round 11

While favourites continued their winning ways, Port Moresby, Lae and Kimbe recorded mixed results.

In Port Moresby Central Dabaris again lived up to its name tag as “the entertainers” of the country’s premier national rugby league competition, after giving  JPG Waghi Tumbe a hiding on Saturday notching up 40 points to 18 at the Santos National Football stadium.

With a strong wind at their backs to begin the game, the Pride wasted no time going on the attack thanks to an early penalty conceded by the Hunters in the kick-off set.

Suddenly camped on their own goal line, the Hunters looked like they’d defended the set until Pride fullback Julian Christian took possession on the last, feigned a kick to the left and turned back in towards the ruck to link with Matthew Egan in support.

The Hunters’ cover defence couldn’t close the space in time as the Pride halfback opened the scoring with a clever four pointer.

The Sharks were in an arm wrestle for the opening 40 minutes on the Gold Coast before surging away from the Titans, who were forced to defend their line for most of the contest in wet conditions. 

Cronulla's attack hit its straps after half-time with three tries in quick succession setting up an 18-point lead before the Titans hit back with two of their own to set up a grandstand finish.

However, a field goal to Nicho Hynes with less than a minute on the clock sealed the win and got the Sharks back in the winner's circle after a shock loss to Canberra in Magic Round.

The Raiders picked up where they left off in last week's big win over Cronulla to piled on four answered tries in the first half as the Bunnies struggled with their completion rate in a trend during games lost this year.

Tries to Papalii, Nick Cotric, Hudson Young and Sebastian Kris in the opening 40 minutes set up a 20-0 lead before both side's exchanged tries early in the second half.

A penalty goal with a quarter of the game left put the Raiders up by 20 before a blistering try to Xavier Savage sealed victory. 

The Sharks themselves hit another Suncorp Stadium road block with a lacklustre performance against the Raiders to slump to second loss at the venue.

Cronulla's attack was off compared to previous weeks with Nicho Hynes' move to fullback and the suspensions of Will Kennedy and Jesse Ramien clearly rattling the side's cohesion with the ball. 

Gold Coast enjoyed their first win in more than a month to set up an intriguing match to end round 11 with the Titans continuing a six-week block where they won't leave Queensland until June 18.

Their last opponents in Dubbo, eventual premiers Penrith, put them to the sword with a 56-12 thrashing.

Not many would've predicted both those sides would be lining up a few months later in the big dance, but the Rabbitohs proved last year that a result like that can be a catalyst for change. 

This week's opponents, the Raiders, are on a roll after upsetting the Sharks in Magic Round in dominant fashion.

Ricky Stuart's side have strung two wins together and look like a team to have turned a corner after a tough start to the year.

The premiers have lost just one game all season and have given themselves some breathing space as they head towards the Origin period when their depth will be tested.

The Roosters had the first chance to post points in the seventh minute but Joseph Suaalii was denied by superb cover defence from Taylan May and Dylan Edwards.

Penrith got across the line in the 25th minute but Izack Tago was held up by James Tedesco as both defences stood tall.

Four tries in 12 minutes just after half-time ensured the Cowboys would make it six victories on the trot - their best sequence since their premiership year in 2015 when they won a club record 11 straight.

The Cowboys made the perfect start when Tom Gilbert produced a superb solo try from 30 metres out in the 11th minute after the Storm had opted for a short dropout.

Gilbert took the ball on the full before beating Marion Seve and Harry Grant and taking Nick Meaney over the line with him for just the second try of his career.

Both teams scored four tries but St George Illawarra centre Zac Lomax, who scored a double, kicked four goals compared to a solitary conversion by Warriors fullback Reece Walsh.  

Warriors centre Viliami Vailea also scored two tries but the star of the match was Dragons fullback Cody Ramsey, who finished with a try and laid one on for Lomax in his first performance of the season in the No.1 jersey.

The loss was compounded for the Warriors by a foot injury that prevented star prop Addin Fonua-Blake finishing the match and may sideline him for a significant period. 

They look to be settling into a groove though with two wins on the bounce and the form of Joseph Suaalii and Sam Walker in Magic Round will give them plenty of confidence as they prepare to tackle the premiers.

Penrith could not have been any more impressive in dismantling the Storm and they now sit alone at the top of the table as they close in on the testing State of Origin period when a number of their stars will be called up.