Innholdsfortegnelse for 2019 - Round 5 i Big League Weekly Edition

ROOSTERS veteran Mitchell Aubusson has backed calls for the Nines to return next season, crediting the event for providing rookies with the tools needed to become legitimate first-graders. While next year’s pre-season itinerary is far from finalised, there have been reports the Nines could return for the first time since Aubusson and his team-mates lifted the trophy in 2017. A Nines World Cup has already been locked in for Bankwest Stadium later in the year, and it appears as though players are keen for the format to return in 2020 to kick off the new season. The 2017 tournament unearthed a stack of talented juniors who have gone on to make it in the NRL, with the Roosters beating Penrith in a grand final that featured Nathan Cleary, Dylan Edwards,…

Now that you’re in your second season in the NRL, have you set yourself any new goals? Just personal goals really, which are to be a bit more consistent, keep working on things I’m good at and making sure I put my best foot forward for the team. They’re all little clichés, but it does help the team if I’m doing my best in that regard. Have you always played in the second row? I’ve moved around a fair bit. Growing up I played a lot in the centres and at fullback – I was a gun fullback as a kid. I’ve played almost every position and I think it’s helped me to get me to where I am because it gave me skills in different areas. The Bulldogs have…

HE’S won a premiership, played State of Origin and earned All Star status, but South Sydney halfback Adam Reynolds has stepped it up a gear in 2019, producing career-best form to have his side in fourth spot after four rounds. The diminutive No.7 has had the ball on a string, forcing eight line dropouts and setting up six tries, even if his radar was slightly off at Lottoland last week. His hot start to the year has prompted talk of a reunion with former team-mate Luke Keary to replace incumbent Blues halves James Maloney and Nathan Cleary, but Reynolds laughed off the hype after he was spotted chatting with Brad Fittler following the Rabbitohs’ Round 2 win. “I was just having a chat with ‘Freddy’ about little parts of my…

HE won a premiership, helped his state to Origin glory and earned a Kangaroos debut all in the space of 12 months, and now James Tedesco has received the ultimate compliment from his peers, with team-mate Mitch Aubusson labelling him “the best player in the world”. The superstar No.1 leads the league with 25 tackle-breaks, has scored three tries, assisted another and broken the line five times, indicating he’s lifted his game to new heights in 2019. Tedesco is the focal point in a side featuring some of the best attacking weapons in the NRL, but it’s his all-round game and match awareness that earned him the highest praise from his veteran team-mate. “The way he goes after games and big moments is awesome. He’s been doing that the whole…

JESSE Bromwich knows this weekend’s game against the struggling Cowboys will be anything but simple as North Queensland look to get their season back on track Melbourne are the only unbeaten side after four rounds and will head into Friday’s clash as heavy favourites, but the same thing happened back in 2015 when the then-winless Cowboys stunned the Storm in a game that kick-started their premiership run. “You look at their team on paper and they have got some great players,” Bromwich said. “I’ve got some great mates up there, so I know those boys will be getting up for this weekend’s game.”…

HIS side went into Round 4 unbeaten, but South Sydney coach Wayne Bennett’s fears were validated as the Bunnies slipped up at Lottoland in their sloppiest performance of 2019 The master coach noticed a drop in intensity during the second half of their win over the Titans, and sensed a lack of hunger at training leading into their golden point loss. He stopped short of saying it was the loss they had to have, but the result should be the wake-up call they need to get back on track. “We got what we deserved. We were average.It was the attitude that killed them,” Bennett said. “Our performances have been getting worse since we played game one. We haven’t played a game for 80 minutes yet.”…

SCORING machine Corey Oates has leapt to the defence of halves Anthony Milford (above) and Kodi Nikorima after the pair copped plenty of criticism following last week’s heavy loss to the Roosters. The much-maligned duo have often been targeted following Brisbane losses, but rarely receive praise when the attack is on song. New coach Anthony Seibold has employed new attacking structures in 2019, and Oates says the halves will shine when the Broncos juggernaut clicks into gear. “I still think they’re great together. The first two weeks everyone said they were going pretty good and the last two weeks everyone is bagging them,” Oates said. “Everything has changed. We have a whole new structure. When we get it right they are going to be hard to stop.”…

Rising star Jesse Ramien i one of several off-season signings making an impact for the Knights in 2019, and he’s only going to get better. You were a country kid, right? Yeah, I grew up in Coonamble in western NSW. Ever since I was a baby dad was captain-coach of the local first grade side. I used to play on the sideline while they trained, so yeah, I’ve been around footy since I was a little kid. What town did you always look forward to playing against? Nyngan! Coonamble and Nyngan were pretty big rivals when I was coming through – as well as Gilgandra. Have any kids you played against from Nyngan done as well as you? Actually, I played with my cousin Braidon Burns, in the same side.…

The Cowboys couldn’t have asked for a worse opponent as they look to bounce back from a disastrous 1-3 start to the season. Paul Green’s men have lost their past eight matches against the Storm (including the 2017 Grand Final), only scoring more than 14 points on one occasion. They can take solace from the fact they beat the Storm in Round 4, 2015 in what was their first victory of the season as they went on to win the club’s maiden premiership.…

Form: After their opening round win over the Dragons, it’s been all downhill for the Cowboys, who have failed to come to terms with the loss of Jason Taumalolo. Their attacking game has lacked fluency and their defence has been easily breached in successive losses to the Broncos, Sharks and Raiders. By comparison, the Storm have been faultless, but they were tested by the Bulldogs last Sunday. History: Not even the formidable presence of Johnathan Thurston could put a dent in the Storm’s dominance of the Cowboys. Thurston retired with a 42 per cent winning record against the Storm, who are currently enjoying an eight-game streak against the Cowboys. Melbourne won both games last season but it took a Cameron Munster field goal to clinch a nail-biting 7-6 victory in…

Form: The absence of four of their most experienced players was a big contributor to the Sharks’ 24-12 loss to the Eels last Saturday which has left them with a 2-2 record after the first four rounds. The Roosters were missing Jake Friend and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves as well as experienced winger Brett Morris, but that proved no setback in a seven-try demolition of the Broncos. History: Until recently, the Roosters had experienced a tough struggle against the Sharks, losing six-straight games before bouncing back with three consecutive victories. The Roosters won the only regular season encounter last year 28-10 before scoring a decisive 21-12 result at Allianz Stadium in a qualifying final. Overall, the Roosters hold a 59-34 lead. Danger sign: With 80 minutes under his belt, rookie Shark Bronson…

THIS week Cameron Smith will likely pass Hazem El Masri’s record as the greatest pointscorer of all time. He has to score three points to pass the record of 2,418. Considering Smith still has many games ahead of him, he will likely notch up a number that will take a long time to ever be surpassed again. Funnily enough, I actually own Hazem’s commemorative record t-shirt – it sits in my wardrobe alongside the mounds of jerseys, shirts, scarves and beanies I’ve amassed in all my years of footy obsession. How awesome for Storm fans to be able to celebrate another record broken by a man who will go down as one of their greatest-ever. I hope they’ve got some room in their closets. ONE of the most tiresome things…

IT’S been less than four years since we had our first all-Queensland grand final, but 2019 sees the Broncos, Cowboys and Titans featuring in the bottom four after another dismal weekend. Last week’s horror show was the first time since Rounds 9 and 10 in 2007 that all three sides were beaten in consecutive weeks, but they have a chance to turn things around with all three playing at home in the first three games this weekend. Brisbane’s dreadful performance against the Roosters – in which they lost 36-4 at the SCG – prompted club great Gorden Tallis to take a swipe at the current squad ahead of Thursday’s must-win game against the Wests Tigers. Their error-riddled display featured defensive lapses that were a far cry from the brutality we…

8 Warriors v Newcastle (2006) The Warriors headed to Newcastle for their Round 4 clash with the Knights on minus two competition points, having been whacked with a four-point penalty in the pre-season for salary cap breaches. The previous season’s wooden spooners, the Knights, began 2006 on fire with three big victories – including a 70-32 mauling of the Raiders. But Andrew Johns’ injury withdrawal handed the advantage to the visitors, who overcame a 10-0 deficit to win 26-22. The Warriors eventually finished 10th; agonisingly, the four points lost would have been enough to qualify for the finals. 7 Canterbury v Wests Tigers (2019) Wooden spoon predictions flowed thick and fast for the Bulldogs after heavy defeats to the Warriors and Eels in the opening two rounds of this season.…

IT’S taken just four games for Canberra recruit John Bateman to prove he belongs in the NRL. He’s already shown Australian rugby league fans that he’s tough, gritty and determined to succeed, and he has the potential to make a mark in the NRL – just like fellow English forwards Sam Burgess, Gareth Ellis and Adrian Morley. “By the end of the season, every fan from every NRL club will be saying ‘I wish John Bateman was at my club’,” Canberra coaching consultant Michael Ennis says. Bateman has been arguably the best player for the Raiders across the opening month of the season and we still haven’t seen him at top gear. “He’s had a lot of success overseas. I know Ricky Stuart has been really impressed with him and…

WHEN a player switches clubs, it often means their whole life is turned upside-down. As well as having to find their place in new surroundings, schedules change, on-field roles differ and on some occasions they are forced to relocate their entire family. For Josh Morris, his transition from the Bulldogs to the Sharks was as swift as they come. As a Sutherland Shire resident, things actually became a whole lot easier for him. “I’ve lived in Caringbah for the past 10 years,” Morris tells Big League. “The commute to Belmore used to take 30-40 minutes, but now it’s only a three minute drive to training. It means a lot less time in the car and a lot more time with the family. “It’s been a really good transition and the…

ASH Taylor has admitted the Titans’ attack panicked in their 26-10 loss to the Warriors In their first outing since reuniting as a halves combo, Taylor and Tyrone Roberts failed to set up any tries. The team had to rely on solo efforts from Anthony Don and Dale Copley for their only four-pointers for the game. The Titans have struggled to score points all season. In four rounds, they’ve scored just 36 points – the fewest of any club. “We were just trying to push the pass,” Taylor lamented. “We weren’t putting pressure on the Warriors and we kept trying to offload when we should have been getting to ground and getting a quick play-the-ball. “The whole club is under pressure and we need to put better performances on the…

TOM Trbojevic’s hamstring injury has opened the door for Brendan Elliot to return to the No 1 jersey, and the fill-in fullback says he’s excited about the opportunity having worked with the rep star throughout pre-season. Elliot (left) knows it’ll be impossible to replace what Trbojevic brings to the Sea Eagles, but he’s confident he has the skills to ensure things run smoothly this weekend. “Obviously ‘Turbo’ is a freak player, but all I can do is try my best for the team,” he told Big League. “I don’t try to play like him. If I did, I’d probably make a fool out of myself. We have a game plan and we try to stick to that. I just do my part for the team. “I worked closely with him…

SITTING third on the ladder, the Raiders have had their best start to the season since 2005 and coach Ricky Stuart has credited his experienced players for the team’s early success. “Having representative players in your squad is really beneficial because they’ve played big games. I’ve got the four Pommies there and three of them are representative, Jordan [Rapana] and ‘Papa’ [Josh Papalii], it helps you. You get into scenarios where you need their experience and ability,” he said. Stuart also complimented Corey Horsburgh (pictured) – a rising star for the Green Machine. “Corey’s only young but he’s learning and the boys enjoy playing with him.”…

COACH Nathan Brown praised Kalyn Ponga after his first game at fullback in 2019. “He obviously had some really good periods in the game, but he’ll learn some stuff from the back period of the game as well,” Brown said. The Knights mentor admitted that a potential downside to Ponga playing at fullback is that he might be a little ‘too good’. Ponga’s strongest games come from attacking on Knight’s left edge. “The risk with Kalyn back at fullback is that [attack] gets too left-sided dominant, so we need to make sure our right-sided players get themselves into the contest.” Mason Lino made his long-awaited club debut at five-eighth on the right edge. Brown said Lino could still retain his spot in the side when Connor Watson returns from injury.…

DESPITE suffering their third loss in four games on the weekend, North Queensland Cowboys winger Nene Macdonald isn’t panicking just yet The 24-year-old believes there’s still plenty of time to find form. “It’s tough losing, but the boys will bounce back. It’s only the start of the year and a lot of the boys are still gelling. It’s a mixed group at the moment and I think we’ll do well as the season goes. I’m pretty excited,” Macdonald said. There’s no time to slack off as the Cowboys prepare take on the undefeated Storm on Friday. “It’s going to be a good game. They’ve obviously done well over the last few years. This will be a real test for us.”…

Form: The Broncos have made their slowest start to a season since 2013 and after a lacklustre performance in last week’s loss to the Roosters and the critics have been quick to lay the boot in, slamming the club’s culture and questioning the credentials of coach Anthony Seibold. Wests Tigers looked to have done enough to hold off the Panthers last Friday but paid for Esan Marsters’ wayward goal-kicking (none from three). History: Wests Tigers have experienced little joy against the Broncos down the years and their only recent success came with a last-ditch 19-18 win over an Origin-depleted Brisbane in 2016. The Broncos have won eight of the past nine encounters and enjoy a 78 per cent winning record (21 wins from 27 games) since 2000. The Tigers went…

Form: The Rabbitohs were kicking themselves at their inability to close out a win against the Sea Eagles. As brave as Manly were, the Rabbitohs had several chances to ice the win but let themselves down. The Warriors rebounded from successive losses with a committed performance against the Titans last Friday. History: These teams will achieve history by playing the first premiership match on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, a region that has produced a vast quantity of rugby league talent. The Warriors have had the better of this fixture over the since 1995, but recent results have favoured the Rabbitohs. Souths have claimed seven wins from the past eight meetings. The Rabbitohs scored a 30-10 victory at Mt Smart Stadium when these teams last met with the Burgess twins both helping…

Form: The Dragons have won at the clutch in their past two games and have five-eighth Corey Norman to thank for salvaging two results. Although Gareth Widdop is a major loss, at least the Dragons now have clarity in key positions. The performances of the Bulldogs over the past fortnight have been refreshing for fans who were preparing for the bleakest of winters. History: The Dragons will be determined to bury some demons from their last encounter with the Bulldogs which ended in a record 38-0 defeat at Kogarah last August. The Dragons were running fourth at the time and their performance was so dire that fans hurled abuse at players as they left the field. The Bulldogs have long been a bogey team for the Dragons and have won…

THE Warriors posted their first win of the season, triumphing over the Panthers by 10 points. The Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles overcame the Rabbitohs by a 20-point margin and the North Sydney Bears demolished the Bulldogs by 48 points, making it their third win of the season. Mounties sit atop the table after a massive 52-6 win over the Magpies which saw recent NRL debutant Bailey Simonsson score an impressive four tries. The Jets went down to a Wentworth side powered by former NRL regulars Bevan French and Josh Hoffman, both of whom crossed the line. The round finished with the Dragons winning their first game of the season, beating the Knights 34-16. WARRIORS 22 (P Herbert 2, S Cook, A Pompey tries; A Keighran 3 goals) D. PENRITH 12…

The round kicked off with the Blackhawks going down to the Cutters on Friday. That same day, the Falcons continued their unbeaten run after a massive 50-10 win over the Pride. Sandor Earl scored three tries in his bid to return to the NRL. The Jets and the Devils won their respective matches against the Dolphins and the Hunters. It was the Hunters’ fifth-straight loss, with the team still sitting last on the ladder. Like the Falcons, Easts Tigers are also unbeaten after overcoming the Capras in a game that saw prop Albert Vete score three tries. The game was the Capras’ fourth-straight loss after winning in Round 1. In the battle of the Seagulls, Wynnum Manly kept Tweed to just six points and posted 32 themselves. The game was…

WESTS Tigers playmaker Josh Reynolds has declared he has what it takes to maintain his place in the NRL team following his return to first grade last Friday against Penrith. After starting the season in reserve grade, Reynolds has been handed the No.6 jersey to cover for five-eighth Benji Marshall, who has been sidelined with a hamstring injury. Over the next couple of weeks, the former Bulldog has the opportunity to win back a place in Michael Maguire’s 17, however he believes he has nothing to prove. “I hope people don’t take this the wrong way but I don’t feel I need to prove anything to anyone,” Reynolds said. “I know what I can bring to a team and hopefully these boys know that by now. “I haven’t had that…

COREY Norman’s arrival at the Dragons created a conundrum in the spine, but his presence in the past two games has been crucial. The 28-year-old nailed match-winning field goals in back-to-back games and his team-mate Tyson Frizell can’t speak highly enough of the club’s newest addition. “Corey’s been really good. With ‘Gaz’ [Gareth Widdop] not there anymore he’s really filled that role,” Frizell told Big League. “He’s had some opportunities in tight games and he’s been able to ice them off for us. He’s only new to the team but he’s really bought into our culture and what we’re about on the field. I’d say it’s been an easy transition for him.” Norman’s addition had originally pushed Matt Dufty to the bench, but an injury to captain Widdop in Round…

WE’RE a month into the season and we can start to gauge how teams are travelling in 2019. Here’s how I see it so far. THE BENCHMARK Although they don’t sit atop the ladder after four rounds, I’ve been really impressed with the Roosters. Melbourne and South Sydney have been good, but the Roosters are starting to put the foot down. Despite injuries to key players like Cooper Cronk, Jake Friends and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, there’s been no deviation from the level of performance. That can be put down to the culture and systems that Trent Robinson has in place. The players who have come in also have this ability to contribute at a high level and the prime examples are Siosiua Taukeiaho and Isaac Liu. Taukeiaho has run for more…

Broncos v Wests Tigers Titans v Panthers Cowboys v Storm Rabbitohs v Warriors Knights v Sea Eagles Sharks v Roosters Dragons v Bulldogs Raiders v Eels 21pts Michael Carayannis The Sunday Telegraph Broncos Panthers Cowboys Rabbitohs Knights Roosters Dragons Raiders 20pts David Middleton League Historian Broncos Panthers Storm Rabbitohs Knights Roosters Dragons Raiders 18pts Maria Tsialis Big League Broncos Panthers Storm Rabbitohs Knights Roosters Bulldogs Raiders 17pts Rebekka Wake Reader Tipster Wests Tigers Panthers Storm Rabbitohs Knights Roosters Bulldogs Raiders 16pts Michael Chammas NRL.com Wests Tigers Panthers Storm Rabbitohs Knights Roosters Dragons Eels 15pts Footyhead Little League Wests Tigers Panthers Cowboys Rabbitohs Knights Sharks Bulldogs Raiders…

THE fact Matt Gillett was Brisbane’s lone try-scorer in a horror outing against the Roosters tells you everything you need to know about a man whose career was in jeopardy just 12 months ago. “I thought something was wrong, but not to the extent of a fracture in the neck,” he tells Big League. It was the opening game of the 2018 season when the star back-rower’s neck was caught awkwardly in a tackle. He was in immediate discomfort, and it showed as he never hit top gear in a four-game stretch before he bit the bullet and went in for scans. “I was a bit stunned when I first heard it, I didn’t really know what to say,” he explains when asked about his shock diagnosis. “I knew things…

HALFBACK Mitch Moses stole the show in the Eel’s win over the Sharks last Saturday The 24-year-old racked up two try assists, one line-break, 24 tackles and 113 running metres in a commanding 80-minute performance, and his halves partner Jaeman Salmon could not wrap him enough. “This is a big year for Mitch – he’s on another level from last year. At training he’s real positive, he’s working hard and he’s got a good rapport with all the boys,” Salmon told Big League. “He has stepped up more as a leader this year. Last year wasn’t good for any of us but we knew we had to turn the corner and Mitch stood up. He obviously plays an important role within the team and the work he put in over…

STAR back-rower Tyson Frizell enjoyed a successful early return from injury on the weekend, playing 65 minutes in the Dragons’ golden point win over the Knights. The 27-year-old suffered a lacerated testicle in Round 1 and was originally expected to return this weekend. However, Frizell says due to the unusual injury his return was always going to be judged week-by-week. “When it first happened there was talk about four-to-six weeks, but we were really unsure because it was a pretty unfamiliar injury. It ended up becoming a situation where we had to go week-to-week just to see how it was,” he told Big League. “I had a chat with the doctor and specialists before heading back, but it was always going to be an unsure time frame.”…

CHANEL Harris-Tavita has attracted praise for a composed debut at five-eighth in the Warriors’ 26-10 win over Gold Coast – a crucial bounce-back after heavy losses to Wests Tigers and Manly. “There was a bit of pressure on the group and there was always going to be a spotlight on Chanel,” assistant coach Tony Iro told Big League. “But he kicked well, defended well, ran the ball – he played to his strengths. There’s more to his game and when he gets a bit more confidence he’ll bring that out. He said it was the longest 80 minutes of his life.” Livewire Harris-Tavita (left), who turned 20 two days before his NRL introduction, recorded 74 running metres and five tackle-breaks, booted five goals, had a hand in Tohu Harris’ match-sealing…

OFAHIKI Ogden will be the man to replace Dylan Napa in the Bulldogs’ front row after the new recruit was ruled out for 5-6 weeks with an ankle injury. “Dylan’s been playing some great footy for us and he’s going to be a big loss,” said prop Aiden Tolman. Ogden (above) made his NRL debut for the Bulldogs last year and has since played 11 first grade games off the bench. This week’s match against the Dragons will be his first NRL game in the starting 13. Napa will join Kieran Foran – who suffered the same injury last week – on the sidelines.…

ROOKIE halfback Kyle Flanagan received a late call-up to replace Shaun Johnson in Saturday’s match against the Eels Having been a reserve on a number of occasions, the last-minute decision to actually play him took the 20-year-old by surprise. “Sometimes it’s hard when you know you’ve just got to warm up and then sit back in the stand, but anything can happen so you’ve just got to be ready. I had a few minutes by myself once I got told so I could really focus on what my job was,” Flanagan told Big League. “It was probably a good thing that I didn’t know because the pressure wasn’t on too much – I was definitely more relaxed out there compared to my debut.” Flanagan also complimented team-mate and NRL debutant…

PROUD is how Josh Reynolds felt after last Friday night’s game against the Panthers, despite the Wests Tigers suffering a stunning golden point loss. Having led for most of the match, the Tigers conceded a try in the dying stages before a Nathan Cleary field goal sunk them. “It’s not the result we wanted but I’m really proud of the boys,” Reynolds said. “We lost by one point but there were a lot of selfless acts out there.” The Tigers travel to Brisbane to face the Broncos on Thursday. “Suncorp is the hardest place to play,” he said. “It’s a fun game to play. I’ve had some great games up there.”…

UP AND COMERS Cash cow of the week is Warrior Chanel Harris-Tavita, who was very good on debut – five goals and five tackle-breaks for 56 is a great sign. There was a powerhouse performance from Jayden Okunbor, who rampaged his way to 290 run metres and 67 points. However with $92,000 already added to his starting price he is no longer that cheap – though his price will jump again. Bronson Xerri was great on debut for 35 and will be an appealing pick-up, although the Roosters won’t make life easy for him. Remember, he’s no guarantee to hold his spot when Matt Moylan returns unless there are more injuries – but that still offers plenty of opportunity to make some coin. Hame Sele (48) got his price moving…

Form: Nothing has gone right for the Titans over the first month with injuries a factor in their 0-4 outcome. Poor starts have not helped their cause and they’ve managed a single try in the first half of their opening four games. The form of the Panthers has been little better, with a shocking mistake rate undermining their efforts. At least they’ve been able to eke out narrow wins over the Knights and Tigers to stay in touch with the rest of the field. History: Nathan Cleary’s match-winning skills were to the fore last Friday, just as they were when these teams last met. In typical style, the Panthers rallied from a 16-6 deficit to send the Round 22 game to golden point before Cleary iced the result with a…

Form: A bright start to the Knights’ season has given way to three-straight losses, including last Sunday’s heart-stopper against the Dragons. Newcastle’s defence ranks fourth in the NRL but apart from the prodigious skills of Kalyn Ponga, they’ve failed to strike fear in their opposition. The Sea Eagles withstood the loss of Tom Trbojevic early in the second half to finish on top of the Rabbitohs last Saturday in a performance that will give the club tremendous heart. History: This clash invariably stirs nostalgia among certain Knights fans who have crystal clear recollections of the club’s maiden grand final victory in 1997, along with the epic confrontations between ‘Chief’ Harragon and ‘Spud’ Carroll that rocked the old Marathon Stadium around that time. The Sea Eagles hold a decisive lead in…

Form: There is little question that the Raiders and the Eels have been the most improved teams in the NRL over the opening month. While the Storm and the Roosters have justified their ranking as contenders, the Raiders and the Eels have emerged as genuine finals hopes. Both have slipped up only once, the Raiders to the Storm and the Eels to the Roosters. History: It took the Raiders until the late 1980s to get the better of the Eels on a regular basis but since then they’ve forged an imposing record, especially at home. Parramatta haven’t won there since 2006 and from 21 visits to the capital, they have emerged with a victory four times. In last year’s only encounter, the Raiders won 18-2 at GIO Stadium (Round 6).…

CRONULLA maintained their unbeaten start to the year and kept the Eels winless with another stirring defensive display, conceding just 10 points in the first three games. They’re joined at the top by the Bulldogs – who made light work of winless North Sydney – and the Roosters, who emerged with a two-point win against a determined Raiders side. Manly remain firmly rooted to the foot of the ladder after conceding a half-century to South Sydney, with four Rabbitohs crossing for doubles in the convincing rout. Penrith bounced back from their loss last week to beat the Warriors, with Stephen Crichton grabbing 12 points. Meanwhile St George, who beat Penrith last week, came crashing back to earth with a 20-point loss to Newcastle. Wests Tigers opened their account with a…

THE Pride have continued their undefeated start to the season, beating the Falcons by 16 points. Both Tom Dwan and Brandon Jackonia scored doubles. The Blackhawks won their second game in a row after overcoming the Cutters 20-10. It was Mackay’s second-straight loss after a strong start to the season. Wynnum Manly drew with the Tweed Seagulls. Although Wynnum remain undefeated, the dropped point means they slip into second place. The Dolphins and the Mustangs were still unable to post their first wins of the season. Redcliffe went down in a narrow loss to Ipswich, and the Mustangs weren’t good enough for the Devils, who are now on a four-game winning streak. The Capras won for the first time this season, narrowly beating the Tigers by four points. TOWNSVILLE 20…

ASQUITH 38 (B Goodman, J Williams, J Beetson, W Solway, M Place, H McWilliam, K Koro tries; T Brown 3, H Tuha 2 goals) D. BLACKTOWN 16 (K Aldridge, J Tohi, L Li tries; K Cryer 2 goals). MOUNTIES 40 (R King 2, R Vai 2, E Aiono, R Ioelu, J Payne, J Williams tries; Ioelu 2, Z Greene, S Duggan goals) D. WESTERN SUBURBS 4 (I Rabuatoka try). WENTWORTHVILLE 38 (J Bergamin 2, C Schaafhausen, H Raiwalui, P Rogers, E Navale tries; B Henry 7 goals) D. GLEBE-BURWOOD 0.ST MARYS 44 (C Aunese-Scanlon 2, S Vave, J Faiumu, T Romer, G Daniela, R Tuisese, P Hollis tries; K Falls 6 goals) D. BROTHERS 10 (M Tweedie, B Waters tries; M Fidow goal). GUILDFORD 32 (J Camroux 2, P Manumalealii…

SG BALL MANLY 66 (J Lawler 2, J Schuster 2, B Trbojevic 2, C Brown, V Fifita, T Tuipulotu, T Matangi, G Plati, G Chan Kum Tong tries; J Birt 8, Tuipulotu goals) D. SOUTH SYDNEY 10 (L Aldridge, S Malu tries; B Zampech goal). VICTORIA THUNDERBOLTS 36 (J Tui 2, S Finau 2, T Ieremia, K Headon tries; P Purcell 6 goals) D. WESTERN SUBURBS 14 (B Rogers, B Strickland, J Kirk tries; L Rouland goal). CRONULLA 26 (S Noppen 2, T Rodwell, K Dykes, T Giles tries; T Demeio 3 goals) D. ST GEORGE 12 (S Psiroukis, S Upulasi tries; Psiroukis 2 goals). CANTERBURY 50 (D Bravo-Graham 2, M Vuki, L Yehia, I Merhi, J Schaafhausen, L Hopoi, C Fuatimau tries; J Topine 6, K Rajab goals) D.…