NRL Live scores and SuperCoach analysis: Raiders vs. Panthers, Storm vs. Dolphins, Rabbitohs vs. Knights
It’s been a huge Saturday of rugby league with some blowout scores and superstar performances. Discover who the major winners and losers were here.
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It’s been a huge Saturday of rugby league with some blowout scores and superstar performances.
Discover who the major winners and losers were here:
WINNERS
1. Daine Laurie (96pts) - Laurie was active from the wing and topscored in the Raiders’ shock win in Canberra. A try and four linebreaks headlined a top performance.
2. Isaah Yeo (93pts) - The Panthers workhorse offloaded at will and almost carried his side over the line with a very strong showing.
3. Joseph Tapine (88pts) - Canberra’s talismanic prop created a fantastic try in the first half with a late offload and played big minutes in the second half to hold Penrith out.
4. James Fisher-Harris (92pts) - It was an afternoon for middle forwards and Fisher-Harris cashed in with a try while making 32 tackles without a miss.
5. Xavier Savage (75pts) - Savage scored the matchwinning try to complete his double, finishing the game as Canberra’s highest scoring back.
6. Jahrome Hughes (137pts) – The playmaker may have lost his pants at one stage but he was everywhere, scoring a try and setting up two others.
7. Harry Grant (127pts) – Two line breaks to go with two try assists and a four-pointer of his own.
8. Ryan Papenhuyzen (114pts) – Another fruitful night for the fullback who set up three tries and had three line break assists.
9. Dane Gagai (131pts) – The experienced player got two tries, two line breaks and a try assist in a strong showing for the Knights that also included 150m of running.
10. Jack Cogger (119pts) – He was on the end of a lot of the work but he also had a hand in nearly all of Newcastle’s best moments.
11. Kalyn Ponga (102pts) – He had a try assist and two line breaks and while 102 points is good, he looked like he was worth a lot more out there.
LOSERS
1. Danny Levi (9pts) - Very limited opportunity for the Canberra hooker, falling short of a double digit score.
2. Casey McLean (20pts) - Couldn’t find a way to get involved in the game and barely made an impact on either side of the ball.
3. Jarome Luai (20pts) - Luai barely saw any action in defence and didn’t impact the scoresheet in attack. Struggled to take control of the game despite plenty of opportunity in great territory.
4. Mavrik Geyer (22pts) - Shifted to the interchange before kick-off and had limited chances to score after he came on despite playing for 45 minutes.
5. Jack Bostock (18pts) - He spent 80 minutes on the field but you wouldn’t know it.
6. Jaymayne Isaako (21pts) – He was lucky not to be sent off for taking out Sua Faalogo in the first half and his night didn’t improve.
7. Isaiya Katoa (24pts) – He made 25 tackles but he missed five others and made two bad errors.
8. Jacob Gagai (18pts) – A lacklustre showing from the Rabbitoh and many coaches will be considering offloading the young gun.
9. Fletcher Myers (25pts) – Scored a try but missed eight tackles and ran for just 80m.
FULLTIME - Knights 36-16
Dane Gagai has put the finishing touches on Newcastle’s victory by scoring a try in the 76th minute of the win.
It is the 11th NRL premiership double of his career.
70th minute - Knights 32-16
Tallis Duncan has pounced on a Jack Wighton grubber to take Souths to exactly half of Newcastle’s score.
Seconds later the referee sin bins Sebastian Su’a before play even restarts for a high shot in the previous set.
58th minute - Knights 32-12
Jack Cogger has scored on the right edge for Newcastle seconds after Souths were penalised for a disruptor.
The Knights finals chances are well and truly alive as they take a 20 point lead going into the final 20 minutes of the game.
52nd minute - Knights 26-12
Jack Cogger has got Newcastle back into the game with a try but it was created by Ponga.
The Knights fullback launched a blistering run to the 40m line after catching a high ball near his own tryline.
He backed it up by breaking the Knights line again on the right-edge before putting Cogger into space.
HALFTIME - Knights 20-12
Cameron Murray has been sin binned after a high shot in the 37th minute on Tyson Frizell who will not return to the field due to concussion.
Frizell was already being held by three Souths defenders when Murray came in late and got the Knights player high.
In a bizarre set of circumstances Murray originally remained on the field before the referee changed his mind and send him to the bin.
Adam Elliot has replaced Frizell.
34th minute - Knights 18-12
Dylan Lucas has danced his way to the tryline for Newcastle to draw level with Souths before Dane Gagai put the Knights in front moments later. .
A darting run from Ponga gave Newcastle a quick play the ball before Lucas stepped off his left and twisted around the Souths defenders to score.
Gagai kept the momentum going with his seventh try of the season.
19th minute - Souths 12-6
Taane Milne has levelled things up at Accor Stadium and Jack Wighton has taken them into the lead.
Cameron Murray sent the ball deep into the Souths line before fullback Jye Gray sent Milne into the defensive line 16 minutes into the contest.
Some individual brilliance and strength from Milne were enough to barge over the line before Wighton stepped off his left and brushed through three defenders moments later to cross.
11th minute - Knights 6-0
Fletcher Sharpe has opened Newcastle’s account courtesy of some fast hands on the right edge.
Prop Daniel Saifiti’s offload put Newcastle right on the line in the centre of the field and when they broke right it was Kalyn Ponga and Dane Gagai’s ability to shift the ball quickly by hand that enabled Sharpe the time and space to cross.
RABBITOHS V KNIGHTS TEAM NEWS
Dean Hawkins will play at no.7 for Souths, replacing Cody Walker (concussion protocols), while Tyrone Munro has been brought into the 17, replacing Richie Kennar.
For Newcastle Jack Cogger replaces five-eighth Tyson Gamble (broken hand) while Will Pryce joins the bench.
Melbourne Storm has romped to the NRL minor premiership, its sixth in club history, and left the rest of the competition in no doubt they are the team to beat in September.
Knowing it could seal top spot after the Panthers loss to Canberra in the nation’s capital earlier in the day, the Storm produced one of their most complete performances of the season to blow the Dolphins off the park in the newest expansion team’s first venture down south.
A huge crowd of 26,106 witnessed the Storm produce a try-scoring barrage in a thumping 48-6 win at AAMI Park on Saturday evening.
The Storm’s spine - captain Harry Grant, fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen and halves Jahrome Hughes and Cameron Munster - fired, but there were no weak links in a team that still has the strike power of the injured Xavier Coates (hamstring) and Grant Anderson (concussion) to return.
The loss is a massive blow to the finals hopes of the ninth-placed Dolphins, who face a must-win local derby with Brisbane Broncos at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday to keep their finals hopes alive.
The first quarter of the game went scoreless, but once the Storm smelled blood in the water, they honed in on the Dolphins try line like a pack of sharks.
Exciting Storm youngster Sua Faalogo, usually a fullback but showing his versatility as a winger, was licking his lips when Ryan Papenhuyzen sent a looping pass into his direction to score in the corner.
The Dolphins threatened on occasions, but their best chance of the first half was squandered by Sean O’Sullivan in the red zone, and from that point on the Storm totally dominated the rest of the first half, piling on three more tries.
Storm captain Grant burrowed under Dolphins fullback Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow from dummy half to double the Storm’s lead.
Dolphins coach Wayne Bennett would have been disappointed with the lack of attention to detail as it is a trademark move of Grant’s and he caught the Phins defenders napping with his smart piece of play.
With Grant running amok, the Storm got on a roll, and with Papenhuyzen in strike range on the back of a Grant run, Felise Kaufusi opted to give up a professional foul and was sent to the bin for 10 minutes.
The Storm immediately made the numerical advantage count with two tries while Kaufusi was stewing on the sidelines.
Alec MacDonald crashed over the line for the Storm from close range before Jack Howarth found a gaping hole on the left to make it 22-0 at half time.
Howarth could be ready to explode in September with his 150 first half run metres (204 in all) catching the eye.
Eliesa Katoa was on the war path with 214 run metres.
It was a somewhat controversial start to the second half with Faalogo being awarded a try when he touched down within a skerrick of the dead ball line.
At best it was inconclusive after the try was awarded on the field, but Dolphins fans would not have been happy as one camera angle seemed to have the ball planted on the chalk.
You just knew it was not going to be the Dolphins night from that point on, but it was never going to be as this was a five-star performance from the Storm.
Hughes rubbed salt into the Dolphins wounds with a try on the back of another Grant scamper from dummy half, before tries to 200-gamer Nelson Asofa-Solomona and forward Josh King.
Jake Averillo scored a consolation try for the Dolphins.
NELSON’S MOMENT
It was a mixed bag 200th game milestone for Storm fan favourite Asofa-Solomona.
The hulking prop forward spent much of the game on the exercise bike after copping a leg knock in the first half.
But the 28-year-old returned to a standing ovation from the Storm faithful and barged over for a try before lapping up the adulation.
MEMBERS RECOGNITION
The Storm not only paid tribute to milestone players Asofa-Solomona, Josh King (150) and Tyran Wishart (50), but also the 35,000 strong members during their last home game of the regular season.
It was just the second time in club history that the Storm has clicked over 35k.
—Lance Jenkinson
FULLTIME - Storm 48-6
Melbourne have secured the NRL minor premiership for the fifth time in nine years.
No rival can catch Melbourne who are now six points clear of the field and the J. J. Giltinan Shield will be housed at the Storm’s headquarters once again.
74th minute - Storm 48-6
This may be hard to believe but Melbourne have scored again. Josh King has decided everyone else has been having way too much fun so he has got in on the action.
Teammate Nick Meaney has converted it and it’s fair enough to say the ball must be sick of being booted around by the Melbourne kicker.
70th minute - Storm 42-6
Nelson Asofa-Solomona has scored in his 200th NRL game.
The big bopper got the ball short in front of the line and steamrolled Oryn Keeley to score his 32nd try ever.
And the big fella didn’t miss in the celebration, launching the ball into the turf with an almight roar.
66th minute - Storm 36-6
Jake Averillo has got the Dolphins on the scoreboard!
Melbourne’s Faalogo has been electric all night but it was his error, dropping the ball while in trying to catch it following a huge leap, that led to the try.
60th minute - Storm 36-0
Eliesa Katoa has piggybacked Herbie Farnworth 10m before scoring for Melbourne down the right-hand side.
Katoa decided to take Farnworth for a ride, just to make matters worse for a Dolphins team getting humilated.
46th minute - Storm 32-0
Melbourne are threatening to give this write arthritis as they continue to score.
This time it was Hughes who joined the try-scoring list and Sweet Caroline is being blasted throughout AAMI Park in Victoria as the home fans celebrate.
In better news for the Dolphins Kaufusi is back on the field.
42nd minute - Storm 26-0
Jahrome Hughes has lost his pants, regained them and put in a grubber that has ended with Faalogo scoring in the opening exchanges of the second half.
The ball looked set to go dead but Faalogo didn’t give up on it and although it looked like the ball may have touched the dead ball line, the try was awarded.
HALFTIME - Storm - 22-0
Alec MacDonald and Jack Howarth have crossed in the final minutes of the half to make the margin even bigger as Melbourne threaten to run away with the game.
It comes after Felise Kaufusi was sin binned for a professional foul, making a tackle from an offside position.
28th minute - Storm 10-0
Asofa-Solomona has been cleared to come back on as hooker Harry Grant scores Melbourne’s second try of the night.
Grant crashed over from short range shortly after the Dolphins put themselves under pressure with another error.
For the Dolphins playmaker Kodi Nikorima has gone into concussion protocols.
19th minute - Storm 4-0
Melbourne have finally broken through via winger Sualauvi Faalogo after hounding the Dolphins line.
There were repeat sets, a failed attempt to find touch by the Dolphins and drop outs and ultimately the pressure was too much for the visiting side.
Meanwhile,
Nelson Asofa-Solomona has left the field with a cork. He was in a lot of pain on the field and is being assessed in the sheds.
6th minute - 0-0
Dolphins player Jamayne Isaako has avoided being sin binned after tackling Sualauvi Faalogo after the Storm player had kicked the ball.
It was sent to the bunker who deemed Isaako was already committed to a tackle on Faalogo and the ball went dead after the legal tackle.
It follows a lively opening few minutes where both sides have come metres from scoring.
MELBOURNE STORM V DOLPHINS TEAM NEWS
Melbourne have made a few changes in the lead up to today’s game with Sua Faalogo set to start on the wing while Christian Welch will make his return from the bench. Grant Anderson has been replaced by Tyran Wishart on the wing after the former entered concussion protocols.
For the Dolphins Mark Nicholls returning from conussion, replacing Lachlan Hubner, while Josh Kerr will come on to the bench to replace Tevita Pangai Junior (hamstring) with Ray Stone to start in the frontrow.
FULL TIME – Raiders 22-18
The Raiders have pulled off an unlikely upset in Canberra, stunning the reigning premiers Penrith in a second-half boilover.
It was a day for middle forwards with Isaah Yeo, Joseph Tapine and James Fisher-Harris all approaching 100 SuperCoach points.
Canberra fans won’t forget that one for a long time.
71st minute – Raiders 22-18
Just like that, the valiant Raiders hit the front!
Jarome Luai threw a pass straight to Matt Timoko, who streaked away and gave the ball to Xavier Savage for the Canberra speedster’s second try of the afternoon.
Can Canberra hold on for an unlikely victory?
60th minute – Panthers 18-16
The Raiders are keeping in touch with Penrith, scoring a long-range try to cut the lead with 20 minutes to play.
Sebastian Kris broke the line out wide and found Albert Hopoate for a try under the posts to finish a fantastic long-range try.
46th minute – Panthers 18-10
A couple of beautiful offloads cut the Raiders defence apart and James Fisher-Harris claims the try with great support play.
That was some worrying Canberra defence and not how the Green Machine would have wanted to start the second half.
HALFTIME – Panthers 12-10
Penrith dominated most of the play and hold a slender lead at the break.
The way they’re playing, it looks like they’ll kick on with it and pull away in the second half – but there’s still 40 minutes of footy to play and the Raiders will surely have something to say
Joseph Tapine leads SuperCoach scoring after a big opening 20 minutes.
31st minute – Panthers 12-10
Dylan Edwards kicked the Panthers ahead after Jordan Rapana collected James Fisher-Harris high as the prop was attempting to score a try.
Canberra’s discipline has been shocking and the Raiders are probably lucky to still have 13 on the field after repeated infringements.
27th minute – Panthers 10-10
It came down to a matter of centimetres but Daine Laurie has responded for the Panthers.
Once again it didn’t take long for Penrith to hit back after going behind.
Dylan Edwards couldn’t convert the difficult sideline attempt.
20th minute – Raiders 10-6
It looked like Penrith had taken control of the match but the Panthers couldn’t find the points to pull away from a determined Raiders side.
Canberra hit back with Joseph Tapine offloading to great effect, finding Kaeo Weekes close to the line to crash over and give the Green Machine the lead.
Tapine is close to 50 points already in an immense first shift.
11th minute – Panthers 6-4
What a response from Penrith.
A yardage penalty marched the Panthers into attack and dummy half Luke Sommerton caught the Raiders defence napping on their line to dart over.
Dylan Edwards made no mistake with the simple conversion to take the lead.
7th minute – Raiders 4-0
Clear and sunny conditions in Canberra paired with a swirling wind has this match shaping as an entertaining encounter.
The Raiders have come to play and a great kick from Jamal Fogarty allowed Xavier Savage to score a spectacular try.
Savage caught the bomb and spun out of the tackle, accelerating to the line and reaching out to score.
It’s the fourth straight game the Panthers have conceded the first try.
TEAM NEWS
Raiders firebrand Corey Horsburgh will start in the front row to make just his third NRL appearance of the year, with Josh Papali’i shifting to the interchange.
Danny Levi starts for Canberra with Tom Starling to provide impact from the bench.
Jed Stuart is the Raiders’ reserve player.
Panthers forward Luke Garner will start in place of Mavrik Geyer who has been moved to the interchange.
Welcome to our Super Saturday NRL coverage.
The first game of the day features the Canberra Raiders hosting the Penrith Panthers.
The hosts still have faint hopes of playing finals and to do so will need to shock the Panthers who have plenty to play for themselves with a top-two finish under threat.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Jarome Luai’s ownership rose considerably this week with Nathan Cleary owners needing to sell and the new Penrith halfback having a great record the last time he deputised for the injured Cleary where in five games between rounds 11-19 (with two byes and missed one match post-Origin) Luai averaged 98PPG and feasted on the Sharks/Sea Eagles and Knights with a hat-trick of 100s.
Joe Tapine has played reduced minutes the past two weeks with just 44 minutes spent on ground in each match of rounds 23 and 24 which is a 10 minute drop on his season average. SuperCoach owners will be hoping coach Ricky Stuart was just freshening Tapine up for what will no doubt be a brutal battle up front this week and next (against the Roosters).
Brian To’o has struggled to get good ball of late and was well contained by the Storm last week for his lowest score of the season. Cleary’s absence is never a good thing for the Penrith attack, but To’o had his best game of the season (171 against Manly in round 14 – and scored 104 the week after) when Luai was deputising at halfback earlier in the year so it’s far from fatal.
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Originally published as NRL Live scores and SuperCoach analysis: Raiders vs. Panthers, Storm vs. Dolphins, Rabbitohs vs. Knights
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