League: Manly on top after weekend's NRL matches

Manly 36
Canberra 14


Brisbane 34
St George-Illawarra 24


Parramatta 26
Melbourne14


North Queensland 44
West Tigers 20


Penrith 36
Souths 6


Roosters 29
Bulldogs 16


The Manly Sea Eagles stayed at the top of the table with a 36-14 win over Canberra at Brookvale Oval yesterday, with the Raiders fumbling their way to defeat and the Bulldogs and Knights remaining at the bottom via the same method.

Manly were down 6-8 at the break, then scored four tries from turnovers, the first off former Kiwi Tyran Smith's bungling of the kick-off in front of his own posts.

Sea Eagles' fullback Brett Stewart capitalised and was in again minutes later. When former Canberra half Michael Monaghan scored against his old team it was 22-8, but veteran Matt Adamson gave some hope with a try for the Raiders.

Then Manly rattled on tries to Sam Harris, Scott Donald and Steve Menzies in the last 14 minutes to keep the only undefeated record in a competition where upsets reign.

Brisbane dropped the Dragons 34-24 at Wollongong yesterday, seven tries to four, with young wing Leon Bott getting a hat-trick for the Broncos.

Lance Thompson scored after two minutes and Matt Cooper at 16m to make it 12-0 but as in other games at the weekend, an early lead was no good. The Broncos had dropped lots of ball early and turned that stat around to hold possession and get wing Bott over for his first.

Dragons lock Shaun Timmins was put on report for a tackle that sent Broncos fullback Karmichael Hunt from the field. Then Brent Tate chipped for Tonie Carroll to score, Bott got his second and the visitors led 14-12 at the break.

Dragons hooker Michael Ennis had an embarrassing kick-attempt that led to a scrum to Brisbane and a try to Shaun Berrigan. Corey Payne gave the Dragons some hope with a try near the posts but Tate sealed it late after the Broncos had repelled repeat attacks at their line for a deserved win.

The Storm thrashed Brisbane, Brisbane thrashed the Eels so Parramatta's trip south to Olympic Park was taken as a given. But the visitors turned on better defence to lead 18-10 at the break and finish 26-14 in front.

Former Warrior Henry Perenara opened their account after 15 minutes when he ran onto a pass from five-eighth John Wilson and stepped fullback Bill Slater.

Wing Eric Grothe carried tacklers, including test second rower Nathan Hindmarsh, over the line for try two. It was 28 minutes before Matt King scored for Melbourne, with halfback Matt Orford getting their second touchdown.

The Storm should have hung on to the break but Eels wing Matt Petersen was first to a kick from halfback Tim Smith.

Kiwi David Kidwell was instrumental in the next try just after half time to put new wing Greg Inglis over but they couldn't score again, Luke Burt taking penalties and kicking five from six goals and Glenn Morrison scoring the winner.

Former test prop Michael Vella played most of the game for the Eels reserve grade as they beat North Sydney 24-16.

Cowboys prop Paul Rauhihi ran a verbal battle with referee Sean Hampstead and spent 10 minutes in the sin-bin as a result as the North Queenslanders thumped Wests Tigers 44-20.

The Tigers scored first with a pin-point cross-kick from halfback Scott Prince to wing Pat Richards after five minutes. But from there it was one-way traffic for much of it, the Cowboys scoring five unanswered tries to Brenton Bowen, Jaiman Lowe, Paul Bowman and Matt Sing, two. Sing got his hat-trick in the second half as Johnathan Thurston ran a good game.

The Panthers' new Kiwi Frank Pritchard was outstanding as they dumped Souths 36-6.

The big Panthers forwards Ben Ross and Joel Clinton at prop and Trent Waterhouse were also damaging as Penrith took a 24-0 lead at the break. It should have been 12-0 but Souths collapsed to let in two tries in the five minutes before halftime. They came out more determined in the second but managed only one try to centre Shannon Hegarty, Penrith staunchly holding them out for four repeat sets on the goal line.

The Bulldogs continue to languish at the wrong end of the table after dropping 29-16 to the Roosters.

Kiwi squad member Roy Asotasi made the big bust to beat Adrian Morley and three others and sent fullback Luke Patten in. Matt Utai took an interception on the Roosters' fourth tackle and scored, then Brent Sherwin produced a 40-20 kick and from the ground-gain, centre Willie Tonga got over.

Then came a game-turner, a brilliant tackle from Roosters fullback Anthony Minichiello to turn Nate Myles on his back as the Dogs looked likely to extend their lead. Had Myles got the ball down, the Roosters were gone. Instead, centre Ryan Cross got their first points minutes later, then Anthony Tupou smashed over under the bar and they were back in it.

Just after the break, Roosters captain Luke Ricketson slapped the Dogs utility Reni Maitua, who responded with a flurry of punches and cut Ricketson's cheek open below the eye. Minutes later 1.89m Morley was sent off for a high tackle that flattened 1.68m Utai, the wing lying prone as that went on then making a quick recovery. It prompted Ricketson and Roosters coach Ricky Stuart to claim the Englishman is a target for the refs and NRL judiciary.

But with 12 men the Roosters went on to score twice more. The Dogs were denied a try to Asotasi from a Sherwin kick when the video ref Graeme West ruled the ball had come off Braith Anasta while in an off-side position.