By PETER JESSUP and NZPA
Craig Gower made a sensational comeback from injury as Penrith turned the clock back to their National Rugby League premiership-winning form with a 42-8 thrashing of Canberra, the most convincing margin of the round.
Gower had not played since representing New South Wales in the opening State
of Origin match on May 26 because of knee injuries, but it was as if he had never been away at Penrith Football Stadium.
The Kangaroos halfback was the most influential player on the field as he played a part in six of his team's eight tries with his superb running, passing and kicking games.
Tempering victory was news that Kiwis second rower Joe Galuvao could be out for a month after suffering rib cartilage damage.
Parramatta's belated run to the finals is over before it really began, after North Queensland wore down the Eels to keep their own playoff hopes flickering with a 28-6 triumph in Townsville.
A stunning win over premiership favourites the Sydney Roosters and a sympathetic run home had Brian Smith's side hopeful of salvaging something from a disappointing season.
But not much went right for Parramatta after they scored the opening try in the third minute to wing Matt Petersen.
The Cowboys replied with four touchdowns to register only their third home win of the season.
Hazem El Masri scored three tries, finishing with a personal haul of 20 points, as the Bulldogs beat Cronulla 37-26 at Toyota Park.
El Masri crossed twice in the opening half and added a crucial second-half try as the Bulldogs maintained a share of the premiership lead with the Roosters.
In Newcastle, Brisbane skipper Darren Lockyer steered the Broncos to a 16-12 win over the Knights.
Lockyer played a hand in all three Broncos tries, including an incredible 80m effort finished off by New Zealand-born fullback Karmichael Hunt, to help Brisbane notch their first victory at Newcastle since 1998.
It was the Broncos' third successive win. Newcastle have now won just one of their last seven matches.
After trailing 4-6 at halftime, Brisbane kicked out to a 10-6 lead after Hunt's try in the 48th minute.
Lockyer sparked the movement inside his own 20m when he offloaded to Craig Frawley before the ball went through seven sets of hands - Lockyer handling three times - over 80m before Hunt touched down under the crossbar.
Three minutes later it was 16-6 to the visitors when centre Brent Tate ran off a Lockyer pass, cut through Mark Hughes and Ben Kennedy and ran 50m to score untouched.
Newcastle hit back when New Zealand centre George Carmont intercepted a Gorden Tallis pass and ran 40m to score, but the Knights could not cut the margin further.
On Friday night, a depleted Dragons side pushed leaders the Roosters hard enough to suggest those two sides will be the grand finalists.
Meanwhile, the Storm's Danny Williams faces a major suspension after round 19.
Williams was hit high by Mark O'Neill during the Tigers' 32-18 win over the Storm, with O'Neill put on report. Seconds later Williams ran to O'Neill and king-hit him from the blind, breaking his cheekbone. The Tigers second rower needed oxygen and is out of the game for an undetermined period.
Williams was sent off and centre Ben MacDougall, who had just crossed for a try, was called back and the points disallowed. The score was 26-18 at the time and that was where the 12-man Storm finished.
Williams later claimed to have been dazed by the high shot and unaware he had even hit O'Neill, a story not likely to carry much weight at the judiciary.
Storm assistant coach Dean Lance is on report for dissent after apparently smashing a chair to bits on the sideline in reaction to decisions from referee Gavin Badger.
Melbourne, who have never won at Leichhardt Oval, were in Saturday night's game until the home side scored around the break, O'Neill over one minute before the half and John Wilson running in an 85m intercept a minute after.
Both fullbacks were good, Brett Hodgson scoring the first try after five minutes from an off-load by Scott Sattler and getting a double, as did Billy Slater, who benefited from two kicks from halfback Matt Orford.
The Roosters are likely to lose second rower Adrian Morley to his third suspension of the season after a high shot on rookie Aaron Wheatley after already having been warned about using the swinging arm as the leaders reversed a 0-14 halftime deficit for an 18-14 win.
Dragons fullback Clint Greenshields was sinbinned for a professional foul and the Roosters began a comeback after letting in early tries to Nathan Blacklock and John Carlaw.
They scored in the 54th minute through prop Peter Cusack, then twice more with Morley busting Greenshields for the last.
The Roosters got the points but when you consider the Dragons were without Trent Barrett, Mark Riddell, Lance Thompson, David Howell and Mark Gasnier through injury and suspension, they have to be regarded as a real chance for the title.
NRL points table and fixtures
By PETER JESSUP and NZPA
Craig Gower made a sensational comeback from injury as Penrith turned the clock back to their National Rugby League premiership-winning form with a 42-8 thrashing of Canberra, the most convincing margin of the round.
Gower had not played since representing New South Wales in the opening State
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