By PETER JESSUP and NZPA
Teenage prodigy Benji Marshall will spend the rest of the season on the sidelines after suffering further damage to a shoulder injury during Wests Tigers' 24-30 loss to the Melbourne Storm.
Marshall had played an ordinary game and was largely responsible for the Storm holding a lead
throughout, as he made errors under pressure.
He left the field in the second half with a trainer holding his left arm and is scheduled to have shoulder reconstruction surgery this week.
It was a damaging game. The Storm's Dustin Cooper broke Tigers' wing Luke Covell's nose and Storm utility Danny Williams broke Tigers' second rower Mark O'Neill's nose in tackles that are both likely to draw the attention of the judiciary.
Melbourne halfback Matt Orford, said to be a target for the Warriors, controlled the game. Prop Robbie Kearns scored the winner off a kick but the game ended with Daniel Fitzhenry getting over following a 90m break initiated by fullback Brett Hodgson and wing Jason Moddie.
The upset of the weekend was the Bulldogs' 40-12 thumping of the Roosters.
The early season thrashing the Bulldogs got from the Roosters was used as motivation.
The Dogs started hard and fast, and props Mark O'Meley and Steve Price were unstoppable, and Willie Mason added impact.
But their star was Willie Tonga, who gains confidence with every game.
He scored three tries to take his season's tally to six. He delivered power and skilled offloads to have a hand in six of the Dogs' seven tries.
Tonga looks like making State of Origin II when teams are named today after his opposite, Justin Hodges, was sent off for a high shot on Mason which should earn him a ban from next Wednesday night's state contest.
The kicking of Brett Sherwin was also crucial to the win.
The Roosters' Brad Fittler pulled off one piece of genius to toe up a loose ball, passing in to Chris Flannery for Michael Crocker to score, but the Dogs were too strong throughout.
Parramatta players celebrated as if they had won the grand final after getting their first win in six games, a late 18-16 win over the Knights at Newcastle.
Michael Witt had to kick a conversion after the hooter to earn it.
The Knights led 10-0 for most of the first half, but the Eels levelled with tries before and after the break.
Danny Buderus looked to have sealed the win for the Knights with a run from dummy-half, but Luke Burt saved Eels coach Brian Smith for one more week when he regathered a grubber by Adam Dykes in the dying seconds.
North Queensland overturned the injury-ravaged Dragons 14-12, with Matt Head missing a levelling conversion five minutes from time.
It was a game of attrition, with Cowboys Glenn Morrison and Ty Williams, and Dragons Shaun Timmins and Mark Gasnier leaving the field.
The last two are in doubt for Origin II.
A contentious Luke Williamson try with nine minutes remaining helped Manly to cap a big week with a surprise 20-12 win over Penrith.
The Sea Eagles this week voted to privatise the club, a move that will enable them to compete with the big spenders next season.
And they continued an exciting few days by coming from behind to snatch victory from the injury-struck Panthers before more than 11,000 fans.
The decisive try came with nine minutes remaining when Penrith winger Brett Howland inexplicably attempted to put a kick through as he was tackled.
Howland only managed to toe it backwards where it was duly picked up by Menzies, who set off downfield for Williamson to score.
The Panthers led 12-10 at halftime thanks to a late Trent Waterhouse try.
And in Brisbane, the Broncos lost to the Sharks 30-22.
NRL points table and fixtures
By PETER JESSUP and NZPA
Teenage prodigy Benji Marshall will spend the rest of the season on the sidelines after suffering further damage to a shoulder injury during Wests Tigers' 24-30 loss to the Melbourne Storm.
Marshall had played an ordinary game and was largely responsible for the Storm holding a lead
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