League: Round 8 wrap

Only the Bulldogs, Cowboys and Dragons managed back-to-back wins in the NRL at the weekend. Previous competition leaders Manly were dumped in Brisbane and joined near the top of the table by winners the Sharks and Cowboys.

Home advantage is not always a decider. Manly, the Roosters and Eels lost away, but the Raiders beat the Knights at fortress Newcastle, Penrith beat the Warriors at Ericsson Stadium and the Sharks travelled for a big win, beating the Storm 30-10.

It's a great season for the TAB, with salary caps no doubt acting as a levelling factor and accounting for the continued variation in results. Only Souths look to be struggling and out of it after eight rounds and they have A$2 million with which to go to the market when the anti-tampering deadline expires at the end of June.

Souths will apparently target the Dogs' Braith Anasta, Melbourne's Matt Orford and Panther Preston Campbell to bolster their halves, as well as Dragons prop Luke Bailey. But Campbell said at the weekend he would sign for Gold Coast if they are admitted to the competition in 2007.

Canberra hold on

Canberra held on to a two-point lead over the Knights for most of the second half yesterday, the only scoring in the second 40 a penalty to Matt Gafa after the sides traded tries in the first spell. The Knights lost prop Kirk Reynoldson early with a medial ligament tear and centre George Carmont followed with a similar injury.

Carmont scored the first points of the game but played with a heavily strapped knee and was a target for the Raiders' runners.

Half Steve Witt got the Knights' second try, Michael Howell and Gafa scoring for the visitors for 12-10 at the break. Gafa's penalty came at 73 minutes for a 14-10 finish.

Dragons' comeback

The Dragons trailed for three-quarters of the game at Stadium Australia yesterday after Wests Tigers prop Anthony Laffranchi scored in the seventh minute.

They lost halfback Matt Head with an ankle strain, then Tigers fullback Brett Hodgson crossed the line in the 22nd minute. Lock Liam Fulton scored in the 29th and 39th minutes for a 24-12 halftime lead and two tries to wing Albert Torrens kept St George Illawarra in it.

Straight after the break Dragons centre Colin Best did a touchline dance that left Kiwi Benji Marshall sprawling and in trouble after aggravating the right shoulder injury that has hampered him in the past, and at 24-18 it was all on.

Dragons utility Ben Creagh scored to level things then former test centre Mark Gasnier busted over twice in the space of three minutes mid-half to decide the game. Ben Hornby filled in at halfback on attack and played fullback in defence and was rewarded with a late try, the Tigers' only second-half points coming from a last-gasp try to prop Todd Payten for a 40-32 scoreline.

Coach survives

Despite Manly's 36-12 loss in Brisbane, the club is expected to re-sign coach Des Hasler. The Eagles were never in the game at Suncorp Stadium.

Broncos veteran Darren Smith scored after 12 minutes, centre Shaun Berrigan got two of his hat-trick mid-half and scored again straight after half time, Justin Hodges, Neville Costigan and Karmichael Hunt also had first-40 touchdowns and the home team led 30-0 at the break.

Broncos coach Wayne Bennett became first to lead a team to 300 wins. The score would have blown out but Darren Lockyer kicked only three from eight. Highly rated youngster Berrick Barnes made his debut 15 minutes from the end.

Slater on mat

Storm fullback Billy Slater may be cited for a high tackle and head slam on Sharks wing David Simmons in his side's loss at Olympic Park, despite a lack of action from referee Sean Hampstead.

The incident came minutes before the break with the Storm down 14-0 after Sharks half Brett Kimmorley had fed lock Paul Gallen and fullback David Peachey for tries. Slater appeared to grab Simmons around the head, both falling and Simmons left unconscious and convulsing. Play was stopped for five minutes before he was stretchered off in a neck brace, though reports later indicated he had suffered no serious injury.

Sharks players invited Hampstead to penalise Slater and put the tackle on report but he replied that "he fell awkwardly, there was nothing in the tackle".

It seemed to shatter Slater's confidence and he later fumbled a grubber from Nigel Vagana, allowing Michael Sullivan to re-gather and put the Sharks ahead 20-4. Vagana scored again late in the game.

Bad news is good

Eels coach Brian Smith described a 30-16 loss to the Dogs as the best effort his side has put up all year. Hazem El Masri scored in the 17th and 21st minutes and the Dogs led 10-6. Then big wing Eric Groethe beat Kiwi Matt Utai, and when Luke Burt converted from the sideline the Eels led 12-10. Three tries in 12 minutes in the second spell killed Parramatta. Anasta and El Masri benefitted from bombs, then Reni Maitua ran over John Morris between the 48th and 61st minutes and it was all decided.

Cowboys break jinx

The Cowboys beat the Roosters for the first time in nine games, 38-18, for their ninth consecutive win at Townsville since July last season.

Roosters prop Adrian Morley scored after 25 minutes of sustained pressure but the Cowboys replied through centre Paul Bowman and second-rower Luke O'Donnell, wing Matt Sing producing a spectacular touchline leap to keep the ball in play and Josh Hannay scoring from it.

TV play-offs

NRL chief David Gallop will this week meet representatives from Channel Seven as the league looks to increase its TV take. Contracts with Foxtel cover on Channel Nine expire next year, so the NRL is keen to play Kerry Packer's Nine off against Kerry Stokes' Seven and to boost the contribution from News Ltd.