NRL Weekly Wrap: Reviewing Round 3

Panthers take down Broncos in GF rematch

The Broncos were unable to avenge their Grand Final heartbreak against the Panthers on Thursday night falling 34-12 at BlueBet Stadium.

After losing Reece Walsh to a facial injury just four minutes in, the Broncos found themselves on the back foot for much of the night with an Izack Tago double along with tries to Sunia Turuva and Mitch Kenny propelling the hosts to a 22-2 halftime lead.

Brian To’o grabbed a quick double early in the second half to extend the lead further before the Broncos tightened up and grabbed a late pair of consolation tries.

To’o scored two and ran for 263 metres with 12 tackle breaks whilst Nathan Cleary assisted on a trio of tries and ran for 106 metres.

Patrick Carrigan ran for 167 metres and made 43 tackles without a miss whilst Selwyn Cobbo – in place of Walsh at the back – ran for 167 metres with seven tackle breaks and a line break.

Warriors hold off Raiders in Christchurch

The Warriors nabbed their first win of 2024 outlasting the Raiders 18-10 in Christchurch on Friday.

Addin Fonua-Blake powered his way over to put the Warriors up early before Matt Timoko came up with the Raiders’ response to cut the lead down to 6-4 heading into the sheds.

Nick Čotrić scored to put the Raiders ahead 54 minutes in before the hosts came up with tries through Luke Metcalf and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck to seal a needed win.

Tuivasa-Sheck scored a try and ran for 200 metres with five tackle breaks whilst Fonua-Blake scored a try and ran for 159 metres.

Jordan Rapana assisted on a try and ran for 205 metres with eight tackle breaks whilst Timoko scored a try, assisted on another, and ran for 135 metres.

Roosters smack Rabbitohs in famous grudge match

The Rabbits’ nightmare start to the season continued on Friday night falling to the Roosters 48-6 at Allianz Stadium.

Dom Young scored just three minutes into the contest before Sam Walker snagged a first half double to put the Roosters up 18-0 headed into the break.

Joseph Manu added his name to the scorers list to start off the second half before Jacob Host gave the Bunnies some hope only for the Chooks to storm home via a try to Connor Watson, another to Manu, and a late James Tedesco double with Latrell Mitchell in the bin.

Tedesco scored a try, assisted on another, and ran for 170 metres with eight tackle breaks whilst Young scored a try, assisted on two others, and ran for 170 metres with a dozen tackle breaks.

Jack Wighton ran for a team-high 162 metres and assisted on a line break in his first game as a Rabbitoh whilst Cameron Murray ran for 82 metres and made 55 tackles.

Steely Dogs shut-out Titans at Belmore

The Bulldogs sent the Belmore faithful into a frenzy downing the Titans 32-0 on Saturday afternoon at their traditional home.

Edge forwards Jacob Preston and Viliame Kikau snagged first half tries to put the Dogs up early before the floodgates opened in the second half.

Reed Mahoney, Jacob Kiraz, Connor Tracey and Blake Taaffe all got their names on the scoreboard as things went from bad to worse for the Titans with skipper Tino Fa’asuamaleaui exiting the field with a season-ending ACL injury.

Tracey scored a try and ran for 233 metres with six tackle breaks whilst Kikau scored a try, assisted on another, and ran for 122 metres.

Cowboys erase first-half deficit to take down Dragons

A seesawing opening half paved the way for a 46-24 Cowboys demolition against the Dragons at Kogarah on Saturday evening.

The Dragons overcame an early Murray Taulagi try to garner an 18-4 lead of their own via tries to Zac Lomax, Tyrell Sloan, and Kyle Flanagan.

The Cowboys kicked off their comeback 24 minutes in through a Sam McIntyre try which contributed the first of their 42 consecutive points.

Griffin Neame and Scott Drinkwater scored to put the visitors up heading into the sheds before Kulikefu Finefeuiaki, Tom Dearden, Valentine Holmes and Chad Townsend all found their way over in the second stanza.

Holmes scored a try, assisted on another, and ran for 247 metres with seven tackle breaks whilst Drinkwater scored one, assisted on two, and ran for 146 metres with six tackle breaks.

For the Red V, Lomax scored a try and ran for 142 metres whilst Ben Hunt assisted on two tries and kicked for 364 metres.

Wests Tigers stun Sharks at Leichhardt

The Wests Tigers bounced back from a lacklustre Round 2 loss taking down the Sharks 32-6 in an outstanding display at Leichhardt Oval on Saturday night.

The hosts weathered an early Tom Hazelton try to take an 18-6 lead into the sheds courtesy of Isaiah Papali’i, Alex Seyfarth, and Justin Olam tries.

Jahream Bula crossed for a second half double to send the Leichhardt faithful ballistic as they claimed their opening win of 2024.

Apisai Koroisau assisted on a pair of tries and made a team-high 42 tackles whilst Stefano Utoikamanu ran for 178 metres with seven tackle breaks and made 29 tackles.

For the Sharks, Siosifa Talakai ran for 203 metres with eight tackle breaks and had a line break assist whilst Sione Katoa ran for 197 metres with seven tackle breaks and two line breaks.

Eels chase down Manly in Sunday afternoon belter

A red-hot Sea Eagles start was not enough to propel them to victory at CommBank Stadium falling to the Eels 28-24 on Sunday afternoon.

The visitors found themselves up 14-0 just 12 minutes in behind tries to Tom Trbojevic and Jaxson Paulo before tries to Will Penisini, Mitchell Moses, and debutant Blaize Talagi put the Eels ahead only for a Reuben Garrick try on the stroke of the halftime siren to wrestle the lead back the way of the visitors.

Offseason additions Morgan Harper and Kelma Tuilagi put the Eels back ahead in the second half which proved enough despite a late Manly flurry which included a Corey Waddell try and a Toluta’u Koula no try.

Moses scored a try, assisted on three others, and kicked for 431 metres whilst Junior Paulo assisted on a try and ran for 126 metres.

Tom Trbojevic scored a try, assisted on another, and ran for 175 metres with five tackle breaks whilst Luke Brooks assisted on a try, ran for 75 metres, and made 21 tackles.

Knights earn opening win vs. undermanned Storm

The Knights managed their first win of the season against an understrength Storm unit 14-12 at McDonald Jones Stadium on Sunday night.

Dane Gagai and Enari Tuala managed first half four-pointers to put the Knights up 14-0 headed into the sheds.

Ryan Papenhuyzen got on the board early in the second half before a 75th-minute Tyran Wishart try made the Newcastle faithful nervous, but their side was able to hold on.

Kalyn Ponga assisted on a try and ran for 202 metres with nine tackle breaks whilst Kai Pearce-Paul ran for 145 metres with four tackle breaks and made 39 tackles.

Papenhuyzen scored a try and ran for 166 metres with eight tackle breaks whilst Wishart scored a try and ran for 153 metres with five tackle breaks.

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