NRL Rewind:- Round 4

By Stephen Gallagher

Bulldogs 42 Rabbitohs 12

The Easter Bunny did not deliver the goods on Good Friday!  32-0 after 30 minutes showed what an absolute demolition job Canterbury had done on Souths.

The Rabbitohs folded quicker than an attendant at a Chinese laundromat ad the Dogs Of War game knocking.

Moses Mbye took control with his running game, and on the end of easy metres the backs had a field day.

Souths brilliant seasons start is weeks ago. They’re in need of some hard work and some tackle practice.

Broncos 21 Cowboys 20

What did the Broncos get for their golden point win? Not a premiership, like the Cowboys did last time these two teams went toe to toe.

This was the game of the season. The story was written early on with some great defence and tight penalties leading to Corey Parker putting them over two points at a time.

The criticism of the NRL’s new baby ‘The Bunker’ will surround this mammoth match unfortunately, with JT denied a win by the apparent ‘knock on’, which whether he did or not – Greg Eden touched it first whilst out.

Step up Iceman Milford, as he slots the match winner in Golden Point. What a win.

Titans 24 Raiders 20

You may also say the NRL Bunker got it wrong when John Olive crossed for a try – when there was no evidence of the ball actually being grounded.

This is why the NRL needs to stop the officials guessing before sending it up stairs.  No angle showed Olive grounding the ball, but it was sent upstairs as a try and a try it was.

But rewind two minutes, the Canberra Raiders kick off after a Gold Coast Titans try, and Frank Paul (Nu’uasala) the ‘Wrecking Ball’ bundles shoulder first in to the back of a Titans player. Penalty Gold Coast and the rest is history.

A gutsy comeback from the Coasties, Canberra blew it.

Sea Eagles 22 Roosters 20

The Sea Eagles now sit 2-2 but the Roosters are sitting 0-4 desperate of a victory.

They seemed like they would get up, leading 16-8 early in the second half – after the milestone man Shaun Kenny-Dowall dotted down for a double and his inside man Blake ‘Fergylicious’ Ferguson grabbed one too.

However it was the resilient Manly men who marched on and completed a hard fought comeback to give themselves the victory.

One great game for two desperate teams, the Roosters not far off a victory.

Dragons 14 Panthers 12

What was a first forty minutes of average turned in to 80 minutes of awesome.

Not the most conventional rugby league match you’ve ever seen – but the Dragons were the better team and deserved of the win.

Mitch Rein and Josh Dugan were standouts, and Penrith’s Josh Mansour was immense.

The game was decided in the last ten as it threw up two special tries – but the English boot of Gareth Widdop sealed the deal for the Red V in Wollongong.

Warriors 40 Knights 18

Ask and ye shall receive.

On the ropes, 0-3 the Warriors finally delivered what the media and the fans expected of them.

Boosted with the return of Vatuvei and Luke, the Warriors did however trail 12-6 half way through the first 40.

A 12-12 half time scoreline lead to a nervous break.  But it was one way traffic lead by Shaun Johnson’s running game.

Ayshford and Lolohea linked up perfectly after Gubb, Vete and Matulino ate metres with ease.

The Knights were shell shocked but did recover for a consolation try with 4 minutes to go.

Eels 8 Tigers 0

Despite the tense scoreline – this game was actually lacklustre. A 2-0 HT scoreline reflected fairly at the quality of the match, and it was a busting try mid way through the second try that was the difference.

The Eels looking very solid and getting in the groove.

Sharks 14 Storm 6

After an early 6-0 lead, it looked like the Sharks were going to be up against it but they stayed calm and fought hard with an eight point victory.

Ben Barba’s influence on the match was apparent as he scored one of the tries of the season carving up the Storm defence.

Storm lose their first match of the season.

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