NRL Weekly Wrap: Reviewing Round 5

Storm outlast Broncos in AAMI Park shootout

The Storm finished atop the Broncos 34-32 in an 11-try shootout in the Victorian capital to kick-off the round on Thursday night.

Three tries apiece in the opening stanza – Eliesa Katoa a double and Xavier Coates for Melbourne and Deine Mariner, Ezra Mam, and Jesse Arthars for Brisbane – saw the visitors take a two-point edge into the sheds.

Brisbane extended their lead through Mam’s second off a wicked bounce before three Storm tries in 19 minutes – to Will Warbrick, Tyran Wishart, and Jahrome Hughes – all but sealed it despite a late scare courtesy of a try to towering debutant Ben Te Kura.

Hughes scored a try, assisted on two others, and ran for 106 metres whilst Katoa scored a double and ran for 125 metres with four tackle breaks.

Arthars scored a try, assisted on another, and ran for 179 metres whilst Mam scored two and ran for 149 metres.

Dogs survive Roosters in chaotic Friday affair

A Dom Young send-off, a pair of critical HIAs, and a lethargic start cruelled the Tricolours as they fell to the Bulldogs 30-26 in torrential conditions on Friday evening at Homebush.

In one of the more chaotic encounters in recent memory, the Dogs flew out to an 18-0 advantage just 16 minutes in courtesy of a Matt Burton double as well as a Blake Taaffe try.

Young was sent off soon after for an ugly high shot which ended Taaffe’s night before Sam Hughes snagged his first NRL try on the stroke of halftime to make it 26-0.

The Dogs’ lead quickly evaporated in the second stanza with the Roosters pouring on four tries in the space of 11 minutes – two to Egan Butcher along with Naufahu Whyte and Joseph Manu – to send the scattered crowd into a stunned silence.

Burton managed a third to stop the bleeding which proved enough despite the Roosters grabbing a late try through Daniel Tupou despite Victor Radley finding himself binned for a hip drop.

Burton scored a hat-trick, assisted on another, and ran for 147 metres whilst Viliame Kikau assisted on a try and ran for 167 metres with six tackle breaks.

Manu scored a try and ran for 169 metres with eight tackle breaks whilst Radley ran for 161 metres and made 33 tackles.

Knights too good for Dragons in wretched conditions

The Knights took down the Dragons 30-10 in wet conditions at McDonald Jones Stadium on Friday night.

An early try to recalled No.7 Jackson Hastings got the hosts on the board before Ben Hunt and Zac Lomax combined for a pair of tries to put the visitors ahead.

A 10-minute, three-try spurt – with Enari Tuala, Daniel Saifiti, and Dylan Lucas the try-scorers – sent the Knights cannoning ahead on the scoreboard.

Kalyn Ponga was the second half’s only try-scorer as the error count continued to climb and puddles continued to form on the surface.

Ponga scored a try, assisted on another, and ran for 117 metres with eight tackles breaks whilst Lucas scored a try, ran for 116 metres, and made 43 tackles.

Lomax scored a try, assisted on another, and ran for 216 metres with six tackle breaks whilst Hunt scored one, assisted on another, and kicked for 381 metres.

Souths fall to Warriors, continue freefall

Uncomfortable questions are continuing to arise at Redfern with the Bunnies dropping their Round 5 clash to the Warriors 34-4 at Accor Stadium on Saturday.

A tight opening saw Izaac Thompson and Rocco Berry snag early tries for their respective sides before a 34th-minute Jackson Ford try shifted momentum the way of the visitors.

Shaun Johnson scored for the Warriors the following set to make it 18-4 heading into halftime before he grabbed another in the second half followed by tries to Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Te Maire Martin.

Johnson scored two, assisted on two others, and kicked for 631 metres whilst Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad assisted on two tries and ran for 263 metres with five tackle breaks in his season debut.

Eagles upset Panthers at 4 Pines

Manly stormed to a 32-18 win over the Panthers at 4 Pines Park on Saturday to celebrate Daly Cherry-Evans’ club-record 310th appearance.

The hosts overcame an early Brad Schneider try to take a 12-4 lead into the sheds courtesy of tries to Tom Trbojevic and Toluta’u Koula.

Dylan Edwards scored early in the second stanza to eat into the lead before Manly poured on a trio of tries – to Cherry-Evans, Corey Waddell, and Jaxson Paulo – in the space of 10 minutes to break the game open as the Manly faithful went into a frenzy.

Trbojevic scored a try, assisted on another, and ran for 176 metres with six tackle breaks whilst Cherry-Evans scored a try, assisted on another, and kicked for 593 metres.

Dylan Edwards scored a double, assisted on another, and ran for 270 metres with eight tackle breaks whilst Isaah Yeo ran for 121 metres and made 38 tackles without a miss.

Dolphins too strong for Wests Tigers at Suncorp

The Dolphins sit atop the competition ladder five weeks in after taking down the Wests Tigers 26-16 at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night.

Isaiya Katoa and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow crossed in the first half to give the Dolphins a 14-0 halftime lead before Solomona Faataape answered with a double to drag the visitors back into it.

Tries to Kodi Nikorima and Kenny Bromwich in the space of a few moments gave the Dolphins a buffer which proved enough despite a late Alex Seyfarth try.

Tabuai-Fidow scored a try and ran for 152 metres with five tackle breaks whilst Jeremy Marshall-King assisted on a try and made 39 tackles.

Stefano Utoikamanu ran for 162 metres with six tackle breaks and made 41 tackles whilst Fonua Pole ran for 171 metres and made 31 tackles.

Cowboys take down luckless Titans in Townsville

The Cowboys bounced back from a disappointing loss to beat the struggling Titans 35-22 in Townsville on Sunday.

Todd Payten’s men leapt out to a 16-0 halftime lead courtesy of tries to Zac Laybutt, Murray Taulagi, and Scott Drinkwater before a back-and-forth second half.

Brian Kelly got the visitors on the board before the Cowboys went bang-bang via tries to Drinkwater and Reece Robson.

Jayden Campbell then crossed for the Titans before a Chad Townsend sin bin an hour in paved the way for Klese Haas and Beau Fermor to score in back-to-back sets to cut the deficit to just six.

Kyle Feldt grabbed a try to halt the Titans’ momentum and overtake Matt Bowen for the most tries in club history as they held on for a 13-point win.

Drinkwater scored two, assisted on another, and ran for 188 metres with five tackle breaks whilst Holmes assisted on a try and ran for 216 metres.

Campbell scored a try and ran for 151 metres with nine tackle breaks whilst David Fifita ran for 179 metres and made 33 tackles.

Clinical Raiders thrash Eels in nation’s capital

The Raiders responded to hammer the Eels 41-8 at GIO Stadium on Sunday night behind a Matt Timoko double.

Sebastian Kris and Xavier Savage scored long range tries for the Raiders in the opening half to give them a 13-0 lead before the floodgates opened.

Timoko and Maika Sivo traded tries early in the second stanza before Danny Levi, James Schiller, and Hudson Young all crossed in the space of eight minutes to stretch the lead with Timoko grabbing a second in the dying stages to seal it.

Timoko scored two, assisted on two others, and ran for 183 metres with eight tackle breaks whilst Savage scored a try, assisted on another, and ran for 261 metres.

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