NRL Weekly Wrap: Reviewing Round 23

Storm outlast Rabbitohs to stay atop ladder

The Storm remain atop the competition ladder having unconvincingly downed the Rabbitohs 28-16 at Accor Stadium on Thursday.

The visitors took a 22-4 lead into the sheds courtesy of a Will Warbrick double as well as tries to Nelson Asofa-Solomona and Ryan Papenhuyzen.

Grant Anderson scored in the opening set of the second half before rookie winger Fletcher Myers secured his second for the Bunnies and Cameron Murray grabbed another only for their comeback to fall short.

Papenhuyzen scored a try, assisted on another, and ran for 129 metres with six tackle breaks whilst Trent Loiero ran for 188 metres and made 26 tackles.

Myers scored two and ran for 169 metres whilst Murray scored a try, ran for 125 metres, and made 44 tackles.

Sharks make statement on Gold Coast

The Sharks pulled off a shock 44-0 statement against the Titans at Cbus Super Stadium on Friday evening to continue their charge towards the Top 4.

The Titans never found themselves in the game with the Sharks pouring on 30 first-half points behind tries to Toby Rudolf, Sam Stonestreet, Jesse Ramien, Tom Hazelton and Siosifa Talakai.

Stonestreet grabbed a second after half-time before Briton Nikora and Jack Williams crossed to put a bow on a comprehensive win.

Williams scored a try, ran for 218 metres with five tackle breaks, and made 32 tackles whilst Ramien scored a try, assisted on two others, and ran for 132 metres.

Panthers pull off stupefying comeback in Battle of the West

Penrith’s minor premiership hopes remain alive after they put together a miraculous comeback to beat the Eels 36-34 on Friday night at CommBank Stadium.

Down by 14 with seven minutes left, the result had been all but sealed until Penrith put together one of the most insane stretches of football in recent memory.

Brian To’o crossed at 73:01, Sunia Turuva at 75:18, and Izack Tago at 76:27 as the defending premiers poured on 16 points the space of a little over four minutes.

Nathan Cleary slotted the game-winning conversion as all three men finished with try doubles.

Daine Laurie assisted on a pair of tries and ran for 215 metres with 10 tackle breaks whilst To’o scored two and ran for 169 metres with eight tackle breaks.

Clint Gutherson scored two tries, assisted on another, and ran for 150 metres whilst Ryan Matterson ran for 182 metres and made 28 tackles.

Manly inch closer to finals berth with win in Canberra

Manly raced away to a 46-24 win over the Raiders at GIO Stadium on Sunday afternoon to move a step closer to locking up a finals spot.

Canberra jumped out to a quick lead before tries to Tom Trbojevic, Tommy Talau, and Daly Cherry-Evans put Manly up 18-12 headed into the break.

What followed was a Manly onslaught with the visitors pouring on five tries in less than 20 minutes to race to a decisive victory.

Trbojevic scored two tries, assisted on another, and ran for 215 metres with eight tackle breaks whilst Luke Brooks scored a try, assisted on two others, and ran for 181 metres.

Kaeo Weekes scored a try and ran for 206 metres against his former side whilst Joseph Tapine assisted on a try and ran for 171 metres.

Broncos stun Cowboys in XXXX Derby

Saturday’s XXXX Derby in Townsville resulted in a dominant 42-18 Broncos win with the Cowboys’ finals chances taking a hit.

The Cowboys took an 18-12 lead into the sheds courtesy of tries to Tom Dearden, Kyle Feldt, and Viliami Vailea before the tide turned decisively.

The Broncos poured on five tries in 21 minutes with Kotoni Staggs notching a double in perhaps his best performance of the season.

Staggs scored twice and ran for 163 metres with 11 tackle breaks whilst Corey Jensen managed his first try in over seven years to go along with 213 run metres and seven tackle breaks.

Reuben Cotter ran for 140 metres and made 39 tackles whilst Chad Townsend assisted on a pair of tries and kicked for 336 metres.

Dogs continue strong run with Dragons rout

Canterbury kept their Top 4 hopes alive with a 28-10 win over the Dragons in front of a sold-out Netstrata Jubilee Stadium on Saturday night.

The Dogs jumped out to a 20-6 lead behind a Bronson Xerri double as well as a Matt Burton intercept before Tyrell Sloan crossed prior to the break to drag the hosts back into it.

The Bulldogs defence held strong in the second stanza however with Kurt Mann crossing an hour in to seal the win.

Xerri scored two and ran for 147 metres whilst Josh Curran ran for 208 metres and made 27 tackles.

Zac Lomax scored a try and ran for 209 metres with eight tackle breaks whilst Jacob Liddle ran for 66 metres and made 59 tackles.

O’Sullivan the hero as Dolphins survive Warriors in golden point thriller

The Dolphins took home a key pair of competition points courtesy of a walk-off two-point field goal off the boot of Sean O’Sullivan to drag them past the Warriors 34-32 at Suncorp on Sunday.

Tries to Felise Kaufusi, Herbie Farnworth, and Kodi Nikorima saw the Dolphins take a 20-6 lead into the sheds before the Warriors stormed back into it.

They outscored the Dolphins five tries to two in a thrilling second half with Mitch Barnett crossing with five minutes to play to forced golden point before O’Sullivan proved the hero.

Farnworth scored two and ran for 284 metres with 11 tackle breaks whilst centre partner Jake Averillo scored a try, assisted on another, and ran for 175 metres.

Te Maire Martin scored a try, assisted on three others, and ran for 160 metres whilst Addin Fonua-Blake ran for 204 metres and made 29 tackles.

Sharpe bags 4, Knights keep finals hopes alive

Newcastle are now just one win out of the Top 8 having downed the Wests Tigers 34-18 at McDonald Jones Stadium on Sunday afternoon behind a four-try haul courtesy of Fletcher Sharpe.

A first-half Sharpe hat-trick saw the hosts take a 10-point lead into the break despite tries to Adam Doueihi and Solomona Faataape.

A Jahream Bula try dragged the visitors back into it before Sharpe’s fourth sealed the result for Newcastle.

Kalyn Ponga assisted on a try and ran for 218 metres with seven tackle breaks whilst Sharpe scored four and ran for 149 metres with seven tackle breaks.

Bula scored a try and ran for 151 metres whilst Lachlan Galvin assisted on a try and ran for 186 metres.

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