NRL Round 23: Dolphins Complete Historic Comeback as Warriors Shake Up Premiership Race

Edward Briggs

The Dolphins produced a remarkable comeback from 24-0 down to stun the Broncos, while the Warriors handed ladder leaders Penrith a significant blow. Melbourne kept their faint finals hopes alive, Newcastle strengthened their own top-eight push and the Dragons produced one of the upsets of the year. Here is the weekend’s action.

Cowboys 30-8 Titans

North Queensland responded to last week’s 70-point humiliation against the Roosters in emphatic fashion, cruising past the Gold Coast Titans 30-8 at CBUS Super Stadium.

The Cowboys established control early through their spine, with Scott Drinkwater’s 40/20 creating the field position for Soni Luke to find Jason Taumalolo for the opening try. Jaxon Purdue then helped expose a tiring Titans defence, sending Jake Clifford through to extend the lead.

Gold Coast briefly threatened a response through Phillip Sami, who scored despite battling a leg injury, but their handling errors repeatedly handed North Queensland opportunities. Heilum Luki capitalised before half-time, carrying several defenders over the line to give the Cowboys an 18-4 lead.

Sami crossed again after the break while Purdue was in the sin bin, but the Titans struggled to make the extra man count. Purdue eventually produced a brilliant individual try, and Luki added his second late to complete a much-needed Cowboys victory.

After last week’s disaster, North Queensland had the response they desperately needed.

Warriors 28-12 Panthers

The Warriors have thrown the premiership race wide open with a convincing 28-12 victory over the ladder-leading Panthers.

Luke Metcalf was the standout, producing a statement performance as New Zealand dominated the opening exchanges. Erin Clark opened the scoring before Metcalf created another opportunity for Kurt Capewell, who linked with him to score.

Penrith’s afternoon deteriorated further when Paul Alamoti was sin-binned and Isaah Yeo was forced from the field with a pectoral injury. Leka Halasima was particularly damaging during the resulting period of pressure, eventually helping Chanel Harris-Tavita score.

The Warriors continued to control the contest after half-time, with Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad combining for another try. Penrith eventually found a response through Nathan Cleary, who also helped set up Jaxen Edgar, but the Panthers could not complete the comeback.

Metcalf then delivered the decisive moment, stepping off both feet before racing away for a superb solo try to put the result beyond doubt.

The Panthers will now sweat on Yeo’s scans, while the Warriors have given themselves genuine momentum at the business end of the season.

Roosters 20-18 Bulldogs

A week after scoring 82 points against North Queensland, the Roosters produced one of their sloppiest performances of the season — and somehow still walked away with the win.

The Bulldogs led 2-0 early through a Stephen Crichton penalty, before Billy Smith and Siua Wong gave the Roosters an 8-2 advantage at half-time. The match was littered with penalties, errors, scrums and incomplete sets, with neither side able to establish much rhythm.

Canterbury finally found it after the break. Jacob Kiraz and Lachlan Galvin scored within five minutes of each other before Kiraz crossed again to give the Bulldogs an 18-8 lead.

The Roosters appeared to be heading for an embarrassing defeat, but Smith’s second try began the turnaround. Sam Walker then put up a kick which rolled into the Bulldogs’ in-goal, where Salesi Foketi grounded it to put the Roosters back in front.

Walker missed a late penalty attempt, leaving Canterbury with one final opportunity, but the Roosters’ defence held firm to scrape out an unconvincing 20-18 victory.

Storm 42-20 Sea Eagles

Melbourne kept their mathematical finals hopes alive by recovering from a 14-0 deficit to dismantle Manly 42-20 at HBF Stadium in Perth.

The Sea Eagles looked in control early, with Brandon Wakeham and Tolu Koula crossing to establish a commanding advantage. A penalty goal from Jamal Fogarty then stretched the lead to 14-0 as the Storm struggled to complete their sets.

But everything changed before half-time. Sua Fa’alogo spotted an opportunity to chip for Tyran Wishart, who scored in front of the Perth crowd, before Hayden Watson crossed for his first NRL try to reduce the deficit to just two points.

Nick Meaney’s two second-half penalty goals put Melbourne ahead before Oryn Keeley and Fa’alogo extended the lead. Moses Leo and Siulagi Tuimalatu-Brown added further tries as the Storm turned the contest into a rout, with Manly’s fifth straight defeat confirmed when Blake Wilson scored a late consolation.

Melbourne now need to win their remaining matches and rely on other results to reach the finals.

Dolphins 40-32 Broncos

The Dolphins produced the comeback of the season at Suncorp Stadium, overturning a 24-0 deficit to defeat Brisbane 40-32 in front of 50,000 fans.

For the opening 20 minutes, it looked like the Broncos were heading for a comfortable victory. Ezra Mam scored twice in the opening stages before Billy Walters helped create another for Deine Mariner. Xavier Willison then pounced on a loose ball in-goal to make it 24-0.

What followed was extraordinary.

Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow sparked the turnaround with a 95-metre try, and suddenly the Dolphins were alive. Connelly Lemuelu and Jamayne Isaako then crossed in quick succession to reduce the margin to six.

Mam completed his hat-trick before half-time, but Herbie Farnworth answered for the Dolphins to make it 30-24 at the break.

The second half was just as frantic. Lemuelu scored his second before the Dolphins eventually regained the lead through Tabuai-Fidow, who outjumped Reece Walsh. Selwyn Cobbo then crossed in the corner to extend the advantage.

The Broncos had led 24-0 after just 20 minutes. They ultimately lost 40-32, suffering the biggest collapse in their history.

For the Dolphins, it was an extraordinary night and one that will be remembered for a long time.

Rabbitohs 28-24 Eels

South Sydney survived a remarkable second-half fightback from Parramatta to claim a 28-24 victory after appearing to have the match completely under control at half-time.

The Rabbitohs dominated the opening half, with Cody Walker pulling the strings. Alex Johnston scored twice while Tevita Tatola and Brandon Smith also crossed as Souths raced to a 28-0 lead.

Parramatta barely threatened, but everything changed after the break.

Tallyn Da Silva opened the Eels’ account before Ryley Smith and Ronald Volkman crossed in quick succession. Suddenly, Mitchell Moses had Parramatta within striking distance.

Jordan Samrani then climbed above Jye Gray to score in the corner, with Moses converting to reduce the margin to just four points.

The Eels had all the momentum late, but South Sydney managed to withstand the pressure and protect their lead. It was a stunning turnaround from Parramatta, but ultimately not enough to erase the damage done in the opening 40 minutes.

Knights 30-24 Raiders

Newcastle strengthened their top-eight hopes with a hard-fought 30-24 victory over Canberra in miserable conditions at Canberra Stadium.

The Knights started strongly, with Tyro Francis Manuleleua sending Fletcher Sharpe over before Dominic Young powered across the line to give Newcastle an early advantage.

Canberra fought back through an intercept from Jed Stewart and a try to Zac Hosking, before Young and Kalyn Ponga combined to restore the Knights’ lead. Kaeo Weekes then produced a brilliant flick pass from Simi Sasagi to level the scores at 18-all.

The Raiders moved ahead early in the second half through Sasagi’s second try and then extended their advantage with a penalty goal.

Newcastle refused to go away. Dane Gagai finished off a right-side attack before Sandon Smith’s penalty goal put the Knights ahead 26-24 with 15 minutes remaining.

The match then produced a flashpoint involving Gagai and Corey Horsburgh, with the bunker overturning the initial decision and sending Horsburgh to the sin bin.

The Knights took advantage, with Young completing his double to seal a 30-24 win and back-to-back victories.

Dragons 24-16 Sharks

St George Illawarra produced one of the round’s biggest surprises, upsetting Cronulla 24-16 at Kogarah in front of 11,018 passionate supporters.

The Sharks controlled large portions of possession, but the Dragons repeatedly made better use of their opportunities. Sione Katoa opened the scoring for Cronulla before Valentine Holmes and Hamish Stewart helped the Dragons establish a 12-10 half-time lead.

Cronulla levelled the contest after the break through Jesse Ramien following a sharp Braydon Trindall offload, but Tyrell Sloan’s try had put St George back in front before Ramien’s score made it 16-all.

Holmes then calmly converted a penalty goal to restore the Dragons’ advantage before Setu Tu produced the decisive moment. From a scrum close to the line, Tu exploded through the Sharks’ defence to score, with Holmes’ conversion putting the Dragons eight points clear.

Cronulla pushed desperately late, but the Dragons held firm to secure just their third win of the season.

For a side sitting near the bottom of the ladder, it was an enormous result — and one made all the more impressive by the Sharks having enjoyed so much possession throughout the contest.