Innholdsfortegnelse for 2019 - Round 6 i Big League Weekly Edition

ROOSTERS five-eighth Luke Keary has declared himself ready for a State of Origin call-up after another stunning performance against Cronulla last Saturday night. Keary has opened the season as one of the form players of the competition and is the front-runner to win the NSW No.6 jumper. The playmaker is optimistic he’ll gain a spot in Brad Fittler’s side, but insisted he’s not focused on Origin at the moment. “If you asked any player in the NRL, they’d tell you they’d want to play [Origin],” Keary said after the game. “You can’t control anything – I could walk out and get injured tomorrow – anything can happen. No one really talks about it. You just do your thing and if it eventuates, it eventuates.” Roosters coach Trent Robinson praised Keary,…

RUGBY League has a big moment coming up in Round 6 of the NRL with the opening of Bankwest Stadium at Parramatta. I will have the privilege of being in the Fox League commentary box for Monday’s clash between the Eels and the Tigers, and let me declare it really is the perfect rugby league venue after doing a tour last week. There isn’t a bad seat in the house. Sharing my enthusiasm was Eels legend Eric Grothe, who I’d taken with me to interview for The Fan. Eric couldn’t help but snap a few photos and capture some film the first time he stepped out on the playing arena. But it also hit that we were getting old after a sudden flashback to a time on the same site…

AS half of Australia sat transfixed to their television sets for the series premiere of Game of Thrones, the rest of the nation was glued to their screens, watching highlights of Greg Inglis destroy anyone who stood in his way. Sadly for the man known as ‘GI’, Monday proved fairytale endings are saved for the silver screen. After 263 NRL games, 39 Tests for Australia and 32 Origin matches for Queensland, Inglis announced his retirement effective immediately, bringing to an end one of the greatest careers of the modern era. His body was battered, his hunger fading, but deep down, the Rabbitohs skipper knew his time was up. The aura was gone, and as quickly as he burst onto the scene in 2005, he was gone, ready to move into…

BUNTY Afoa wasn’t even born when wild-haired front-rower Hitro Okesene was carving out a legacy as the Auckland Warriors’ original cult hero during their 1995 foundation season. But the 22-year-old is fostering a hallowed tradition of collision-hungry crowd favourites at the club, a cavalcade of kamikazes that began with Okesene and includes Mark Tookey, Iafeta Palea’aesina, Ruben Wiki and Suaia Matagi. Players who thrive on charging off the back fence, headlong into the opposition. Enforcers who pride themselves on lifting their team-mates with a crunching tackle. Throwbacks, in a way, who wear their lack of self-preservation as a badge of honour. “I’m willing to put my body on the line and I’ll do whatever it takes to get the job done,” Afoa tells Big League ahead of his 50th NRL…

SUCCESS on the northern beaches has often come on the back of their blistering attack, but Manly’s defence has been the shining light in 2019 and the reason they head into this weekend’s match on a three-game winning streak. Des Hasler’s defensive steel has been there for everyone to see, with the Sea Eagles holding their opponents to 20 points or less in four of their first five matches. Last year’s team would have capitulated in the face of adversity, but their newfound resolve without the ball was on show last week when they held out the fast-finishing Knights despite having Addin Fonua-Blake in the sin bin. “I think we’re getting a lot of belief from how we’re turning up and working hard for each other,” Joel Thompson told Big…

ALTHOUGH the Raiders are flying high after an 19-nil win over the Eels, coach Ricky Stuart has his eye firmly on the Broncos who he is confident will be at their best in this weekend’s clash. “I can assure you they’ll be at their best. They’ll be here to play,” he said. “They’ve been bashed around, knocked around personally and as a club. They’re a strong club and they’ll bounce back against us.” The Raiders will be without star back-rower Joe Tapine who suffered an ankle injury in last weekend’s match. Stuart sympathised for the 24-year-old who’s been haunted by the same injury for the past three seasons. “‘Taps’ unfortunately has had a bit a tough start to the season, but he’s got a good attitude and he’s a mentally…

STAR duo Luke Keary and Latrell Mitchell’s combination is currently red-hot and it was on show against the Sharks last Saturday night. On the stroke of half-time, Keary pulled off a crafty trick play when he placed a delicate cross-field chip kick towards Mitchell (pictured), who caught the ball and raced 60 metres to score. It seems like a spontaneous play but it had been on the cards for a number of weeks. “Me and Latrell have been talking about it the last couple of weeks and it was just good timing,” Keary said. “I knew the time so if it didn’t work it wasn’t going to be an issue, but it was good to see the big fella in full flight. “I love seeing him in the clear, he…

IF the Titans are to rise up the ladder, they need to continue to put in team performances, according to captain Ryan James. The prop praised his entire team after their gutsy win over Penrith – their first victory of the season. “It was good to see everyone fire, everyone 1 to 17 played a solid game,” James said. He was also impressed with utility AJ Brimson, who came on for injured halfback Ash Taylor. “AJ is a class player and he came on and Tyrone took over the lead role, did all the kicking and AJ did all the running,” James said. “That’s what he does best and that’s what he did.”…

ANDREW McCullough complimented Raiders coach Ricky Stuart for getting his team off to an impressive start to the season and expects a tough battle at GIO Stadium on Sunday. “Ricky’s [Stuart] doing a great job for them – he recruited really well. They started the year strong and it’s a tough place to play them regardless of the time of the year, it’s certainly a big task,” he said. “They’ve got a great back five. They’ve won the ball over strongly and get plenty of carries, so we need to take a bit of juice out of them, hang onto the ball and get to the end of our sets.” McCullough is focused on improving his own game before worrying about opposing No.9 Josh Hodgson. “I’ve got to get my…

HOOKER Jayden Brailey is bracing for a tough game when Cronulla host the hurting Panthers on Thursday night, after Penrith suffered a shock loss to Gold Coast last weekend. “It’s going to be a tough game,” Brailey told Big League. “They had a tough loss against the Titans and they’re going to want to turn things around as well. It’s always a tough game against Penrith. “We got them in the semis last year and I’m sure they’re going to fight hard.” Brailey is expecting a better performance from his side on Thursday after a disappointing fortnight with losses to the Roosters and Eels. “We’re not playing smart football at the moment,” he said. “We know we have to be better and hopefully we can get the win against the…

Form: Injuries have played a major role in the Sharks’ slow start to the season and last Saturday against the Roosters they were missing a vast amount of experience up front through the absence of skipper Paul Gallen, Aaron Woods and Wade Graham. Gallen returns this week but doubts over Andrew Fifita (hamstring) could further diminish their go-forward. The Panthers have been the major under-achievers of the early rounds, managing shaky wins over the Knights and Tigers. A woeful error rate continues to undermine their efforts. History: The Panthers might have achieved twice the premiership success of the Sharks but when it comes to head-to-head results, Cronulla have left their rivals in the shade. The Sharks have won the past six encounters to hold a commanding 50-38 lead since these…

Form: The loss of Blake Green in the warm-up to last Saturday’s clash with the Rabbitohs was a huge blow for the Warriors, but they displayed outstanding qualities to take the game to the wire before Cody Walker’s late strike for Souths. Thrust into the key playmaking role with next to no notice, five-eighth Chanel Harris-Tavita stepped up superbly, while Roger Tuivasa-Sheck continues to display the form that won him the Dally M title last year. The Cowboys contained the Storm well last Friday but their attacking game remains below top eight quality. A third consecutive loss at home will do little for confidence. History: Historically, this is a fixture won by the home team and upsets are rare. The Warriors have a 14-6 record against the Cowboys at Mt…

Form: The Raiders are enjoying their best start to a season since 2005 and last Sunday held an opposition to nil for the second time in 2019. After years of false hope there is genuine optimism in the capital and the Raiders will approach Sunday’s game with far more confidence than their opposition. The Broncos stumbled to their fourth loss from five games when they let the Tigers snatch victory at the death and if Anthony Seibold was under pressure before last week, the levels have now hit the red zone. History: The Broncos have won their past six encounters with the Raiders, including the past three at GIO Stadium, however Canberra has never met a Brisbane team languishing so low on the competition ladder. The Broncos hold a decisive…

SOUTH Sydney held off the fast-finishing Warriors thanks to impressive doubles from James Tautaiolefua and Kane Allan. Penrith comprehensively beat the Thunderbolts 72-4, packing on 13 tries. Halfback Brendan Hands scored 28 points on the day and winger Charlie Staines scored a hat-trick. Young guns Bradman Best and Nathanael Sasagi both scored four-try hauls in the Knights’ comprehensive victory over the last-placed Sea Eagles and the Dragons cruised to victory over the Bulldogs at WIN Stadium. The only undefeated team left in the comp, Cronulla, was put to the test in a tense affair against the Roosters, finishing with one try apiece. On Sunday, the Raiders defeated the Eels side and the Tigers overcame the Bears. SOUTH SYDNEY 34 (J Tautaiolefua 2, K Allan 2, J Cook, N Mougios, V…

THE NRL hinged its 2019 season launch on the idea of the ‘new era’ of stars – young and upcoming players who have, and will continue to, put fans on the edge of their seats. Following Greg Inglis’s retirement announcement on Monday, it really does feel like we’re closing the end of an era where we got to witness true rugby league greatness. He’s part of a class of players – the likes of Thurston, Slater, Thaiday, Lewis, Gallen and eventually Smith – who were in the spotlight for more than a decade and have unbelievable highlights we’ll all get to re-live and enjoy for years to come. It’s a shame Inglis had to end his career on this note but it doesn’t take away from the fact that he…

THEY were meant to crumble with Tom Trbojevic on the sidelines, but the Sea Eagles have proved the doubters wrong for the second week in a row to sit in sixth spot following a confidence-boosting win in Newcastle that shows they can get the job done without their superstar fullback. Trbojevic suffered a serious hamstring injury during their Round 4 win over the Rabbitohs, prompting many to put the red pen through the Sea Eagles’ chances in 2019. However, they outlasted South Sydney in golden point and backed it up with a 26-18 win over the Knights on the back of a team effort that highlights a changed attitude under coach Des Hasler. The Sea Eagles lost both matches in 2018 when their No.1 was missing, but they’ve shown enough…

What does it mean to be the Titans’ all-time leading tryscorer? It’s something that I’ll look back on proudly when I finish my career – and I’m still very proud of it now – but we’ve had some tough losses to start the year so my focus is on the field and helping us get back on track. You were level with David Mead for a while, what did you learn from him when he was at the club? It’s good to surpass David Mead because he was a mentor of mine when he signed with the Titans. He was an established winger and I was coming through reserve grade at the time. He’s a great friend of mine, so I was proud to equal him and I’m even prouder…

EVERY current NRL stadium carries a rich history of thrilling wins, devastating losses and everything in-between. On Easter Monday, Bankwest Stadium will begin its own history as the Eels host the Wests Tigers in the first NRL game – and sporting contest – to be played at the venue. The Eels said goodbye to the old Parramatta Stadium in 2016 and made a temporary home at Olympic Park. It’s been a long wait for their return home, but the club is no stranger to adversity. Club legend Brett Kenny recalls a defining moment in Eels history when thousands of passionate fans spilled out of Parramatta Leagues Club onto Cumberland Oval – the club’s home ground – in 1981 after their first premiership win and burnt it down. “The playing group…

COMING off a thumping from the Dragons last Sunday, the Bulldogs have a short turnaround before facing the in-form Rabbitohs in one of the biggest games on their calendar. Lachlan Lewis knows it won’t be easy and said the Bulldogs will need to dominate the Rabbitohs’ forward pack to stand a chance. “They have such a good pack and as a half I know that if you’re not winning in the pack it’s hard to play off. We’ve all got to do our best against them and win our one-on-one battles,” Lewis told Big League. “We’re a young side and we’ve got to learn how to win. It doesn’t come easy and this is one of the toughest competitions in the world so if we can find some confidence and…

HALFBACK Nathan Cleary has slammed his team’s poor performance against Gold Coast and blamed their poor form on their attitude. The Panthers missed 67 tackles and let a second-half lead slip against the then-winless Titans. “It was ridiculous,” Cleary said. “There’s a lot of disappointment after the weekend, especially after a tough win against the Tigers that was based on defence. “To come out and dish up what we did defensively was disappointing and went against what we’ve done in pre-season. That was the main problem. We’ve got to be ready to make a change and get some consistency in our game.”…

TRYSCORING machine Cody Walker says South Sydney won’t use Greg Inglis’ retirement as extra motivation in 2019. Fresh from his four try haul against the Warriors, the fleet-footed five-eighth says Inglis’ shock announcement has opened the door for other players to stand up as the Bunnies look to claim their first premiership since 2014. “We’d love to see him out there playing with us, but he’s made his decision,” Walker told Big League. “It’s a great opportunity for someone like Braidon Burns to have a big year, and the same goes for Dane Gagai on the other edge. We won’t necessarily be doing it for him because I don’t think we need that extra motivation to have a big year.”…

CAPTAIN Moses Mbye is expecting a good performance from his team in their Easter Monday clash against the Eels thanks largely to their long turnaround. “We have no excuses going into Round 6, we have plenty of time to recover and prepare well,” he said. “It’s going to be a good atmosphere with a full house at Bankwest Stadium – we’re all looking forward to being one of the first teams to run out there.” Josh Reynolds will spend another week in the starting halves, but Benji Marshall’s imminent return will bring on a selection headache. “Reynolds has come into the side and brought another level of energy and enthusiasm, and that combination with him and [Luke] ‘Brooksy’ has been working well,” said Elijah Taylor.…

Round 1 was your first NRL game How cool was that experience? A lot of people say it’s a lifelong dream. It’s a bit of a cliché – but I’ve always wanted to do it since I was 4 or 5. I love watching footy and I’ve played it all my life, so it was a massive achievement. My friends and family were thrilled as well. Did you have a favourite team as a four-year-old? I was a Tigers supporter growing up, that’s my fondest memory. So playing for Manly wasn’t always the dream? When you’re young you want to play for the team you support, but that’s out of your control with spots in the team, salary caps and stuff like that. It’s funny because I debuted against the…

Form: The Bulldogs’ inexperienced outfit was taught a harsh lesson by the Dragons a week after they went close to toppling the Storm in Melbourne. Clearly, it is not going to be plain sailing for the Dogs in 2019 and it is likely there will be more days like last Sunday as the club rebuilds after the mess left by the previous regime. Opponents South Sydney have thrived under Wayne Bennett this season and despite the setback of Greg Inglis’ retirement, the team looks well equipped to go far in this competition. History: These teams first met on Good Friday in 2007 but after successive Bulldogs wins, the Easter rivalry did not recommence until 2012. In nine Good Friday contests, the Bulldogs hold a 5-4 lead. The Rabbitohs have won…

Form: Following back-to-back one-point victories, the Dragons gave themselves a massive shot of confidence when they crushed the Bulldogs 40-4 last Sunday. Admittedly, they were up against an inexperienced opponent, but the Dragons were able to unleash their full attacking repertoire and that should prove positive with a difficult schedule over the next month. The Sea Eagles have performed beyond expectations to claim consecutive victories over the Warriors, Rabbitohs and Knights to strengthen their position in the top eight. History: The Dragons have been resounding winners of their past three clashes with Manly, piling on 119 points in successive victories in Wollongong and a 2017 game at Brookvale. St George Illawarra were 32-8 winners of last year’s only encounter. Danger sign: Daly Cherry-Evans managed to shine against the Knights, even…

Form: Parramatta were never allowed to find their groove against the Raiders last Sunday and the loss of Blake Ferguson soon after half-time did little for their cause. It was the Eels’ second loss in three games but there is no hint of panic after strong efforts in the opening rounds. Wests Tigers recovered from successive losses to the Bulldogs and Panthers to score a stunning win over the Broncos last Thursday. Both sides will enter this clash with 3-2 records. History: The Eels have had plenty of reminders about the last time the club opened a new stadium. Back in 1986, the Eels trounced St George 36-6 to christen Parramatta Stadium and there will be expectations among fans of a similar performance at Bankwest Stadium. The Eels have won…

THE ROUND kicked off with the Sunshine Coast Falcons continuing their unbeaten start to the year with another convincing win, this time over the second-placed Easts Tigers. The Tigers were able to retain their grip on second place, but they’ll be feeling the pressure after Burleigh and Townsville both secured wins. Townsville made light work of the luckless Dolphins, while Burleigh emerged victorious from their game against Wynnum Manly to move above them on the table. The Pride continued their downward slide with another loss, this time against Souths Logan. Matt Soper-Lawler led from the front for the Magpies. Tweed Seagulls held firm in a tense game against Mackay to maintain a four-point buffer ahead of the chasing pack. Meanwhile PNG are off the mark in 2019 thanks to a…

HEAD of football Graham Annesley insists the NRL will do everything in its means to ensure player safety in the future following last weekend’s controversial incident when referees allowed play to continue for almost a minute as Nene Macdonald laid in agony with a fractured and dislocated ankle. As a duty of care issue, the NRL has promised to improve standards and Annesley confirmed all officials have been briefed on the current processes required when it comes to on-field injuries. Referees Grant Atkins and Gavin Badger have been relegated in Round 6 after the NRL deemed their performance in the clash between the Cowboys and Storm unacceptable. Annesley cited their inability to stop play in the 75th minute was the significant concern, however their overall performance was below standard. “It’s…

8 First shoulder-charge suspension The NRL made the controversial call to ban shoulder-charges ahead of the 2013 season in the interests of player safety. Players heeded the rule-change with remarkable restraint, until Fuifui Moimoi was cited for a shoulder-charge on Carlos Tuimavave while playing for Tonga against Samoa, copping a one-match ban. Souths winger Andrew Everingham was the unlikely first recipient of a shoulder-charge suspension at NRL level, rubbed out for two games for his illegal shot on North Queensland’s Matt Bowen. 7 First sin-bin Introduced in 1981, the sin-bin provided referees with the option to dismiss players for five or 10-minute spells (the former was later repealed) for misconducted not deemed serious enough for an outright send-off. Balmain lock Neil Pringle was the first to sample the new rule…

Bye Bye Blair Melbourne outside back Cheyse Blair has been granted a release from his contract to take up an opportunity with Castleford in the English Super League until the end of the 2022 season. The switch will be effective immediately with Cheyse heading to the UK this week. He played 38 games for Storm and scored 18 tries after joining the club in 2016. Triple six The first three games last weekend ended with margins of just six points after Wests Tigers, Gold Coast and Melbourne scored wins by half a dozen. South Sydney halfback Adam Reynolds had a chance to make the stat extend to four games, however he missed a conversion and the Rabbitohs won by four. All four games were in Queensland and it would’ve made…

THE Bulldogs are no strangers to adversity in their spine. Last season they lost Moses Mbye mid-season and Kieran Foran suffered a season-ending injury. Heading into 2019 they probably didn’t expect to face familiar problems again so early in the season, but when does rugby league ever stick to the script? Just as Foran hit blistering form, injury struck again. His replacement, Jack Cogger, comes in to cement the Bulldogs’ spine as the youngest and most inexperienced in the NRL. To put things into perspective – six months ago Lachlan Lewis was the rookie with plenty of time to develop, Now he’s the most experienced half the club has to offer. It’s a huge responsibility for Lewis, who has just 14 NRL games to his name. But he’s not taking…

FRIDAY’S game will also be the first time Cameron Smith has played at AAMI Park since he surpassed Hazem El Masri as the leading pointscorer in NRL history. The Storm skipper slotted a second-half penalty goal to take his career tally to 2,420 points and then added another to move four points clear of the former Bulldogs winger. What makes Smith’s achievement even more remarkable is the fact he didn’t assume the full-time goal-kicking duties until 2006, while he also didn’t enjoy the tryscoring opportunities outside backs are used to. He heads into the Round 6 clash with 43 tries, 1,123 goals and four field goals. “It’s such an outstanding moment for Cameron, his family and the club,” Finucane beams. “He debuted in 2002, and he’s now in his 18th…

THIS week’s grand final rematch will see hard-working lock Dale Finucane run out for his 100th game in the purple jersey as he continues his push for a State of Origin debut. Fittingly, the Bega Roosters junior will achieve the milestone against the Sydney Roosters on Friday in what shapes as the match of the season so far. Finucane has been in career-best form in 2019, averaging 131 metres per game, while he’s also broken 13 tackles and achieved a tackle efficiency of 97 per cent. “It’s come up very quickly, and it’s crazy to think this is already my fifth year at the club,” the former Bulldog told Big League. “It’s snuck up on me, but I’m proud of the achievement and glad I could achieve a milestone like…

DESPITE producing arguably their most encouraging performance of 2019 so far, the Warriors know their 28-24 loss to South Sydney – after leading by 12 with 20 minutes left – was a crucial lost opportunity. “Everyone’s pretty disappointed. It was there to win, but errors and execution let us down. We beat ourselves,” front-rower Leeson Ah Mau told Big League. “There were positives to take out of the game, but we’ve got to really look at the second half and try to do better next time we’re in that situation.” The Warriors’ preparations were thrown into disarray following halfback Blake Green’s last-minute withdrawal due to a groin injury. Peta Hiku (pictured) shifted to five-eighth and Gerard Beale came into the side at centre, but the composure and confidence of playmaker…

TEPAI Moeroa said Parramatta will use the disappointment of last weekend’s loss to spur them on for their Easter Monday clash with the Wests Tigers. The Eels suffered a 19-0 loss to the Raiders and Moeroa said they’ll need to learn from their mistakes. “There are a lot of lessons to learn from that game and I’m sure we’ll be better,” he said. “That’s not a true reflection on how we’ve been training and how we want to play. We let our fans down and ourselves down.” Moeroa said the Eels could still be proud of their goal-line defence. “We were happy with our scramble on the line, but we spent most of the game there and we don’t want to make it a habit.”…

NORTH Queensland’s backline stocks are to be tested after Nene Macdonald suffered a season-ending ankle injury in their loss to the Storm. “We’re being tested at the moment in a few different ways and injuries is one of them,” Paul Green said. With winger Kyle Feldt still out injured, the Cowboys now have both their first-choice wingers out through injury. Replacing Feldt, utility Ben Hampton started his first ever game on the wing against the Storm. “I was just trying to keep it simple and make sure I got my job done. If I spend a bit of time there, I might pick up a few more things,” Hampton said. Justin O’Neill has been named to replace Macdonald.…

EMBRACE THE PAYNE It’s been a real lottery with the cheapies this year but last week’s best option, Warriors half Chanel Harris-Tavita, delivered with 42 points and a $62k price rise. There was an identical price gain for his team-mate Lachlan Burr, who produced a season-best 62 points against the Rabbitohs, taking his price $216k above where it started. Payne Haas was the other big mover; the giant Broncos teenager is Buy of the Week after pumping out 65 points in 64 minutes with 45 tackles and 167 metres. Another of the early-season cheapies that has really kicked on is Dragons lock Blake Lawrie. His 54 propelled him to $213k in total price rises but that ship has sailed if you weren’t on it. There was also great news for…

Form: Without playing at the top of their game, the Storm have been good enough to get the job done against the Bulldogs and the Cowboys and remain undefeated after five rounds for the fifth time in their history. They’ll need to shift to a higher gear to challenge the Roosters but few can doubt their ability to rise for a big occasion. The Roosters produced a period of irresistible football to silence the Sharks last Saturday and the fact that they did so without prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and dummy-half Jake Friend suggests the desire to build on the team’s 2018 efforts burns fiercely within. History: These teams will clash in a top-of-the-table contest for the fourth time in their past five meetings. The Roosters have prevailed twice, winning by…

Form: The Titans ended a month of misery by upsetting the Panthers last Friday after finally fielding the same ‘spine’ in consecutive matches. The stability lasted only 27 minutes, with Ash Taylor forced from the field with a corked leg, but in his absence Tyrone Roberts combined effectively with AJ Brimson to steer the team to its first win of the season. The Knights fell to their fourth-traight defeat when they went down to the Sea Eagles at home and desperately need to get their attacking game into gear if they are to make something of their season. History: The Knights are narrow leaders of this fixture, winning 11 of the 20 clashes since 2007. The Titans have won the past three head-to-head clashes on the Gold Coast, including last…

RABBITOHS half Jack Johns, the son of Matthew Johns, scored a try in his team’s victory over the Warriors. The win helps South Sydney stay in touch with first place. Newtown posted their first win of the season against the Bears at Henson Park. The home side raced to a 24-point lead but had to hold on against a fast-finishing Bears team to win 32-30. The Magpies bounced back after a big loss last week to comprehensively beat the Panthers. Meanwhile, the Dragons overcame the Bulldogs at Jubilee Stadium thanks to doubles from Shaun Sauni-Esau and Jackson Ford. Mounties remain at the top of the table after their victory against Wentworthville which saw Reubenn Rennie score a hat-trick to take his total to five tries in five games. SOUTH SYDNEY…

THE round kicked off on Saturday with Mounties winning their third on the trot against the Dirty Reds, who are struggling for consistency. Wentworthville are one of four teams tied at the top, cruising to victory against a lacklustre Western Suburbs outfit. St Marys are also in the leading quartet and consolidated their position with a strong win over Guildford. Asquith – the other top four team – benefitted from the bye but will face the ultimate test this week against the ladder-leading Mounties. Brothers continued to heap misery upon Blacktown, led by a double from Matthew Whyte. The Sea Eagles are now facing a four-point gap at the bottom of the ladder. In the weekend’s other contest, Hills District kept in touch with the leaders thanks to a surprise…

Titans v Broncos @ CBUS Stadium Sunday April 21, 12pm WOMEN’S Titans: 1 Marikki WATEGO (C), 2 Toni WELLS, 3 Georgina RACKEMANN, 4 Taylah CONNELL, 5 Hinerangi ANDREASSEND, 6 Sammy-Jo CURTIS, 7 Tarryn AIKEN, 8 Rebecca MI MI, 9 Brittany DONOVAN, 10 Ashleigh KEARNEY (C), 11 Kayla MI MI, 12 Marama THOMAS, 13 Lucia FILDES Broncos: 1 Emily HENNESSEY (C), 2 Katherine STEVENS, 3 Samantha HOPKIN, 5 Katee MALLER, 6 Hayley MADDICK, 7 Mia JOHNSTONE, 9 Kaitlin SHAVE, 10 Kimberley SUE SEE (C), 11 Paige PARKER, 12 Catherine SARGENT, 13 Tahlia ROLPH, 14 Melia LARKIN, 15 Rachel WALSH MEN’S Titans: 1 Jakob HALL, 2 Wayne UNUWAI, 3 Peter NORMAN (C), 4 Jayden LOVE, 6 Mai PHILLIPS, 7 Drumayne DAYBERG-MUIR, 8 Bradley RUSSELL, 10 Tristan WAGG, 11 Jesse CURTIS, 12 Adam…