NRL Weekly Wrap: Reviewing Round 6

Roosters outlast Knights in Hunter

An understrength Roosters outfit come out on top of the Knights 22-20 at McDonald Jones Stadium to open the round on Thursday night.

Jackson Hastings crossed first for the hosts only for the Chooks to snag three tries in 15 minutes – with Daniel Tupou, Victor Radley, and Brandon Smith the scorers – before Bradman Best crossed to cut the Knights’ deficit to just two heading into the sheds.

Tupou grabbed a second to give the visitors an eight-point buffer before the Knights threatened to storm home late with an Adam Elliot try but fell short.

With James Tedesco missing, Joseph Manu stepped into the No.1 and went ballistic assisting on a try and running for an NRL-record 347 metres with 11 tackle breaks whilst Radley scored a try, ran for 242 metres, and made 36 tackles.

For the Knights, Kalyn Ponga managed to assist on a try and run for 210 metres with seven tackle breaks despite picking up a seemingly nasty hip issue in the opening stanza whilst Best scored a try and ran for 274 metres.

Blore the match-winner as Storm pip Dogs at AAMI Park

A 74th-minute Shawn Blore match-winner proved the difference as the Storm came away with a 16-14 win over the Bulldogs in Melbourne on Friday evening.

The hosts took a 10-0 lead into the sheds courtesy of tries to Ryan Papenhuyzen and Reimis Smith before Josh Addo-Carr scored three tries – two of which with Papenhuyzen in the bin – in 14 minutes to put the visitors ahead.

Blore however powered his way over late in the final stages to steal a key win for the Storm despite some nervous moments.

Papenhuyzen scored a try and ran for 151 metres with seven tackle breaks whilst Josh King ran for 167 metres and made 28 tackles without a miss.

Jacob Kiraz assisted on a line break and ran for 303 metres with six tackle breaks whilst Addo-Carr scored a hat-trick and ran for 243 metres with six tackle breaks.

Broncos claim bragging rights with Battle of Brisbane W

The Broncos notched their third win in three outings against the Dolphins in the Battle of Brisbane running away 28-14 victors at Suncorp on Friday night.

Jarrod Wallace and Xavier Willison were the only try-scorers of the opening half as the Broncos took a two-point edge into the sheds with Dolphins No.1 Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow succumbing to a hamstring issue.

Corey Oates extended their lead early in the second half before Reece Walsh and Selwyn Cobbo – who managed a double – crossed to seal it for Brisbane in a quick seven-minute burst despite a pair of late Dolphins consolation tries.

Cobbo scored two and ran for 200 metres with eight tackle breaks whilst Patrick Carrigan ran for 209 metres and made 46 tackles.

Jack Bostock scored a try and ran for 156 metres whilst Wallace scored a try and ran for 158 metres.

Warriors escape with last-ditch draw vs. Manly

The Warriors and Sea Eagles play out a somewhat bizarre 22-22 draw in Auckland on Saturday afternoon with neither team coming out on top at the end of 90 minutes.

The visitors leapt out to a 16-0 lead courtesy of two tries to Daly Cherry-Evans and a try to Tommy Talau before the Warriors crossed twice in the space of four minutes to eat into the deficit prior to the break.

With both teams snagging a lone try in the second half, Manly looked to have iced the win only for Dallin Watene-Zelezniak to score in the 79th minute followed by Josh Aloiai being penalised for taking out Shaun Johnson’s legs on a Hail Mary two-point field goal attempt.

Neither team were able to find a point in the extra time period as the NRL saw its first draw in over a year.

Cherry-Evans scored two, assisted on another, and kicked for 689 metres whilst Tom Trbojevic assisted on two tries and ran for 241 metres.

Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad ran for 346 metres from 33 carries with eight tackle breaks whilst Johnson scored a try, assisted on another, and ran for 147 metres.

Eels too strong for up-and-down Cowboys

The Eels are back in the winners’ circle having beaten the Cowboys 27-20 at CommBank Stadium on Saturday evening.

The hosts took a 14-10 lead into halftime courtesy of tries to Joe Ofahengaue and Joey Lussick before Morgan Harper crossed 43 minutes in to extend their lead.

Both sides continued trading blows – Valentine Holmes went over for the Cows before former-Cowboy Daejarn Asi crossed for Parramatta.

Scott Drinkwater finished off a brilliant try to keep the visitors in it before Asi nailed a late field goal to seal it.

Gutherson assisted on a try and ran for 164 metres whilst J’maine Hopgood assisted on a try, ran for 119 metres, and made 34 tackles.

Drinkwater scored a try, assisted on two others, and ran for 99 metres whilst Murray Taulagi assisted on a try and ran for a game-high 190 metres.

Rabbits woes continue as Sharks come out on top

The Sharks have rocketed atop the competition ladder with a 34-22 win over the struggling Bunnies at Accor Stadium on Saturday night.

A Ronaldo Mulitalo double gave the Sharks a 16-6 lead heading into the break before wing partner Sione Katoa crossed early in the second stanza to grow the lead.

The hosts showed some spirit with Taane Milne, Thomas Burgess, and Isaiah Tass all snagging second half four-pointers, but it proved in vain with Blayke Brailey crossing late to seal it for Cronulla.

Mulitalo scored two, assisted on two others, and ran for 121 metres whilst Cameron McInnes ran for 143 metres and made 41 tackles.

Debutant Jye Gray enjoyed a strong outing at the back running for 172 metres with seven tackle breaks despite spending some time on the sideline for a HIA.

Dragons down Wests Tigers at sold-out Campbelltown

The Wests Tigers’ Campbelltown-based struggles continued on Sunday afternoon with Benji Marshall’s men falling to the Dragons 24-12.

Zac Lomax and Stefano Utoikamanu traded tries early before Jack Bird and Kyle Flanagan got over to put the Red V up heading into the break.

It was a 62nd-minute Jaydn Su’A effort that all but sealed it for the Red V despite a late Asu Kepaoa try.

Su’A scored a try and ran for 170 metres with five tackle breaks whilst Lomax scored a try, assisted on another, and ran for 139 metres.

Jahream Bula ran for 212 metres with three tackle breaks for the Wests Tigers whilst Apisai Koroisau assisted on a try and made 39 tackles.

Raiders scrape past Titans in golden point thriller

The Titans remain winless after a heartbreaking, one-point defeat at the hands of the Raiders on Sunday night in Canberra.

Tries to James Schiller and Hudson Young had the hosts up 12-0 25 minutes in before Jaimin Jolliffe crossed for the Titans just shy of the break.

Former-Raider Harley Smith-Shields grabbed the visitors’ second on the other side of the break before the Raiders looked to have sealed it with a 68th-minute Schiller try.

Two Alofiana Khan-Pereira tries in the final five minutes along with a sideline conversion courtesy of Brian Kelly – amazingly, the first goal of his NRL career – sent it to golden point.

In heartbreaking fashion, former-Titan Jamal Fogarty knocked over a field goal with nine seconds to play to send the Raiders faithful into a frenzy.

Joseph Tapine ran for 302 metres and made 32 tackles whilst Young scored a try and ran for 158 metres with four tackle breaks.

Chris Randall and Beau Fermor made a combined 161 tackles for the Titans whilst Smith-Shields scored a try and ran for 182 metres.

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