SYDNEY ROOSTERS have one hand on the minor premiership after coming from behind to win their big showdown with BRISBANE BRONCOS.

Down 14-4 at half-time, the defending champions were exceptional in the second half of last year’s Grand Final rematch, scoring six tries to take it 34-20.

The Roosters were error-strewn in the first half after Brydie Parker gave them the lead, with Tamika Upton and Chelsea Lenarduzzi tries turning things in Brisbane’s favour.

As well as converting both, Jesse Southwell kicked a penalty on the half-time hooter to establish that ten-point advantage.

But within a minute of the restart, Parker scored off Jessica Sergis’s kick retrieval. Tarryn Aiken converted, then Taina Naividi levelled with a dummy-half dart and, in the 48th minute, Sergis put Sydney ahead from a Parker offload.

After Amber Hall’s determined charge-over, Georgia Bartlett’s try and Southwell’s fourth goal kept the Broncos in touch, but Parker’s hat-trick score re-established a two-scored lead.

Sergis’ second try and Jocelyn Kelleher’s second goal made sure of back-to-back defeats for Brisbane, who slip to third.

Overtaking them were GOLD COAST TITANS, now two points off the Roosters after a club-record sixth straight victory, 26-10 against ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS.

Gold Coast were 14 points up after a quarter of an hour thanks to tries by Georgia Grey, Laikha Clarke and Phoenix-Raine Hippi plus the first of three Lauren Brown conversions.

Maria Paseka and Ruby-Jean Kennard-Ellis tries either side of half-time, the latter goaled by Paseka, made things interesting but a superb Teagan Levi kick-and-chase try proved critical. Evania Isa’ako then sealed it late for the Titans, who face the Broncos in the biggest clash of the next round.

WESTS TIGERS, who received the wooden spoon last year, are now up to the heights of fourth, overtaking NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS thanks to a 30-22 victory. Five tries were scored apiece but while Wests’ Raecene McGregor kicked four of the conversions plus a match-sealing penalty, the Warriors could only convert once.

Lily Rogan’s double followed a Caitlin Turnbull opener to put the Tigers 16-0 up before the Warriors kicked into action with Tysha Ikenasio, Stacey Waaka and Emmanita Paki touchdowns.

After Namoe Gesa opened Wests’ second-half scoring, Ikenasio and Kaiyah Atai replied, with Patricia Maliepo’s conversion levelling the match, but Faythe Manera scored the key try by claiming a high McGregor kick six minutes from time.

CANBERRA RAIDERS are also on the march, climbing to fifth after following up their shock win over Brisbane by doing the same to NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS.

They again came from behind, having trailed 10-0 to early Kirra Dibb and Shanice Parker tries (Dibb converting her own) and then 14-4 with 16 minutes remaining after a Mercedez Taulelei-Siala score.

Mackenzie Wiki’s try, followed by a second from Elise Simpson and one by Sophie Holyman, put the Knights ahead for the first time, only for Tenika Willison to level.

With four minutes to go, Zehara Temara struck a field-goal, then she converted Holyman’s second try for a 25-18 outcome in the Raiders’ favour.

The last remaining winless side, PARRAMATTA EELS, finally broke their duck as Abbi Church’s late try put CANTERBURY BULLDOGS’ comeback attempt to bed.

Parramatta led 24-0 at half-time but Monica Tagoai, Evelyn Roberts and Alexis Tauaneai tries were all converted by Tayla Preston to narrow the difference to one score.

Taneka Todhunter, Rachael Pearson, Mahalia Murphy and Cassey Tohi-Hiku were the first-half try-scorers and Rachael Pearson was successful with all her five conversion attempts.

A spell of three tries in six first-half minutes, two by Makenzie Weale with an Alisha Foord score in between, helped NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS to a 30-18 win against fellow strugglers CRONULLA SHARKS.

Bree Chester, Margot Vella and Kayla Jackson added Cowboys tries in the second half and Rosie Kelly kicked three goals.

Cronulla were only four points behind, thanks to tries from Tiana Penitani Gray, Georgia Hannaway (who converted Gray’s) and a Milla Elaro double, when Jaydika Tafua was sent to the sin bin for a hip-drop tackle with eleven minutes to play.

Results
Saturday 15 August
Gold Coast Titans 26 St George Illawarra Dragons 10
Parramatta Eels 30 Canterbury Bulldogs 18
Brisbane Broncos 20 Sydney Roosters 34
Sunday 16 August
Newcastle Knights 18 Canberra Raiders 25
Wests Tigers 30 New Zealand Warriors 22
North Queensland Cowboys 30 Cronulla Sharks 18

Fixtures
Saturday 22 August
Newcastle Knights v Wests Tigers (3.45am)
Canterbury Bulldogs v Canberra Raiders (6.15am)
St George Illawarra Dragons v North Queensland Cowboys (8.15am)
Sunday 23 August
Gold Coast Titans v Brisbane Broncos (2.50am)
Sydney Roosters v New Zealand Warriors (4.45am)
Cronulla Sharks v Parramatta Eels (9.15am)
(All UK time, all on Sky and Watch NRL)

Table
Sydney Roosters 14 pts
Gold Coast Titans 12 pts
Brisbane Broncos 10 pts
Wests Tigers 10 pts
Canberra Raiders 8 pts
New Zealand Warriors 8 pts
Newcastle Knights 6 pts
Canterbury Bulldogs 4 pts
Cronulla Sharks 2 pts
St George Illawarra Dragons 2 pts
Parramatta Eels 2 pts