manly to golden point Townsville win

A Daly Cherry-Evans one-pointer was all that could separate the Sea Eagles and the Cowboys at QCB Stadium with the visitors earning a 21-20 golden point win.

A Jason Saab hat-trick saw Manly jump out to an 18-6 lead early in the second stanza before the Cowboys fought back via quick tries to Reuben Cotter and Kyle Feldt.

A late Reuben Garrick penalty goal sent the game to golden point before Scott Drinkwater nailed a clutch two-pointer field goal only Cherry-Evans to win it 83 minutes in.

Toluta’u Koula assisted on a try and ran for 309 metres with seven tackle breaks at fullback whilst Garrick assisted on a try and ran for 196 metres.

Feldt scored a try, assisted on another, and ran for 268 metres whilst Cotter scored a try, ran for 129 metres, and made 45 tackles.

Tedesco, Roosters flex muscles in Dragons rout

The Roosters came away with a big 42-12 win over the Dragons at Allianz on Sunday to celebrate Jared Waerea-Hargreaves club-record 307th game.

The hosts took a 14-6 lead into the sheds despite the milestone man being binned with Victor Radley and Dom Young the try-scorers.

Christian Tuipulotu crossed early in the second half for the Dragons to make it a two-point game before the Roosters poured on five unanswered tries courtesy of Lindsay Collins, Angus Crichton, James Tedesco, Daniel Tupou and Sitili Tupouniua to run away with it.

Tedesco scored a try, assisted on two others, and ran for 324 metres with 13 tackle breaks whilst Crichton scored a try, ran for 184 metres, and made 34 tackles.

Moses Suli assisted on a try and ran for 154 metres with five tackle breaks whilst Tuipulotu scored a try and ran for 132 metres.

Knights outlast Raiders in nation’s capital

The Knights snagged a crucial 16-12 win over the Raiders at GIO Stadium on Sunday afternoon to stay within reach of the Top 8.

Josh Papali’i crossed for the hosts in the early exchanges before Dane Gagai and Greg Marzhew grabbed tries to give the Knights a 12-6 half-time lead.

Gagai grabbed another just after the break before a Kaeo Weekes try made for a frantic finish only for the visitors to hold on despite a Raiders rally.

Gagai scored two and ran for 213 metres with 10 tackle breaks whilst Marzhew scored one and ran for 244 metres with eight tackle breaks.

Weekes scored a try and ran for 220 metres whilst Papali’i scored a try, ran for 154 metres, and made 26 tackles.

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