Rugby League: Sharks, Eels earn week off

SYDNEY - Six teams remain standing after the first weekend of the National Rugby League finals, with New Zealanders set to continue to have a significant presence in the playoffs.

The upshot of the four matches at the weekend was that Cronulla and Parramatta get the advantage of a rest next weekend, while St George Illawarra face Sydney City on Saturday at 9.40 pm (NZ time) and Canterbury play Melbourne on Sunday at 4.40 pm (NZ time).

The winners of the St George Illawarra-Sydney City match will play Cronulla in one preliminary final the following weekend, while Parramatta play the winners of the Canterbury-Melbourne clash to find the September 26 grand finalists.

However, it was the end of the road at the first hurdle for Newcastle and defending champions Brisbane.

The Sharks, minor premiers, yesterday sounded a chill warning to other title contenders, thumping the Broncos 42-20.

Cronulla matched Brisbane up front, then ran them ragged out wide to score seven tries to three.

Parramatta, co-skippered by Kiwi Jarrod McCracken, grabbed their place in the last four with a hard-fought 30-16 win over Newcastle on Saturday night.

The Eels, who also had Kiwis David Kidwell and Nathan Cayless and Auckland-bound Mark Tookey in their colours, went blow for blow with the Knights before pulling away in the second half, Cayless among the try-scorers.

After the match, McCracken claimed he was eye-gouged, but would not make an official complaint, saying: "It's the end of the season for them."

The Knights were starved of possession, but put up a valiant bid to stay alive.

Earlier on Saturday, St George Illawarra, down to 11 men at one stage through two sinbinnings, stunned Melbourne 34-10, as winger Nathan Blacklock claimed a hat-trick of spectacular long-range tries.

The Storm, with their Kiwi quartet of Tawera Nikau, Stephen Kearney, Richard Swain and Matt Rua on display, were on the back foot from the start and skipper Glenn Lazarus said afterwards: "Our dash is done."

Swain ended as the game's top tackler with 43, while Kearney brought his side back into contention with a try midway through the second spell, before Blacklock delivered his killer blows.

On Friday night, former Kiwi winger Daryl Halligan became the highest points scorer in Canterbury's history during the Bulldogs' 12-8 upset of Sydney City.

His two goals took his club tally to 1280 points over the past six seasons, four points more than former team-mate Terry Lamb.

Halligan has now amassed 1824 points in first grade since joining North Sydney from rugby union in 1991, putting him among the top four on the all-time list.

Compatriot Willie Talau also contributed to the Canterbury victory, flashing past Kiwi team-mate Richard Barnett for the try, converted from the sideline by Halligan, that gave the Bulldogs their eventual winning margin.

For the Roosters, new Warriors signing Ivan Cleary got all the points with a try and two goals, while Kiwi prop Quentin Pongia produced a match-high 15 hit-ups.

- NZPA