BRISBANE BRONCOS and SYDNEY ROOSTERS continue to set the standard after impressive displays to maintain their respective winning records.
Tamika Upton scored two tries in a dazzling display for the Broncos, who also had Chelsea Lenarduzzi, Lauren Dam and Rhemy Hinckesman cross and Jesse Southwell kick all five conversions in a 30-12 victory over NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS.
The Knights were level at half-time after Kirra Dibb converted Georgia Roche and Amelia Pasikala tries, but couldn’t keep pace after that.
Things were more simple for the Roosters, who ran nine tries past WESTS TIGERS in a 48-10 win.
Jayme Fressard scored three, including the first two in the opening ten minutes. Isabelle Kelly, Amber Hall, Sariah Paki (twice), Aliyah Nasio and Jessica Sergis then joined the fun, and Jocelyn Kelleher kicked six goals.
Wests went scoreless until the final 20 minutes when Emily Bass and Lily Rogan scored tries and Raecene McGregor kicked a goal.
GOLD COAST TITANS usurped Newcastle in third place via an equally-comfortable 34-6 win at NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS.
They were 22 points up after as many minutes against the bottom-placed Cowboys, who only registered a Rosie Kelly try converted by Emma Manzelmann.
Phoenix-Raine Hippi, Teagan Levi, Indie Bostock and Jaime Chapman all scored early, with Levi and Bostock crossing again in the second half and Lauren Brown kicking five goals in total.
NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS have jumped into fourth – but only after a forward pass denied PARRAMATTA EELS a winner in the final play of that game.
Parramatta are yet to get off the mark this season, despite leading 12-4 early in the second half thanks to an Abbi Church double and Rachael Pearson’s pair of conversions.
The Warriors, who only had a Payton Takimoana try for their first-half efforts, rallied with Patricia Maliepo scoring a try and then converting one by Tysha Ikenasio to nudge her side 14-12 ahead.
Metanoia Fetalaiga’s sin bin five minutes from time gave Parramatta extra hope, but Mahalia Murphy’s forward pass cost them.
CANBERRA RAIDERS have slipped to sixth after falling victim to CRONULLA SHARKS’ first win of the campaign, by a 22-10 margin.
Elise Simpson cancelled out Cassie Staples’ early Cronulla opener, then a Georgia Ravics try and Chantay Kiria-Ratu goal put the Sharks 10-4 up at the break.
Georgia Hannaway and Quincy Dodd scored tries, both goaled by Kiria-Ratu, in a busy seven-minute period which also included a Sophie Holyman try and Sheridan Gallagher goal for Canberra, who were otherwise denied by some impressive defence.
In their second NRLW season, CANTERBURY BULLDOGS recorded back-to-back wins for the first time, seeing off ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS 28-8.
Tamika Jones, Simina Lokotui, Evelyn Roberts, Ma’atuleio Fotu-Moala and Andie Robinson scored the tries, four converted by Tayla Preston.
Jayme Millard and Tyra Ekepati went over for the Dragons, who drop to tenth place.
The competition now heads to Wagga Wagga for Magic Round.
Results
Saturday 25 July
Canberra Raiders 10 Cronulla Sharks 22
Canterbury Bulldogs 28 St George Illawarra Dragons 8
North Queensland Cowboys 6 Gold Coast Titans 34
Sunday 26 July
Parramatta Eels 12 New Zealand Warriors 14
Brisbane Broncos 30 Newcastle Knights 12
Wests Tigers 10 Sydney Roosters 48
Fixtures
Saturday 1 August
Cronulla Sharks v Wests Tigers (2.35am)
St George Illawarra Dragons v Sydney Roosters (4.25am)
Canberra Raiders v North Queensland Cowboys (6.15am)
Sunday 2 August
Canterbury Bulldogs v Brisbane Broncos (2.35am)
New Zealand Warriors v Gold Coast Titans (4.25am)
Parramatta Eels v Newcastle Knights (6.15am)
(All UK time, all on Sky and Watch NRL)
Table
Brisbane Broncos 8 pts
Sydney Roosters 8 pts
Gold Coast Titans 6 pts
New Zealand Warriors 6 pts
Newcastle Knights 4 pts
Canberra Raiders 4 pts
Canterbury Bulldogs 4 pts
Wests Tigers 4 pts
Cronulla Sharks 2 pts
St George Illawarra Dragons 2 pts
Parramatta Eels 0 pts
North Queensland Cowboys 0 pts