Innholdsfortegnelse for 2019 - Round 7 i Big League Weekly Edition

WITH more than half the Parramatta Eels’ squad off-contract at season’s end, Tim Mannah says the onus is on the players to perform to secure their futures. The veteran prop, who is also off-contract beyond 2019, denies players are distracted due to contract negotiations. “I think we’re professional enough to know that our fate is in our own hands,” Mannah told Big League. At the age of 31, Mannah is yet to contemplate retirement and has told the club he wants to remain a one-club player. “I love this club and it’s my priority to stay here so hopefully we can work something out,” he said. “I definitely want to play on. The body feels great – it’s the best I’ve felt for many years.” Star players Mitch Moses and…

Talk us through your junior career… I lived in Gerringong all through the juniors. It’s a massive footy town down there – you either surf or play footy, and I was lucky to do both. It’s a footy heartland so everyone is obsessed with what’s going on. I’m a massive footy fan, so I always try to watch as many games as possible. I’ve played since I was five, and then moved to the Dragons juniors program. I didn’t make the Harold Matts, but then played two years of SG Ball with the Steelers. I then played under-20s and graduated into the first-grade squad. What did it mean to represent your community? It was massive at the time. The whole town was stoked and the story made the local paper.…

I can’t wait for the game against the Roosters. It’s such a proud moment to play on Anzac Day, and last year’s result – a 24-8 victory for us – was such an amazing spectacle to be a part of. That said, it’s going to be a completely different game to our meeting last year. We were the ones heading into Anzac Day in better form in 2018, but the Roosters are definitely the in-form team in the competition at the moment and they’re playing a very exciting brand of football. Defensively they’re outstanding because everyone works as a team, so it’s hard to find any gaps in their defensive line. The key for us is not letting them get a lead like they did against the Storm. We have…

WHEN cracks appeared in the walls at Belmore, a quick repair job wasn’t going to cut it. Instead, some obvious changes needed to take place. The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, a proud and courageous club, has fallen on tough times following major salary cap issues and a complete overhaul of management and coaching staff. But fear not, Bulldogs fans, for there is a woman in power who has a vision for the future, someone who intricately knows how the Bulldogs work best. While success may be a few years away, you can take solace in the fact that Chair Lynne Anderson and the rest of the club hierarchy are doing everything in their power to take the Bulldogs back to where they belong. “If we build the house right it can sustain…

A FRANK James Maloney says his side must address its decision-making after slumping to a fourth loss from six starts The Panthers held a comfortable 14-point lead over the Sharks last week, only to self-implode as their opponents stormed home to claim a stunning 24-20 victory. “I think we’re taking the wrong option too many times,” Maloney said. “We’re not mentally tough enough at the moment and not working hard enough. There are all sorts of other excuses you can come up with about combinations and missed opportunities and stuff like that. “But there are too many times when we look at the video that, across the board, we are taking soft options and that needs to change.”…

LATRELL Mitchell lived out a childhood dream when he snapped a field goal in golden point to seal a dramatic win over the Storm, adding another highlight to his already impressive CV With Luke Keary off the field due to a head knock, everyone – including the defence – assumed star halfback Cooper Cronk would step up to sink his former side. Instead, the Roosters faked it and shifted to Mitchell who nailed the left-foot shot from a tricky angle to seal the 21-20 result. It now makes the Tri-colours a triple threat when lining up for a one-pointer; a scary proposition for the Dragons this week given the attacking arsenal at their disposal. “I kicked one when I was a junior, but that’s the second game-winner in my life,”…

NORTH Queensland outside back Justin O’Neill described his side as “gusty” after they beat the Warriors to record their second win of the season With a 2-4 record after six rounds, the Cowboys are just one win outside the top eight. “It was a great gutsy performance,” O’Neill said after last Saturday’s 17-10 win in New Zealand. “We were coming up against a big side and we knew it was going to be a physical game, and that was going to be the challenge. The boys really stepped up and the points came when we stayed in the grind.” The Cowboys will be looking for consecutive victories when they face the Bulldogs at ANZ Stadium on Friday night.…

COACH Ricky Stuart has put the Raiders’ dramatic improvement on 2018 form down to the group getting older His praise comes after the club continued its impressive start to the season, delivering a solid performance against the Broncos to make it four wins on the trot “They’re a lot more mature group this year and they’re an easier team to coach this year because there are individuals growing up,” Stuart said. “When that happens you don’t have to ‘baby’ blokes as much. When you’ve got a little bit of depth, you don’t have to pat blokes on the back; you can be a little bit more honest to them when you have to tell them the truth about certain parts of their game.”…

Form: The Roosters have established undeniable credentials to successfully defend their premiership this season through a series of withering performances that have led to a five-game winning streak. Last Friday’s effort against the Storm was perhaps their finest hour, surging to a big lead, weathering Melbourne’s comeback and then closing out victory in golden point. And they did it all under a heavy injury toll. The Dragons have also found form with four-straight wins but three of the four have been touch-and-go efforts. History: At other times of the year the Dragons have slumped to seven-straight losses to the Roosters but it is a whole different story on Anzac Day, where they have won eight of the past 11 encounters. Last year they trounced the eventual premiers 24-8 in front…

Form: The Panthers flipped their entrenched record of poor starts by vaulting to a 14-0 lead against the Sharks last Thursday night, but it mattered little in the final outcome as Cronulla finished over the top to win 24-20. The Rabbitohs won ugly against the Bulldogs on Good Friday but they never looked in danger of losing after establishing an early lead. History: The Panthers rallied from a 14-0 deficit to claim an 18-14 victory when these teams met at Panthers Stadium early last season but that result bucked a trend of recent Rabbitoh dominance. Souths had won seven of the previous nine encounters leading into that game. Penrith have won three of the past four games between these clubs at Panthers Stadium. Danger sign: The Rabbitohs continue to favour…

EARLY-SEASON coach sackings are not exactly a rarity in the modern game. Though you get more instances of a coach having the ‘full support of the board’ by Round 20 before being unceremoniously canned a couple of weeks out from the end of the season, we have recently seen Steve Price (Dragons, 2014), Matt Elliott (Warriors, 2015) and Jason Taylor (Wests Tigers, 2017) feel the wrath of club and fans alike early in the piece. This week we examine the idea that even though that seems satisfying in the short-term, it actually doesn’t bode well for a team during the season, or in fact the year following (read more on page 20). At the moment, there is plenty of pressure on Nathan Brown – who has been given plenty of…

THE Sharks have had some wonderful wins over the years, but none compare to the resilience shown against the Panthers last Thursday. Already missing Aaron Woods, Matt Moylan and Wade Graham to long-term injuries, the Sharks overcame adversity to storm home for their third win of the season. Paul Gallen and Andrew Fifita were in doubt but were both outstanding. Briton Nikora was set to be replaced at half-time with a back injury, but returned in the second half to turn the game on its head with a couple of busts down the right edge. Josh Dugan should have been ruled out with a stomach bug but ended up scoring the winning try, while Shaun Johnson’s quad was so heavily strapped that he was forced to give up kicking duties…

IT was April 25, 1986 and South Sydney, the ladder-leaders, took on the reigning premiers of 1984-85, Canterbury, in the eighth-round clash. There was a big crowd with high expectations of a tough encounter between two of the game’s most established hard-nosed forward packs. With the scene set by the tradition of a minute’s silence and The Last Post, the crowd roared as the Bulldogs kicked off. Strongly built Rabbitohs winger Ross Harrington returned the ball to the middle of the field, only to be met by the swinging right arm of Bulldogs prop Peter Kelly, which collected Harrington under the chin and sent him sprawling to the ground. Referee Mick Stone had no hesitation in sending Kelly off – from the first tackle of the match! As he jogged…

FRED May was the Luke Keary of 1940; a premiership-winning No.6 from Eastern Suburbs who helped steer the club to a second competition decider the following season. Aged 24, May enlisted in the Australian Army in January 1942 and three years later he was killed in action in New Guinea. But unlike most prominent league men who gave their lives for their country, May received little recognition in the years that followed. Most former players who paid the supreme sacrifice have been well documented in newspaper articles and club histories. The recent centenary of World War I brought to light the stories of many of the men who were once idolised by the public on the sporting fields of Sydney and Brisbane, and who later gave their lives for their…

EARLY-SEASON coaching changes are rare, despite the ever-loudening howls brought on by social media for clubs to start swinging the axe. Fan outrage and media sensationalism have increased the pressure on clubs and coaches. The masses demand satisfaction. Firing a coach early in the season has never brought success. By any measure, it has only resulted in a continuation of mediocrity. It hasn’t shifted the fortunes of clubs in the short-term or the medium-term, it hasn’t resulted in premierships and rarely results in a finals berth. Immediate wins are rare and significant turnarounds are not the norm. Dating back to 1998, nine coaches have left their posts after 10 games or fewer into the season. Seven were sacked. Bob Fulton ‘resigned’ after losing the opening seven rounds of the 1999…

IN-FORM five-eighth Cody Walker is happy with how his side is travelling The Rabbitohs have only lost one game this season – to the Sea Eagles by one in golden point – but the 29-year-old says there’s still room for improvement “We’re five and one – that’s awesome – but we know we’ve got a lot to improve on and we’ll be looking forward to doing that against the Panthers,” he told Big League. “They’ll be very hungry for a win. We do know that they’re a quality side with quality players across the park and they’re going to come out firing.” Walker’s impressive performances have seen his name thrown around in State of Origin talks. He’ll face last year’s New South Wales halves Nathan Cleary and James Maloney this…

AFTER suffering their fifth loss and recording their worst start to a season this century, the Broncos have copped plenty of criticism. However, coach Anthony Seibold isn’t letting it get to him and knows the club’s true supporters will stick with the club. “When you’re going through tough times, that’s when you see who’s really a rusted-on supporter and who’s really dedicated to the cause,” Seibold said. “It’s probably an easy time to have a crack at the club. But the thing that I’ve seen in my short time (here) is how much of a resilient bunch they are and if they’re willing to be patient through the tough times, they’ll get some joy.”…

REPRESENTATIVE forward Tyson Frizell is set to wear a protective cup for the rest of the season as he continues to recover from surgery for a ruptured testicle Frizell suffered the injury against the Cowboys in the Red V’s season opener, but made an earlier-than-expected return just three weeks later. While he will be fit to play without protection in the coming weeks, the star back-rower says he’ll retain the cup for the rest of 2019 so he doesn’t have to worry about the risk of copping another blow. “It is a little bit uncomfortable during training but once you get out and start playing, you don’t really worry about it,” Frizell said. “I will probably end up playing in it for the rest of the year just for my…

AFTER conceding 51 points against Parramatta, the Tigers need to make dramatic defensive improvements when they face the Titans on Saturday, according to coach Michael Maguire “That’s what defence is all about, how you turn up together and how you connect, and we didn’t do that [against the Eels]. We just didn’t turn up and put our shoulders in and we’re all accountable for that… we’ll need to be better.” With a short turnaround this week, Maguire says the players will need some soul-searching. “We have to look inside, look at us. [They’re] the ones out on the field. The players have to be honest with what we expect of each other.”…

UTILITY Tyrone Peachey is a must to retain his Origin jumper this year, according to Garth Brennan The Titans coach praised Peachey (left) after the NSW representative played three different positions to cover for injuries during their Round 6 win over Newcastle “I spoke to him at half-time and said sorry for chopping and changing him from one side to the other and back and forth, but he said ‘coach, I’ll do whatever’s best for the team’. That’s why I’m sure [NSW coach Brad Fittler] will be watching and seeing that he is the best utility in the game and has to be in his Origin team,” Brennan said. The former Panther played all three games for the Blues off the bench last season, and as much as he’d love…

BEHIND a trio of class middle forwards, prop Daniel Saifiti says he’s happy to bide his time while learning from the best. Saifiti admitted he’d love to win a starting role, but knows he has to be patient. “Timmy Glasby, Jimmy [James] Gavet and obviously David Klemmer, they’re three world-class middles,” Saifiti said. “I’m younger. I wouldn’t say I’m learning my craft – I know my craft now – but I just want to play consistent footy. “If I have to stay behind those three before I’m ... putting my hand up, it is what it is, but I’m a firm believer in [the idea that] you pick yourself. I shouldn’t have to wait for someone to play badly, I just have to do my job coming off the bench…

THERE were plenty of huge scores in Round 6, which propelled many coaches past the magical 1000-mark this week, but there was still a sprinkling of rough news for a few gun players. BEARER OF BAD NEWS Getting the bad news out of the way first: it was a rough week to buy Ryan James (10) who sadly looks to be out long-term with a knee injury, and it was a bad week to captain Robbie Farah (8, concussion) or even Jake Trbojevic (42) given the wealth of better options on show. Both should bounce back in Round 7. Score of the week went to Mitch Moses with an outstanding 97. He has scored at least 50 in all four Eels wins this year and at 3.5 per cent ownership…

Form: It took a supreme effort from the Roosters to halt the Storm’s undefeated start to the season last Friday night. After being exposed early in the contest, Melbourne displayed outstanding character to fight their way back into a winning position and could easily have snatched the result if things had gone their way. The Warriors have shown no sign of shaking off their tag as the NRL’s most erratic and enigmatic performers, sinking to their fourth loss from five games against the Cowboys last Saturday. History: The Storm have taken a stranglehold on this Anzac Day contest, winning five of the past six encounters. The Warriors enjoyed early success at AAMI Park and claimed one of the club’s most famous victories in a 2011 preliminary final but in recent…

Form: It didn’t help Wests Tigers on the big occasion of last Monday’s stadium opening at Parramatta that they were missing their two most experienced players. Benji Marshall watched from the sidelines with a hamstring injury while Robbie Farah lasted only nine minutes after copping a head knock. The Titans overcame hefty odds to claim a second straight victory last Sunday, thrashing the Knights by 24 points despite a litany of injuries. They still have plenty of ground to make up after opening their campaign with four losses, but successive wins will do wonders for team morale. History: The Titans have achieved a 60 per cent winning record against Wests Tigers, one of their best results against any opposition. Last year they scored five tries to trounce the Tigers 30-12…

Form: The Sea Eagles were seething that they were denied the opportunity to make a play for a fourth-straight win last Saturday night but despite the result, they could take heart from another highly competitive display. The Raiders continue to perform at a high level, claiming their fourth-straight win last Sunday when they toppled the Broncos in a tough contest at GIO Stadium. Their 5-1 record represents their best start to a season since 2003. History: The Raiders broke a three-game run of losses against the Sea Eagles when a late Aidan Sezer field goal secured a 21-20 victory at GIO Stadium when these teams last met (Round 12, 2018). The Sea Eagles have defeated the Raiders in six of their past seven clashes at Lottoland, however Manly’s overall recent…

MOUNTIES remain top of the ladder after six rounds following their six-point with over the Warriors. The Rabbitohs sit just one competition point behind after they smashed the Bulldogs by 30 points. North Sydney scored a 12-point win against Newcastle to be third on the ladder. The Panthers bounced back from consecutive defeats to hold on for a two-point win over Newtown at Henson Park. Bevan French scored a double as Wentworthville beat Western Suburbs by six points in the first ever game at Bankwest Stadium. Jonus Pearson bagged two tries to help St George Illawarra record a 44-6 win over Blacktown, who are last on the ladder with just one win. NORTH SYDNEY 22 (B Lewis 2, E Murphy, D Hutchison tries; B Lamb 3 goals) D. NEWCASTLE 10…

SUNSHINE COAST remain unbeaten and on top of the ladder with a 52-6 thumping over the last-placed CQ Capras at Browne Park. Easts Tigers bounced back from their defeat to the Falcons in Round 6 to beat the Magpies by eight points at home. Wynnum Manly winger Edward Burns bagged a double to help his side record a 26-18 triumph over Northern Pride at Barlow Park. Burleigh sit third on the standings following their 14-point win against Mackay at BB Print Stadium. Reuben Cotter scored the only two tries for the home side. Ipswich travelled to PNG and came home with two competition points after defeating the Hunters by 18 points, thanks to a double by Jets winger Peter Gubb. Norths Devils scored their fifth win of the season with…

WESTERN SUBURBS 42 (J Gibbons 2, S Kimi-Ioane, M Rudolph, A Ha’angana, D Robson, J Daley, A Ellaz tries; M Rudolph 3, K Coakes goals) D. GUILDFORD 24 (J Petero 2, M Woods, J Lewis, S Lapuaho tries; Lewis 2 goals). MOUNTIES 18 (D Matterson 2, M Cahalane tries; S Duggan 3 goals) D. ASQUITH 14 (H McWilliam, J Key, J Remfrey tries; T Brown goal). ST MARYS 50 (M Sini 2, J Faiumu 2, A Fitzgibbon 2, L Feiloakitua, K Falls, M Luke tries; K Falls 7 goals) D. CABRAMATTA 14 (A Tupou, T Mata’afa tries; A Carling 2, B Finnegan goals). GLEBE-BURWOOD 30 (P Nakubuwai, J Reweti, J Chong Sun, B Jones, K Lovett, B Luamanu tries; B Jackson 3 goals) D. BROTHERS 10 (R Foaese 2 tries;…

PANTHERS legends Ryan Girdler and Mark Geyer believe it was inevitable General Manager of Football Phil Gould would depart the club following the return of coach Ivan Cleary. Gould’s tenure at the foot of the mountains came to an end this week after he met with Panthers CEO, Brian Fletcher, having requested a redundancy. He was the man who had originally sacked Cleary, and although the pair denied any lingering angst, Girdler says it was easy to see the working relationship between the two would be difficult, adding that the news of Gould’s departure didn’t come as a surprise. “When the board appointed Ivan Cleary last year, they must have expected this to happen at some point given the relationship between Cleary and Gould,” Girdler told Big League. “So I…

NORTH Queensland veteran Matt Scott says the return of fellow experienced prop Scott Bolton was exactly what the doctor ordered for the Cowboys. Bolton returned for the first time this season in last week’s win over the Warriors after serving a NRL-imposed five-game ban following his common assault charge. Bolton played just 23 minutes but was impressive as he recorded 79 metres from eight runs, as well as making 16 tackles in the short stint. “It was good to have him back,” Scott told Big League. “He has a lot of experience and he plays with a lot of energy off the bench. He adds a lot of experience to our forward rotation. It’s good to have him back and he’ll get better and better with the more games he…

THERE has been a lot of talk about the effect coaching uncertainty can have on a playing group. From my past experiences, I can tell you it’s much better to know what’s going on rather than heading into training unsure whether the man with the clipboard will be there next year. Our coach at the Dragons, Paul McGregor, was recently re-signed on a two-year deal, and I’m really looking forward to building on what we’ve started since I joined the club in 2018. ‘Mary’ played an important role in getting me to the Red V, and I’m glad he did. The club came and met with me first, and after the initial discussion, I came down to Wollongong and met him, and he told me the direction the club was…

Smith’s record stalls Cameron Smith has jokingly suggested he won’t be able to add to his record points tally after Brodie Croft assumed the goal-kicking duties and nailed four goals from as many attempts against the Roosters. The Storm skipper dominated the contest and pegged the defending champions with some pinpoint kicks, but was unable to take shots at goal due to a groin complaint. He’s unsure whether he’ll be able to kick on Thursday against the Warriors, but he should regain the kicking tee as soon as he’s fully fit. The PM’s XIII He may have bigger things on the horizon with the federal election less than a month away, but Prime Minister Scott Morrison was a happy man last week as his beloved Sharks stormed home to defeat…

IMITATION is considered the sincerest form of flattery, but the Sea Eagles have shown that uniqueness can be just as effective in the modern game. In 2019, the common theme among the top six teams is that they operate with an 80-minute hooker. In contrast, the Sharks’ Brailey brothers have shown split duties can work, but it’s the form of Api Koroisau and Manase Fainu on the northern beaches that best highlights the benefits of having two talented rakes in your squad. Koroisau, the more experienced hooker of the two, has started all six games this year and has set the tone with a stinging style of defence that belies his small frame. Fainu has then come on in the second half to torment tired middle forwards with his speed…

JOSH Dugan has praised right-edge partner Bronson Xerri (right) for bouncing back from a horror night against the Roosters to spark his side’s second-half surge in a crucial win over the Panthers The rookie centre bombed two tries against the defending premiers in Round 5, putting down the ball with no-one around him, but he shrugged off the pain to scorch Penrith’s defence for an eye-catching four-pointer. “I don’t think he was ever going to get tackled. He’s probably the quickest at the club and it was good to see him confident enough to back himself,” Dugan told Big League. “He had a bad night with his hands, but he bounced back well. Those games happen, and I texted him straight after the game and told him that’s what happened…

EELS prop Tim Mannah says he’s thrilled to have started the season with four wins from six games, but warned his teammates not to get carried away “We understand it’s only Round 6 and there’s still a long way to go,” Mannah told Big League. “After last year, when it took us seven games to get a win, to be 4-2 this time is a great result. “We’re happy with how we’ve started the season, but we need to make sure we back it up… against Newcastle.” Mannah also believes playing at the new Bankwest Stadium (pictured) will be an advantage for the club this season. “It really feels like home and we are going to take advantage of having a great stadium,” he said. “It was awesome [playing there…

SKIPPER Cameron Smith says his side must arrest their slow starts in the wake of their heartbreaking golden-point loss to the Roosters Melbourne headed into the game as the only unbeaten side in the NRL, but went down in extra time after giving away an early 20-point lead. After fighting back from early deficits against the Bulldogs and Cowboys in recent weeks, the Storm’s Round 6 defeat highlighted the need for fast starts. They’ll be hoping for a repeat of last year’s Anzac clash against the Warriors, which saw them shoot to a 38-0 lead at the break. “We were disappointed with how we started the match and that’s been a bit of a trend for us over the past couple of games; a trend we’re trying to fix,” he…

IN the space of six weeks, the Warriors have had four different halves combinations as well as three different hookers The instability in the spine could be to blame for their slow start to the season, but captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck says it’s no excuse for their performances “[Changes] are a part of the game. It’s a long season; players get injured, some players go out and other players come in. But we back everyone [and] I’ll continue to support whoever comes into the spine,” he said. “Everyone’s got a job to play and they’ll come in and do their job. It’s about just fixing those combinations and [making sure we] keep growing.”…

LIVEWIRE rake Apisai Koroisau has backed his big men to maintain the rage against Canberra’s skilful pack during this weekend’s crunch game at Lottoland While Manly’s forwards can intimidate sides with their size and aggression, the Raiders have opted for a more lightweight front six to run their opponents ragged. The Sea Eagles matched it with the Dragons’ star-studded forward pack last week, and Koroisau is confident his team-mates can put in a similar performance on Sunday. “Our forwards have shown that we can match it with the biggest and most agile packs in the game and that’s the challenge again this week,” he told Big League. “The Raiders have a very mobile pack, but I know our guys will stand up and will be ready for the contest.”…

You’ve done it all in footy How did you get started? I was the youngest of four boys and we used to play on the road out front until the sun went down. There were no phones, just footy with your mates. Because I played against my brothers, it toughened me up a bit. Were you a fan of watching the game? One of my earliest memories is watching on TV as Michael O’Connor kicked a conversion from the sideline to win State of Origin. I was a Bulldogs fan early on; I grew up around Belmore. I remember the semi-final in 1998 when they were down 18-2 with 10 minutes to go, then Daryl Halligan kicked the conversion from out wide to send it to extra time. I was…

Much has been made of Newcastle’s star-studded roster, but the early-season hype hasn’t translated into points. The Knights have failed to score 20 points in any of their six games in 2019, and they’ve only reached the figure once in their past 12 games – a 20-12 win over Penrith last year. The last time they cracked the barrier was in Round 19, 2018 when they beat the Titans 30-24.…

Form: The Bulldogs remain wedged to the bottom of the competition ladder after going down to the Rabbitohs on Good Friday. Dean Pay’s men managed to stem the flood of points they conceded against the Dragons five days earlier but their plan to slow the Rabbitohs’ play-the-balls to a snail’s pace proved ultimately futile. The Cowboys reversed a run of four-straight losses when they claimed a rare victory in Auckland. The return of experienced campaigner Scott Bolton improved Paul Green’s forward rotation and resulted in a far more dominant display by halfback Michael Morgan. History: The Cowboys have made up plenty of ground on the Bulldogs over the past 15 years after winning only two of the first 15 clashes between the clubs. The overall record after 37 games favours…

Form: The Broncos are in a world of pain after a month of losing results, but coach Anthony Seibold remains confident that his team can work its way out of trouble. They fought hard to claim the lead against the Raiders deep into last Sunday’s contest at GIO Stadium before surrendering it meekly. Quality performances from newcomers Briton Nikora and Bronson Xerri helped lift the Sharks to an impressive comeback win over the Panthers last Thursday night and improve their six-week output to three wins and three losses. History: The Broncos have achieved strong results against Cronulla over a long period and enjoy a four-game winning streak after claiming home and away victories over the past two seasons. The teams last met in Round 20 last season at Suncorp when…

Form: The frustration continues for the Knights, who fell to a fifth-straight defeat when they were slammed by an injury-weakened Titans side on the Gold Coast last week. The team looks in desperate need of a circuit-breaker to arrest their slide. By contrast, Parramatta will face a challenge to match their exhilarating effort at Bankwest Stadium last Sunday when they travel up the M1 this weekend. Coach Brad Arthur will be expecting his men to put Monday’s celebrations to one side and knuckle down for 80 minutes of effort. History: Despite finishing with the wooden spoon in three of the past four seasons, the Knights preside over a remarkable record of success against Parramatta. Since 2010, the Knights have won 10 of 12 games between the clubs. Their overall record…

CRONULLA’S perfect start to the year came to a grinding halt last week when the Panthers rolled into town and left the Shire with a 40-point win no-one saw coming. The defending premiers had only conceded 16 points in the opening four rounds, but that defensive wall was breached time and time again as the Panthers ran in nine tries to leapfrog their opponents into first spot. South Sydney continued their unbeaten start to the year with a comfortable win over the Bulldogs, while the Roosters edged the Thunderbolts to force a four-way tie at the top of the table, each side on eight competition points. It’s a similar, albeit bleaker story at the other end of the ladder, with four sides still yet to register a win in 2019,…

AFTER a week off to enjoy the Easter period, the competition is heating up as the only two teams yet to win – Redcliffe and Mustangs – are now on the board thanks to a two points from the bye. There’s been big movement on the ladder heading into Round 8. While Northern Pride hold their lead, Wynnum Manly have dropped from second to fifth after a 50-20 thumping from Burleigh and Tweed’s narrow win over Mackay pushed them out of the eight. Townsville laid on a 22-point lead in the first half against Redcliffe before the Dolphins began a fight back with two quick tries to open the second half. It wasn’t enough though, and Townsville scored three more to finish the job. Northern Pride continued their undefeated run…