2016 NRL

Cherry-Evans formed a formidable partnership with Kieran Foran over the five seasons they shared playmaking duties on the northern beaches but the Sea Eagles have struggled to get out of first gear in 2016 as they battle to form new combinations with a number of new players in key positions, while also dealing with a horror injury toll.

Hoffman delivered arguably his finest defensive performance in the centres in shutting down Roosters' Test representative Blake Ferguson on Monday night but the assignment at Penrith on Sunday shapes as being just as challenging.

Cartwright has terrorised left-edge defences to the point this season that he is being seriously discussed as a possible Origin debutant for New South Wales, his 19 offloads and clever kicking game for such a big man making him awfully difficult to contain.

The former Warriors captain was forced from the field early in the second half in the 42-0 loss to the Storm on Anzac Day with a serious laceration to the mouth, which later required plastic surgery to reattach his lip to his face.

After receiving around 25 stitches, the injury kept him out of two club games as well as the Kiwis' squad for the mid-year Test, but Mannering said it didn't have a big effect on his weekly training regime.

Holmes' quadruple of tries was the second-biggest try-scoring haul in Sharks' history and the first since Nathan Stapleton in 2014.

The Knights – hosting seven players who were 20 or younger – had no answers for the Sharks who ran 11 tries past Newcastle's fleeting defence to produce their seventh-straight win.

Before a ball had even been kicked the Knights were dealt a terrible card when winger Nathan Ross (hamstring) was ruled out in the warm-up, replaced by Cory Denniss. 

The key talking points to come from a classic contest at Suncorp Stadium.

Defence trumps attack 

Game one of the double-header on Saturday night produced a thrilling finish, with Melbourne (the best defensive team in the competition) defeating the team with the most potent attack in the NRL in North Queensland.

Conflicting second-half performances tell the story

After enjoying an 18-14 lead at the break, the Warriors lost their way in the second stanza, conceding 16 points while failing to score a single one themselves.

Vindicating taking a home game on the road to record their sixth straight win at Queensland's home of rugby league, a judicious decision by Smith to take a field goal 10 minutes from full-time was all that separated two sides who came into the clash locked together on top of the table.

The Storm moved to the outright competition lead with their eighth win of the season and showed with the NRL's best defence and two of the game's sharpest minds at the helm that they have all the qualities needed to challenge for the title later in the year.

A first-half try from Peachey, followed by further efforts in the 60th and 76th minutes, gave Penrith the crucial edge in the ‘home’ game played in Christchurch, New Zealand.

The Warriors led 18-14 at half-time, but failed to score a second-half point as they fell to their sixth loss in 10 games this season.

Gusty conditions contributed to a scrappy contest, with crucial errors from both sides ensuring the game remained in the balance until the final minutes.

On Friday night the fans showed their appreciation while former teammates also heaped praise on the rugged No.9.

Told he and Corey Norman were the only players at the club on enough money to fix the club's cap issues if they were moved on, Peats accepted the situation that was well beyond his control and not of his making like a champion, penning an 18-month deal with the Gold Coast Titans after near two-and-a-half years of dedicated service to the Eels in which he has put his body on the line like few other players.

With the 16,013 blue and gold faithful in full voice, blockbusting winger Semi Radradra scored a hat-trick in one of the finest all-round games of his impressive career to date but it was a resurgent Inglis, moved to five-eighth for the first time since 2011 who imposed himself on the second half to drag his side to victory by helping create two tries in the final 10 minutes to steal the win.