League: NRL teams throw out form guide

The upsets and thrashings continued in round four of the NRL with the Bulldogs, Roosters and Panthers unexpectedly overturned and the Knights, Dragons and Souths given severe hidings.

The teams that held the ball won, and those that didn't and also gifted penalties were destroyed as referees clamped down on attempts to slow the play-the-ball.

Defence won the game for the Sharks yesterday, the 26-6 defeat of a disorganised Bulldogs side at Cronulla coming on the back of a poor completion rate for the Dogs - 23 of 40 possessions.

Kiwis Roy Asotasi and Matt Utai both had bad days with their hands and a blitz start from the home side was mirrored by Canberra as they destroyed the Dragons, the Cowboys as they thumped Newcastle, and the Storm as they handed the Broncos their worst-ever defeat.

Dogs hooker Corey Hughes is sure to face the judiciary for high shots and an elbow-leading flop on Adam Dykes.

The home team scored through three-quarter Luke Covell after four minutes and he continues to impress as a Kiwis bolter. Nigel Vagana followed him over and was unlucky not to get a second try, Dykes scored at 17 minutes and when fullback David Peachey scored early in the second half the Dogs were done.

The Roosters mounted a late comeback against Wests Tigers who led 20-10 at halftime but it wasn't enough. Scott Prince was again the Tigers' game-breaker turning a 26-all deadlock into a 32-26 result and repeating his last-gasp field-goal win over the Dogs the previous weekend.

The Tigers scored through prop Chris Heighington, Kiwi Paul Whatuira then Anthony Laffranchi right on halftime. When Pat Richards went over early in the second the Roosters looked done but Amos Roberts scored a second-half hat-trick.

Prince scored late and fullback Brett Hodgson slotted the goal for a six-from-six record.

Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett described the club's 50-4 (10 tries to one) defeat at Olympic Park as disgraceful.

Captain Darren Lockyer scored their only try from an intercept in the seventh minute but he, Brent Tate, Brett Seymour and Karmichael Hunt all missed crucial tackles and Lockyer was benched 12 minutes from the end.

The score should have been higher but for the Storm's poor goalkicking.

Fullback Slater and Storm wings Matt Geyer and Jake Webster each scored twice as the home team hammered the left-side defence of the Broncos. They also profited from Brisbane's mistakes, the Broncos completing only 18 of 38 sets and recording 24 errors.

Another star half struggling to recapture best form is Andrew Johns whose Newcastle team was thumped 52-18 in front of a 22,000 capacity crowd at Townsville on Saturday.

Johns showed some nice touches but made three errors as the Cowboys backs ran riot. Josh Hannay ran all over George Carmont in the midfield and he and wing Matt Sing each had two tries. Right wing Ty Williams also scored as did five-eight Justin Smith and halfback Jonathan Thurston.

Thurston moved into halfback after Chris Sheppard pulled out late and must now be in contention for State of Origin. The best try of the night came after he broke inside his own 30m line then fed Williams who got the ball to fullback Matt Bowen for a 75m counter-attack.

The Knights had some hope after former Kiwi Craig Smith scored soon after the break but it was quickly extinguished.

The Raiders destroyed the Dragons 42-22 in Canberra on Saturday, the game over when they went 18-0 up after the 11th minute. Halfback Lincoln Withers, Phil Graham and Kris Kahler scored early tries.

Dragons captain Trent Barrett's return after a knee injury helped somewhat on attack as he scored a try and set one up but by then the game was gone.

On Friday Parramatta took some heat off coach Brian Smith with their first win of 2005, 26-16 over the poorly performing Panthers.

Former Warrior P. J. Marsh scored twice, once from support play and once from dummy-half, as the Eels rode crowd support and out-defended the Panthers.

The visitors were without Luke Priddis at hooker and Luke Rooney on the wing and lost Shannon Donato with a head gash.

They were lucky to get as many points as they did as Rhys Wesser was awarded a try under dodgy circumstances while chasing for a loose ball against Glenn Morrison.

Consistency is the missing ingredient for everyone bar the Sea Eagles (who had the weekend off) and the Storm and the Cowboys who have played well even when losing.