round 8

For the second time since his return to the Warriors this season, Johnson stepped up to secure victory for his team after a late penalty goal by Reece Walsh sent the game to extra time.

It was a heart breaking defeat for the Raiders, who were the better team for most of the match but have now lost their last five games in succession.

The Raiders led 20-12 at halftime but did not score a point in the second term.

The Eels shook off both their shocking backline injury toll and a scrappy Easter Monday loss to Wests Tigers to put together a hugely disciplined and professional 80 minutes against the Knights.

Meanwhile this year's surprise packets the Cowboys continue to impress, proving far too strong for a disappointing Titans outfit in Anzac Round.

The Saturday evening Accor Stadium clash provides both sides with a chance at redemption after letting winnable games slip in round seven.

For the Bulldogs, who led for half the game against the Broncos until a final quarter capitulation, the message will be around maintaining their efforts for the entire game. 

For the Roosters, who almost ran down the Dragons after being manhandled early after suffering similar early treatment at the hands of the Warriors a week prior, the start will no doubt be the focus.

After Canberra spent the entire second half inside their own territory in Sunday's 36-6 loss to Penrith it was hard to imagine any team doing it tougher than that but the Warriors found a way on Monday in Melbourne.

The Storm's ruthless 10-try second half left commentators grasping for superlatives and left Nathan Brown's men with a horror injury toll and only five days to pick themselves up ahead of a clash with a desperate Raiders outfit.

Walker scored a try and laid on two others in his milestone match as the Rabbitohs overpowered a Manly side that battled bravely after Karl Lawton was sent off in the ninth minute.

Lawton lifted Souths skipper Cameron Murray above the horizonal and into a dangerous position and seemed resigned to his fate as he walked towards referee Grant Atkins to learn his fate.

The Rabbitohs opted to take the penalty goal for a 2-0 lead but it was the 12-man Sea Eagles who grabbed the game's opening try through Kieran Foran.

The premiers made 12 errors and missed 53 tackles but were still good enough to turn their first half-time deficit of the season into their eighth straight win.

In the opening exchanges the Panthers mounted pressure with two line dropouts forced but the Titans held firm and worked their way into good attacking position, only for a couple of errors from Toby Sexton to take the wind out of their sails.

The Panthers got across the line in the 22nd minute through Dylan Edwards but the try was denied by the bunker for obstruction by Nathan Cleary.

The last time they locked horns it was the Rabbitohs ending Manly's 2021 season with a comprehensive 36-16 preliminary final victory but much has changed at Redfern since late September.

The departures of supercoach Wayne Bennett, premiership-winning halfback Adam Reynolds and rep centre Dane Gagai have taken some adjustment and Latrell Mitchell's injury has left them without their most dangerous attacking weapon.

The Titans will need to produce a stunning form turnaround if they hope to end the Panthers' unbeaten start to the season.

After six rounds of tight contests in which their biggest winning margin was two points and their biggest loss was eight points, Justin Holbrook's men were humbled 30-4 by the Cowboys - hardly the ideal build-up for a clash with the premiers.

In stark contrast, the Panthers are flying at 7-0 and looking extremely ominous as they go in search of back-to-back titles.

Brisbane made a statement with their defence and gave the Sharks wrecking ball no time or space, with Adam Reynolds and Te Maire Martin astutely guiding the side around.

Things took a while to get going as both sides made errors on the attack in the opening quarter, before a lovely piece of backyard footy from Matt Moylan opened the scoring in the 21st minute.

Noticing fullback Martin had already committed earlier in the play, Moylan dropped the ball on the toe and won the race to his own kick to put the Sharks up 6-0.

With Nicho Hynes and Matt Moylan on song in the halves and Siosifa Talakai running amok out wide, the Sharks have looked every bit a top-four contender during the opening seven rounds and their tally of 32 tries is the fourth highest in the NRL.

The Sharks have threats across the park and the Broncos will need to stiffen up their defence considerably if they are to pull off an upset.

In Payne Haas, Kotoni Staggs and Adam Reynolds, the Broncos have three proven game-breakers who'll be up for a big one in front of a boisterous home crowd in Brisbane.