Match Report

Johnston now has 21 tries for the season and 187 for his career, just 25 behind the game's all-time leading tryscorer Ken Irvine on 212.

The day got off to a bad start for Souths when Jed Cartwright hurt his back in the warm-up and was a late scratching but they recovered quickly to grab first points when Johnston finished off some slick passing from Cameron Murray, Cody Walker and Latrell Mitchell.

When Tyrell Sloan put a line dropout out on the full in the 18th minute the Rabbitohs took the chance to make the lead 8-0 with a Mitchell penalty goal.

It was a night at The Gabba which couldn't have gone much worse for last year's beaten grand finalists, who now face an uphill battle to be part of the post season and may have to try and do so without their representative halfback Mitchell Moses.

Moses suffered a suspected facial fracture in the first half and failed to play any of the second half, while second-rower Andrew Davey also didn't play beyond the 46th minute after failing a HIA. 

With five-eighth Braydon Trindall and hooker Blayke Brailey pulling the strings, between them setting up three tries directly, the Sharks proved too much for the Titans, who lost veteran playmaker Kieran Foran to a rib injury at half-time. 

A first-half double to Ronaldo Mulitalo in his return from a jaw injury helped the hosts to a 20-6 lead at the break, and from there they ran in a further three tries to claim another two competition points.

The defending champs are riding a seven-game winning streak as they head into games against the Titans, Eels and Cowboys to round out another dominant season.

After a Josh Schuster intercept had threatened to give Manly the perfect start it was Stephen Crichton returning the favour in the eighth minute and racing 70 metres to grab the game's opening try.

A pinpoint kick from Daly Cherry-Evans from 30 metres out earned Manly a repeat set in the 19th minute and Toafofoa Sipley crashed over from close range to level the scores at 6-6.

Three tries in the final 27 minutes lifted Newcastle to victory, after they had trailed the Dolphins 22-12 with half an hour to play, with skipper Kalyn Ponga at the heart of the revival which leaves the Knights undefeated in their last five games. 

Ponga scored the opening four-pointer of the game off a long-range support run and went on to set up his side's final two tries with clutch plays, along with clocking up 179 run metres from just 10 carries. 

With Jock Madden doing a fine job deputising for Adam Reynolds, and Ezra Mam again electric, the Broncos racked up their 16th win of the season.

The Cowboys looked to have made the perfect star when Kyle Feldt launched himself into the corner but he was denied by some desperate Kotoni Staggs cover defence.

Just a minute later the Broncos marched down field and opened their account through Jesse Arthars try courtesy of a superb long ball by Madden.

The defending champs are closing in on another minor premiership after shutting out the Melbourne heavyweights, holding their place on top of the competition ladder over the Broncos for another week after making it eight straight at home.

Losing Jahrome Hughes (ankle) and Xavier Coates (hip) throughout the week didn't help Melbourne's cause but errors (11) and missed tackles (41) cruelled any chances of causing an upset in Sydney's west. 

The Titans were spirited in their defeat after prop Moeaki Fotuaika was sent off early, with a long-range Jayden Campbell try bringing the game down to the wire until the Warriors rallied late to make it four straight on the Gold Coast.

No points were scored in the opening 20 minutes of the clash but there was plenty of drama with Titans forward Chris Randall (high tackle) was placed on report before Fotuaika was sent off for a similiar tackle on Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad.

Brown was marched in the 63rd minute for a high shot on Ben Trbojevic but the Roosters scored a try in his absence to put the finishing touches on a win that keeps their slim finals hopes alive.

The Roosters launched an early raid in the seventh minute and Daniel Tupou looked set to cross for yet another try but some desperate defence from Haumole Olakau'atu forced him into touch.

In a see-sawing Queensland derby, the Titans took a unique nine-point lead shortly after half-time through tries to Jayden Campbell and Alofiana Khan-Pereira after the Cowboys led 13-10 at the break. 

Both sides had their chances in the final 35 minutes but neither team could get over the line for the remainder of the second half with the Cowboys' loss putting a dent in their finals hopes with the Knights and Sea Eagles hot on their heels.