NRL Round 18 Review: All The Tries And Highlights From Every Game

Oh yes, we were back to eight games of footy and going full steam ahead for finals footy – how good!

Let’s check out all the action from a brilliant Round 18.

Cronulla Sharks 26 – North Queensland Cowboys 12

Up Up Cronulla!

The boys in the black, white and blue put another feather in their cap, downing a top four team for the second week in a row.

Yes, the Cowboys were heavily depleted, missing most of their Origin stars as well as a few to injury - but don’t let that get in the way of the story.

The Sharks’ Jesse Ramien continued his try-scoring-athon, crossing for the opening try in the opening minutes and then getting a double mid-way through the first half. Kyle Feldt hit back for the home side minutes later to make the score 12-6.

Nicho Hynes extended his side’s lead by two after a penalty kick, but in the blink of an eye the Sharks were in trouble when Blakye Brailey got sent to the naught corner for ten minutes after holding down Tom Gilbert. The Cowboys took advantage of the overlap when the Hammer crossed, and they went to the break trailing 14-12.

Big Bopper Taumalolo looked to have scored a barnstorming try, but the bunker had other ideas when it ruled my mate Reece Robson was obstructing the Cronulla defence. When the support player is not needed and then automatically becomes in the way – my goodness that is a stupid rule.

Anyhoo, Cronulla took advantage of the field position gifted form that penalty, and Teig Wilton crossed for 20-12 lead. Sione Katoa put the icing on the cake with ten minutes to go, and the Sharks took out a solid 26-12 win.

It was an important victory for the visitors, now coming equal second with the Cowboys. Their defence was outstanding, and they will give the Panthers a hard time if they play like that again next week.

North Queensland were notably missing some players, but in the end they let that win slip through their fingers. Trailing by only two at the break, they gave the Sharks a few handy get out of jail free cards in the second half. 

Parramatta Eels 28 – New Zealand Warriors 18

Warriors were pretty good; Eels were (a bit) better. Waqa Blake scored a double, Clint Gutherson chundered on the field after copping a monster hit from Marcelo Montoya, Reed Mahoney had a top night out, and RCG showed Freddy what he was missing in Origin three.

The Warriors showed glimmers of greatness but gave away too many set-restarts and continued put themselves on the back foot with errors and ill-discipline.

Blah blah blah, Eels won.

Ok. I’m hijacking my own match report here. News broke after the game that Parramatta halfback Mitch Moses had received death threats during the week from a family member. Actual death threats. They were so serious; he was escorted to and from the game by the police riot squad as well as stadium security. He had the same presence around him while he completed all his post-match interviews.

WTF??!!

Could you imagine having to go out a play a game with all of that going on in the background? Trying to be at your best knowing that there is a lunatic out there somewhere wanting you dead?

Like him or not, hats off to Moses for not only stepping onto the field, but still putting in a great performance. Many would have refused to leave the house.

Sydney Roosters 54 – St George Illawarra Dragons 26

If your bingo card had close first half, second half stampede, fake injury, two serious injuries, and someone driving past the stadium to stop and be a ball boy – then you were the real winner of this game.

As well as the Roosters who actually did win the game.

The tricolours ensured coach Trent Robinson’s 250^th NRL game with the clipboard was a memorable one and edged themselves closer to finals contention.

Victor Radley opened the scoring in the 12^th minute, after superstar Joey Manu broke through the Dragon’s defence and got away one of his trademark flick passes to Radley. Manu then got his own name in lights, scoring from dummy half and giving his side a 12-0 lead.

Ben Hunt (surprise surprise) hit back for the Red V and backed it up with a humongous 40/20 that mirrored his efforts from Origin, gifting his side field position and setting up Zac Lomax for his side’s second try. Lomax then kicked a penalty goal for a 14-12 lead which is how the teams went to the break.

Then in the second half, it all went bonkers.

Connor Watson scored not long after the break to get his side back in front. When Aaron Woods was sin binned for being a boofhead, Sam Walker added the two points for a 20-14 lead. But it was the Dragons who scored next while a man down, after Cody Ramsey split the defence and sent his winger Mat Feagai in to cross in the corner.

But in a manner of minutes, Manu grabbed his second try after looking injured and then magically springing back to life. Walker and Teddy joined the party, and the Roosters were out to a 38 -20 lead.

Ramsey tried to keep his side within striking distance after scoring in the 63^rd minute. And ten points to the passer by who stopped his car in the middle of the road outside of the ground to kick the ball back after Lomax booted it out of the stadium with his conversion.

But the tricolours put it the all beyond doubt, bagging another three tries through Joseph Suaalii, Paul Momirovski and Teddy for his double, for a massive nine tries to four win.

Manu was a machine, Teddy was tremendous, and the Roosters broke a five-game losing streak. Their win was dampened by Siosiua Taekeiaho leaving the match early with a suspected broken cheekbone, along with Billy Smith and Sitilli Tupouniua succumbing to ACL injuries.

My goodness, poor Ben Hunt can not continue to keep doing all the Dragon’s work. Their efforts were poor, and defence was woeful.

Wayne Bennett must be circling. He knows Hunt looks great in Red and White - the exact same colours as The Dolphins.