NRL Round 18: Panthers Bounce Back, Sharks Sink Broncos as Dragons Double Their Season Tally

Edward Briggs

Penrith snapped a brief slump behind another Tom Jenkins masterclass, Cronulla all but ended Brisbane’s premiership hopes, while Parramatta, Newcastle and St George Illawarra all claimed important victories in tightly contested matches.

Panthers 36 def. Rabbitohs 14

Penrith returned to the winner’s circle with an emphatic 36-14 victory over South Sydney at CommBank Stadium, powered by another remarkable performance from Tom Jenkins.

After two difficult weeks, the Panthers looked sharp from the outset. Dylan Edwards opened the scoring with a 60-metre effort after Paul Alamoti drew in multiple defenders, before Liam Henry crossed shortly afterwards following Cody Walker’s costly sin bin for intentionally kicking Jack Cogger.

South Sydney fought their way back into the contest through Edward Kosi before Dayne Jennings celebrated his maiden NRL try just before the break, reducing the margin to 12-10 at halftime.

The second half belonged almost entirely to Penrith. Jenkins hauled in a Cogger bomb to restore the lead before adding two more tries to complete a hat-trick and continue his outstanding scoring streak. Billy Phillips also crossed after capitalising on a loose Alamoti offload as the Panthers gradually pulled away.

Latrell Siegwalt grabbed a late consolation try for the Rabbitohs, while Jye Gray was denied what would have been a spectacular solo effort after Cody Walker was ruled to have knocked the ball on in the build-up.

Dragons 24 def. Tigers 10

St George Illawarra claimed just their second win of the season, scoring the final 18 points to defeat the Wests Tigers 24-10 at Kogarah.

The Tigers struck first through Adam Doueihi after an early sin bin to Clint Gutherson, but the Dragons responded when Tyrell Sloan finished a slick sweeping movement before Valentine Holmes edged the hosts ahead with a penalty goal on the stroke of halftime.

Doueihi’s clever kick-and-chase gave the Tigers the lead again early in the second half, but they were unable to build on their advantage despite forcing repeat sets.

The decisive period arrived inside the final ten minutes. Holmes crossed twice in the space of three minutes as the Dragons punished a compressed Tigers defensive line, before Mathew Feagai sealed the result after Daniel Atkinson’s grubber ricocheted kindly into his path.

Holmes proved the difference with two tries, five goals and a commanding display as the Dragons finished full of confidence after a match that had been evenly balanced for most of the afternoon.

Sharks 28 def. Broncos 16

Cronulla strengthened their finals credentials with a composed 28-16 victory over Brisbane at Suncorp Stadium, extending the Broncos’ miserable run to eight consecutive defeats.

The Sharks controlled the contest for long periods, with Sione Katoa producing a clinical hat-trick after opening the scoring from a loose-ball scramble. Brisbane stayed within touching distance at halftime, trailing 10-6 despite struggling with discipline and field position.

Will Kennedy extended the Sharks’ advantage midway through the second half before the Broncos mounted a spirited comeback through Hayze Perham and Deine Mariner, reducing the margin to just six points.

Any hopes of a remarkable recovery disappeared in the closing minutes when Kotoni Staggs spilled possession and Braydon Trindall raced away to score. Nicho Hynes converted from the sideline to seal an important away victory.

While Brisbane found the line through Cory Paix, Perham and Mariner, too many errors ultimately proved costly as their premiership defence moved another step closer to an early end.

Eels 23 def. Sea Eagles 14

Jonah Pezet marked his long-awaited return from injury in style, steering Parramatta to a 23-14 victory over Manly at CommBank Stadium.

Playing his first NRL match since suffering a calf injury on Easter Monday, Pezet delivered the defining moment with a superb kick-and-regather try late in the contest before adding a field goal after the siren.

The Eels opened the scoring through Ronald Volkman after an evenly contested first half, but Manly responded when Joey Walsh’s intercept shifted momentum before Lehi Hopoate crossed to help the visitors take an 8-6 lead into halftime.

Kelma Tuilagi restored Parramatta’s advantage soon after the restart thanks to a brilliant flick pass from Dylan Walker, although Walsh briefly put the Sea Eagles back in front after collecting a Jamal Fogarty kick.

Isaiah Iongi quickly answered to reclaim the lead before Pezet’s individual brilliance settled the match. Iongi then produced a desperate try-saving tackle on Ethan Bullemor late to ensure the Eels closed out an impressive victory.

Knights 13 def. Dolphins 12

Newcastle held their nerve in difficult conditions to edge the Dolphins 13-12 in a tense contest at McDonald Jones Stadium.

The Knights dominated the opening half, with Dylan Lucas crashing over before Dylan Brown created a second try for Fletcher Hunt as the home side built a 12-0 advantage. Lucas also missed a golden opportunity to extend the lead before halftime.

Momentum swung dramatically after the break. Jamayne Isaako finished a slick attacking movement before Jake Averillo sparked a long-range try for Kurt Donoghoe to bring the Dolphins within two points. Isaako later levelled the scores with a penalty goal.

With the match in the balance, Phoenix Crossland’s crucial 40/20 gave Newcastle valuable field position. After building pressure, Brown calmly slotted the first field goal of his NRL career with four minutes remaining to edge the Knights back in front.

The Dolphins threw everything at Newcastle in the closing stages, but the home side produced one final defensive stand to secure a gritty victory that lifted them into the competition’s top four.