Will EvansNRL Round 8 Recap
May 8th 2009 04:47
Parramatta put aside a tumultuous opening two months of the season to record their most impressive win of the season so far, 28-18 over the Cowboys. The Eels lead 22-0 at one stage, while it took 53 minutes for the visitors to register their first points. The Cowboys dominated the final quarter as Jonathon Thurston found his playmaking touch, but it was too late to prevent a morale-boosting 28-18 victory for Parra. Jarryd Hayne was electric at fullback, and was denied one of the great individual tries by the video referee due to a marginal deliberate knock-on call.
The 2008 premiers' title defence was put on life support as Manly crumbled to their sixth loss in eight games, and Melbourne gained some grand final revenge with a scrappy 22-8 win. Test stars Billy Slater and Greg Inglis produced a timely return to form for the Storm, but Manly were sadly lacking and desperately need to manufacture a fullback.
Hosts Gold Coast overcame a halftime deficit to outlast the Rabbitohs 22-14 in an entertaining return to Saturday afternoon NRL action. A penalty goal on halftime gave Souths an 8-6 advantage at the break, but the Titans persevered and eventually hit the lead nine minutes from time through a try to evergreen No. 6 Mat Rogers. Test forward Anthony Laffranchi sealed the result with a try in the final minute, while veteran prop Luke Bailey played his way back into the Australian side with a man-of-the-match performance.
Braith Anasta guided his Roosters to a hard-fought seven-point win over fellow strugglers Cronulla on Saturday. A first-half double to Shaun Kenny-Dowall gave Sydney an early 10-0 lead, but the Sharks held tough and closed in to six points with ten minutes remaining. Anasta piloted over a late field goal to seal the 19-12 result.
This match had enough significance to be newsworthy without the halftime drama - Darren Lockyer's 300th game; an upset win by the working-class Knights over the table-topping Broncos. But the match is destined to be remembered for the 40-minute blackout at the ironically-named EnergyAustralia Stadium. Newcastle had shot to an 18-6 lead by halftime, until an electrical storm put the lights out during the break. The players spent a half-hour extra in the dressing rooms than usual before returning to the field, where the hosts continued their domination to carve out an impressive 28-12 victory. Late inclusion Jarrod Mullen, who had been under an injury cloud, scored two tries in the No. 19 jersey to keep his name in the mix for the NSW halfback spot.
Opposing wingers Geoff Daniela and Justin Carney scored two tries each for Penrith and Canberra respectively, but it was the Panthers who scored a rare win in the capital, staving off the Raiders 18-10. Penrith's rep forwards Petero Civoniceva, Luke Lewis and Trent Waterhouse continued their rich vein of form to lay the platform for victory.
The Warriors could not finish off St. George-Illawarra despite leading for the majority of the match. A Stacey Jones field goal on halftime gave NZ a 7-2 lead, and a Brett Morris try for the Dragons was quickly trumped by Jerome Ropati at the other end with 20 minutes left. Unable to land the killer blow at 11-8, The Warriors were unable to hold out in-form back-rower Ben Creagh who stretched out for the winning try. Jones had a chance to send the game into golden-point, but knocked out right in front of the Dragaons' posts while setting for another field goal.
The match-up lived up to its billing as NSW Origin hooking rivals Michael Ennis and Robbie Farah starred for the Bulldogs and Tigers respectively in a thrilling Sunday afternoon match. Wests were hindered by the late withdrawal of star half Benji Marshall, but didn't let it phase them as they forged a 14-10 lead straight after the break. Ennis and Farah were superb throughout the match, counterpunching from start to finish, but another battle on the flanks was almost as entertaining. Unheralded wingers Beau Ryan and Bryson Goodwin came to blows after Tiger Ryan speared the ball at his Bulldog counterpart's head. Ryan had already scored a brilliant try in the first half, but Goodwin responded after Ryan couldn't rein in an Ennis grubber. The try gave the Bulldogs a 22-16 lead with eight minutes left and Goodwin the lead on the NRL tryscoring table. But incredibly, Farah grubbered through at the other end and a Goodwin fumble allowed Ryan to grab a double for 22-20. Tigers stand-in fullback Shannon Gallant was unable to land the tricky conversion however, and the Bulldogs were handed an equal share of the competition lead.
The 2008 premiers' title defence was put on life support as Manly crumbled to their sixth loss in eight games, and Melbourne gained some grand final revenge with a scrappy 22-8 win. Test stars Billy Slater and Greg Inglis produced a timely return to form for the Storm, but Manly were sadly lacking and desperately need to manufacture a fullback.
Hosts Gold Coast overcame a halftime deficit to outlast the Rabbitohs 22-14 in an entertaining return to Saturday afternoon NRL action. A penalty goal on halftime gave Souths an 8-6 advantage at the break, but the Titans persevered and eventually hit the lead nine minutes from time through a try to evergreen No. 6 Mat Rogers. Test forward Anthony Laffranchi sealed the result with a try in the final minute, while veteran prop Luke Bailey played his way back into the Australian side with a man-of-the-match performance.
Braith Anasta guided his Roosters to a hard-fought seven-point win over fellow strugglers Cronulla on Saturday. A first-half double to Shaun Kenny-Dowall gave Sydney an early 10-0 lead, but the Sharks held tough and closed in to six points with ten minutes remaining. Anasta piloted over a late field goal to seal the 19-12 result.
This match had enough significance to be newsworthy without the halftime drama - Darren Lockyer's 300th game; an upset win by the working-class Knights over the table-topping Broncos. But the match is destined to be remembered for the 40-minute blackout at the ironically-named EnergyAustralia Stadium. Newcastle had shot to an 18-6 lead by halftime, until an electrical storm put the lights out during the break. The players spent a half-hour extra in the dressing rooms than usual before returning to the field, where the hosts continued their domination to carve out an impressive 28-12 victory. Late inclusion Jarrod Mullen, who had been under an injury cloud, scored two tries in the No. 19 jersey to keep his name in the mix for the NSW halfback spot.
Opposing wingers Geoff Daniela and Justin Carney scored two tries each for Penrith and Canberra respectively, but it was the Panthers who scored a rare win in the capital, staving off the Raiders 18-10. Penrith's rep forwards Petero Civoniceva, Luke Lewis and Trent Waterhouse continued their rich vein of form to lay the platform for victory.
The Warriors could not finish off St. George-Illawarra despite leading for the majority of the match. A Stacey Jones field goal on halftime gave NZ a 7-2 lead, and a Brett Morris try for the Dragons was quickly trumped by Jerome Ropati at the other end with 20 minutes left. Unable to land the killer blow at 11-8, The Warriors were unable to hold out in-form back-rower Ben Creagh who stretched out for the winning try. Jones had a chance to send the game into golden-point, but knocked out right in front of the Dragaons' posts while setting for another field goal.
The match-up lived up to its billing as NSW Origin hooking rivals Michael Ennis and Robbie Farah starred for the Bulldogs and Tigers respectively in a thrilling Sunday afternoon match. Wests were hindered by the late withdrawal of star half Benji Marshall, but didn't let it phase them as they forged a 14-10 lead straight after the break. Ennis and Farah were superb throughout the match, counterpunching from start to finish, but another battle on the flanks was almost as entertaining. Unheralded wingers Beau Ryan and Bryson Goodwin came to blows after Tiger Ryan speared the ball at his Bulldog counterpart's head. Ryan had already scored a brilliant try in the first half, but Goodwin responded after Ryan couldn't rein in an Ennis grubber. The try gave the Bulldogs a 22-16 lead with eight minutes left and Goodwin the lead on the NRL tryscoring table. But incredibly, Farah grubbered through at the other end and a Goodwin fumble allowed Ryan to grab a double for 22-20. Tigers stand-in fullback Shannon Gallant was unable to land the tricky conversion however, and the Bulldogs were handed an equal share of the competition lead.
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