As it happened: Dragons stun Raiders; Roosters, Panthers claim crucial wins

Full-time: A tough-as-nails performance from the Roosters in miserable conditions sees them overcome the Sea Eagles 20-4. The class of Sam Walker was on full display as he pulled the strings for his side with a brilliant kicking game, while the Tricolours saved at least two certain tries with excellent last-ditch tackles. The win keeps them right in the mix for the top eight and delivers a telling blow to Manly’s hopes of making it through to the playoffs.

78th min: In some good news for Manly, Jake Simpkin has been deemed a Category 2 head knock rather than a Category 1, meaning at this stage he isn't ruled out of Round 23. 

76th min: The Roosters just keeping showing up in defence. Camped against their own line, they are there in numbers to deny the Sea Eagles a late consolation effort. 

69th min: Jake Simpkin las left the field for a HIA. The game is very much in a holding pattern right now as both teams battle it out in the middle. The Sea Eagles will need something huge if they are to spark a comeback from here. 

64th min: Angus Crichton coughs up his side's 11th error of the game and the 20th committed between the two sides overall. Fatigue is setting in now and the conditions are among the worst we've witnessed in the NRL in the last few years. 

58th min: A near thing for the Sea Eagles as Luke Brooks threads a kick in behind and Jason Saab chases through. The flying winger arrives just too late and it goes dead. 

55th min: A successful captain's challenge from the Roosters sees an initial call of a knock on changed to Manly being pinged for a strip. The Roosters get a new set starting inside the 20, but they spill the ball a couple of tackles later through Salesi Foketi. 

50th min: A towering bomb is batted back by Mark Nawaqanitawase, with a waiting Egan Butcher picking up the loose footy and sliding over for the eighth try of his career. Sam Walker makes no mistake from in front and it's 20-4 to the Roosters. 

47th min: After working their way down field the Roosters receive a penalty following a ruck infringement. They opt to take the two points on offer and stretch their lead to 14-4. 

42nd min: We are back underway at 4 Pines Park. The rain has intensified considerably and right now there's hail coming down as well. 

Half-time: The Tricolours strike twice in the space of as many minutes to take a 12-4 lead to the break, despite them having had less of the ball and made more errors. Sam Walker has had a couple of nice touches in attack, but it's his side's goal-line defence that will likely be most pleasing to coach Trent Robinson. 

38th min: Another great piece of defence from the Roosters' right edge denies Tolutau Koula his second try. A massive play in the shadows of half-time. 

35th min: Ben Trbojevic has failed his head injury assessment and the Sea Eagles are down to 16 players for the remainder of the game. 

33rd min: A stunning piece of team play gets the Roosters their second four-pointer. The ball is shared between five players on the drive down field, with Connor Watson's offload starting things. Sam Walker shakes out of a tackle and plants a kick across field to Daniel Tupou, who then offloads from the ground for Angus Crichton to zip through a broken defensive line. The kick is good again from Walker and the Roosters stretch their lead to 12-4. 

32nd min: The Roosters go end-to-end to hit back. Rob Toia begins the set with a long break down field, and after the awarding of a six-again, it ends with Billy Smith grabbing a grubber kick and sliding over the line for his fourth try in as many games. Sam Walker nails the conversion in extremely tricky conditions and the Roosters lead 6-4. 

29th min: After completing their first 10 sets with ball in hand, the Roosters have made back-to-back mistakes now. The latest one gifts Manly a set which begins in the attacking half. 

27th min: James Tedesco gets done by a bouncing ball and knocks on while trying to retrieve a kick. The Sea Eagles make a mistake on the next set though after Sam Walker comes up with a big tackle. 

26th min: Ben Trbojevic emerges from a tackle worse for wear, with blood coming from his head and a HIA required. Toafofoa Sipley comes on in his place. 

25th min: James Tedesco, Rob Toia and Hugo Savala combine for a brilliant try-saving tackle on Reuben Garrick. The ball comes loose at the end of it and the Tricolours take over possession. 

24th min: A close call there for the Roosters as Lindsay Collins recovers a ball in-goal before losing it out the back. It was grounded before a Manly player could get to it, but the Roosters will drop it out. 

20th min: Lehi Hopoate has passed his head injury assessment and will return to the action shortly. 

17th min: The Sea Eagles make the Roosters pay dearly for the penalty. Tolutau Koula bounces out of the first contact and extends to cross the line. That's his 13th try of the season and eighth-straight game with a try at 4 Pines Park. Reuben Garrick can't add the extras, so it's 4-0 to the Sea Eagles. 

16th min: Siua Wong gives away a penalty for an illegal pressure on the kicker. It marches the Sea Eagles right down field and into attacking position. 

14th min: The Sea Eagles burn their captain's challenge as they attempt to overturn an on-field ruling of a knock-on against Matthew Lodge. The Roosters pack down a scrum five metres short of the halfway line. 

11th min: James Tedesco flies through the air and collects Lehi Hopoate. A skirmish follows which sees Jazz Tevaga get a talking to from referee Grant Atkins. At the end of it all it's a penalty to Manly, with Hopoate leaving the field for a head injury assessment, which is deemed a Category Two. 

9th min: Reuben Garrick gets over the line and the stadium erupts... but there's a forward pass in the lead up. The deadlock remains as we hid towards 10 minutes. 

6th min: The first big chance for points in the game goes to the Roosters, with Mark Nawaqanitawase leaping high to bat a ball back a few metres out from the line. Milestone man Luke Brooks is there to clean up for the Sea Eagles though. 

3rd min: The action begins at 4 Pines Park, with 70kph wind gusts forecast to hit throughout the match. 

 

Late Mail

Sea Eagles: No late movement for coach Anthony Seibold. Five-eighth Luke Brooks lines up for career game No.250 as Manly look to bounce back after a big loss to the Bulldogs. Corey Waddell starts the game in the back row in place of Haumole Olakau'atu (shoulder). Jake Simpkin returns from the concussion protocols on the bench with Tommy Talau also coming in for his first game since Round 18. 

Roosters: Victor Radley is confirmed to make an early return from a shoulder injury via the bench, while there a couple of late changes to the run-on side too. Spencer Leniu starts at lock and Benaiah Ioelu moves into the starting hooker role. That means both Connor Watson and Egan Butcher revert to the bench.  Billy Smith (concussion) and Hugo Savala (wrist) are back on deck. 

By the Numbers

• The Sea Eagles have won six from nine at 4 Pines Park in 2025.
• The Roosters have won five of their past seven games against the Sea Eagles.
• Sea Eagles centre Tolu Koula is on a seven-game tryscoring streak at 4 Pines Park.
• Roosters winger Daniel Tupou has scored seven tries in his last five games.
• Sea Eagles five-eighth Luke Brooks will appear in his 250th NRL game.

 

Dragons v Raiders at WIN Stadium

Full-time: A huge upset at WIN Stadium as the 12th-ranked Dragons tip over the competition leaders 18-12. It was an impressive performance from the Red V, who managed to control possession and win the middle battle against a formidable forward pack, with David Klemmer a leading contributor. 

79th min: The Raiders are pinged for an obstruction call as they pushed to equalise metres out from the line. Barring disaster, the Dragons will win from here.

76th min: Another penalty in front of the sticks for the Raiders, and this time Jamal Fogarty takes the two on offer. We're back to a one-score game with three and a bit to go. Dragons 18 Raiders 12. 

75th min: The Raiders decline a chance to bring it back to a one-score game with an easy penalty in front of the posts and instead run the ball. Ata Mariota knocks on a few plays later and the Dragons creep one step closer to a huge upset. 

71st min: Owen Pattie is pinged for a second effort in the ruck. The penalty is right in front of the posts and presents the Dragons with an easy two points, which takes them out to a two-score lead. Dragons 18 Raiders 10. 

68th min: St George Illawarra had a good chance to extend their lead there with back-to-back uses of the ball. Ultimately it ends with a knock on from Tyrell Sloan. Canberra spill the ball on the next set and gift the Dragons another go in a good-ball situation. 

64th min: The Dragons continue to enjoy the lion's share of possession and on the back of it they've run for almost 400 metres than their opponents so far. 

61st min: David Klemmer ends up on report after being ruled to have made contact with his shoulder on Ata Mariota. Mariota heads from the field for a head injury assessment. 

60th min: A goal-line dropout for the Dragons gets turned into a penalty that goes their way, with the match officials finding obstruction from Canberra in the lead up. The Red V make a mistake almost immediately though and blow the opportunity. 

58th min: Hudson Young has been put on report for making contact with his shoulder.

58th min: St George Illawarra attempt to overturn an on-field call that Kyle Flanagan knocked on, arguing that Hudson Young stripped the ball. The Bunker deems it a loose carry though and the challenge is unsuccessful. Both sides have now exhausted their challenges for the game. 

56th min: The Dragons are back in front after wearing the Raiders down with consecutive uses of the ball. Mathew Feagai lays on a late pass to Corey Allan who does the rest from close range. Kyle Flanagan continues his excellent night with the boot, curling it in from the sideline to make it 16-10 to St George Illawarra. 

51st min: Canberra trap Clinton Gutherson in-goal and go on the attack after the Dragons go long on the dropout. 

46th min: For the second time in this match Jamal Fogarty fails to find touch on a penalty. It lets the Dragons off the hook, but the Red V aren't able to create anything from the ensuing possession. 

Half-time: Scores are locked at 10-apiece at the break, but it's the Raiders who will be the much happier of the two sides given they had less ball and have been running into an estimated 50kph breeze all half. The Dragons had further chances to add tries, but twice opted to take the two on offer instead of chancing their arm. 

38th min: Matthew Timoko strikes again. This time he doesn't get a hand laid on him either, as Jamal Fogarty puts him into a huge gap. Fogarty adds the extras - this time not requiring a teammate to hold the ball on the tee - and it's 10-10. 

36th min: The Raiders work their way down field and force a dropout. The Green Machine are pushing hard to get one back before the break. 

33rd min: Joseph Tapine is pinged for a late hit on Kyle Flanagan as he was kicking. The Dragons again opt to take the two points on offer, with Flanagan converting to stretch the lead to six. Dragons 10 Raiders 4. 

30th min: Kyle Flanagan knocks over an easy two points from in front and extends the Dragons' lead to 8-4. 

29th min: David Klemmer convinces skipper Damien Cook to challenge the on-field ruling that he knocked on about a metre out from the line. The Bunker reviews it and finds it is a strip from Tom Starling. Challenge successful and the Dragons opt to take a shot at goal from the ensuing penalty. 

24th min: The Raiders make the Dragons pay after back-to-back-to-back uses of the ball, with Kiwi international centre Matthew Timoko going over. Timoko dances through a couple of would-be tackles before steamrolling through the rest from close range. Hudson Young ends up having to act as 'holder' for Jamal Fogarty on the ensuing conversion, with the wind blowing the ball off the tee, but it's wide to the left. It's 6-4. 

21st min: With a quarter of the game gone, the possession count sits at 70-30 in favour of the Dragons. The hosts have completed 12 of their 14 sets, while the Raiders are struggling at a 55 percent completion rate through nine uses with the ball. 

21st min: A chance to score against his old club instead turns into a knock on for Emre Guler. The prop can't bring the ball in over the line. 

17th min: Clinton Gutherson is attended to on the field for several minutes after picking up an injury. The custodian is able to play on though and takes his place at the back at the resumption of play. 

17th min: Ethan Strange shuts down a St George Illawarra raid with a ball-and-all tackle on last play, as the Dragons looked to play some hot-potato footy. A big play from the young Canberra playmaker. 

15th min: The Raiders roll the dice and burn their captain's challenge trying to overturn a knock-on call against Jamal Fogarty. Dragons pack down a scrum 12 out from their try-line as they push for a second. 

10th min: The weight of possession, which sits 77 percent in the Dragons favour right now, eventually tells as Mathew Feagai gets through down the left and opens the scoring. Kyle Flanagan nails the conversion from out wide, so it's a 6-0 lead early on for the Red V. 

9th min: The Raiders dodge a bullet after Luciano Leilua fails to ground a loose ball in the in-goal area. It ends up coming off a Raider though, so it's another dropout, which Jamal Fogarty hammers down field despite the heavy wind. 

5th min: The severity of the wind Canberra are running into this half is on full display as Jamal Fogarty fails to find touch following a penalty. The Dragons go on the attack on a set which starts inside the attacking half. 

1st min: Miserable conditions greet both sides at WIN Stadium. The Dragons complete their first set and the ladder-leading Raiders are now on the ball. 

 

Late Mail

Dragons: Just the one change for Shane Flanagan from last week, with Michael Molo coming into the starting side in place of Jaydn Su'A, who is set to miss a month with a medial ligament injury. Hame Sele has been added to the bench for his second NRL game of the season. Jacob Halangahu is the 18th player. 

Raiders: Centre Seb Kris (concussion) is back so Simi Sasagi reverts to the bench and Noah Martin goes to the reserves as the Green Machine goes in search of a 10th win on the trot. The club record winning streak stands at 11. They take the field as named, with Danny Levi the replacement player. 

By the Numbers

• The Dragons have won only one from five against top four opposition this season.
• The Raiders have won their last five games against the Dragons.
• Dragons winger Tyrell Sloan has scored six tries in his last four games.
• The Raiders are aiming for their eighth consecutive away win.
• The Dragons have won only two of their last five games at WIN Stadium.

 

Titans v Panthers at Cbus Super Stadium

Full-time: A dramatic 30-26 victory for the Panthers which takes them to within a point of the top four, and absolute heartbreak for the gritty Gold Coast Titans. Blaize Talagi strikes the killer blow with a try that comes after a Casey McLean break. Nathan Cleary came up with one of the plays of the season to force golden point via a two-point field goal with minutes to go in regulation time. For the second week in a row Titans halfback Jayden Campbell has a claim to have been the best player on the field, after running for 241 metres, breaking 11 tackles and dragging his side to within minutes of their biggest ever comeback win. 

83rd min: There's a head clash on the field that's resulted in Phillip Sami leaving for a head injury assessment. The winger is bleeding heavily from his face. 

82nd min: Nathan Cleary scuffs his second field goal attempt. Seven tackle set coming up for the Titans. 

80th min: We are off to golden point at Cbus Super Stadium!

79th min: A freakish play from Nathan Cleary, who intentionally runs back behind the 40-metre line to nail a two-point field goal. That ties the game! Incredible scenes on the Gold Coast. It's 26-26. 

76th min: Referee Liam Kennedy has pinged Lindsay Smith for offside. The Titans opt to tap the ball from inside the 20 and they go back on the attack, but even more crucially, have a chance to burn time on the clock. 

74th min: The Gold Coast have hit the lead 26-24 and are minutes away from securing an incredible come-from-behind upset. AJ Brimson first won the race to a towering bomb, getting a foot to the ball and causing it to spill out wide. From there it gets to Phillip Sami who goes over. Jayden Campbell pushes the conversion wide. There's major controversy though after the Penrith trainer runs directly in front of Campbell as he lined up the conversion. 

70th min: After surviving two strong raids from the Titans, the Panthers get a pressure-relieving penalty that piggy-backs them out of their own end. 

67th min: Here come the Titans! Phillip Sami goes over after an earlier break from AJ Brimson splits the Panthers down the left, where the sin-binned Izack Tago would normally have been. Jayden Campbell adds the extras and it's 24-22 in favour of the Panthers. 

65th min: Sam Verrills burrows over from close range on the Titans' first set with the numerical advantage. Jayden Campbell converts and it's an eight-point game. Panthers 24 Titans 16. 

64th min: Izack Tago is sent to the sin bin for a tackle off the ball. The infringement comes after Jayden Campbell opened the Panthers up with a dazzling run and passed to Brian Kelly, who was taken early by Tago. 

63rd min: Panthers forward Liam Henry and Titans wing Phillip Sami have both passed the HIAs they earlier left the field for. Penrith big man Luron Patea has got up the tunnel with an injury concern. 

61st min: The Panthers have fallen away with their discipline in the last few minutes, giving away a couple of penalties and committing knock-ons, and the Titans are enjoying some good ball as a result. 

57th min: That's a big defensive set from Penrith as momentum appeared to be shifting. They hold on and get back on the ball. 

56th min: Penrith forward Isaiah Papali'i goes on report for a dangerous tackle and the Titans go back on the attack. 

54th min: A stunning play from Jayden Campbell! With his side camped against their own line, the Gold Coast No.7 tips up a Nathan Cleary pass and intercepts it before pinning the ears back and sprinting 90 metres. Campbell repositions right before the line to avoid a last-ditch tackle from Brian To'o. The ensuing conversion is no good, but the Titans are back in the game, trailing 24-10. 

51st min: Phillip Sami has left the field for a head injury assessment after being hit high by To'o a couple of minutes earlier. The Panthers have also lost Liam Henry for the time being as he undergoes a HIA. 

49th min: The Titans head back to their left again and Brian Kelly busts through the stretched arm of Izack Tago to get his side on the board. Jayden Campbell turns four into six and it's 24-6 to the Panthers. 

48th min: Brian To'o saves a try with a tackle on Phillip Sami, but further review finds he collected him high. While it doesn't reach the threshold for a penalty try according to the match officials, To'o goes on report. It's 24-0 but with the Titans on the attack once again. 

46th min: A Liam Martin error hands the Gold Coast a chance to start the half in positive fashion. They then earn a penalty after the Panthers are ruled offside on a last-play kick. Des Hasler's men are on the charge 20 metres out. 

Half-time: Penrith head to the sheds well and truly in control and up 24-0, despite some very good signs from the Titans early on. Dylan Edwards is on his way to a big game statistically, with 124 metres to his name already through the first 40. 

38th min: The Panthers strike a telling blow right on half-time. Luke Garner forces an error with a huge hit and Casey McLean scoops up the loose ball and darts 50 metres to register his side's fourth try. It was a nervous wait for Penrith after the try initially got referred to the Bunker, but it's all clear and the game sits at 24-0 after another Cleary conversion. 

36th min: Brian To'o goes on a one-man mission down field, breaking six tackles and eventually popping an offload. It puts Penrith into good field position again, but a Nathan Cleary error lets the Titans off the hook this time. 

32nd min: And it's another for the Panthers. Blaize Talagi wins the race to a bomb ahead of AJ Brimson and then jogs over. Another two points from Cleary makes it 18-0. 

28th min: Dylan Edwards waltzes through after some lovely playmaking from Nathan Cleary, which opens up a gaping hole in the line. Cleary digs into the defence and dummies twice to attract the attention of multiple defenders. The Penrith No.7 adds the extras and the Panthers have doubled their lead to sit at 12-0. 

26th min: The Titans get a repeat set thanks to Liam Henry charging down Jayden Campbell's kick and the ball returning to them, before the Panthers are pinged for a six-again infringement. 

21st min: After soaking up a glut of early pressure from the Titans, the Panthers have owned the last 10 minutes and enjoyed 88 percent of the ball in that period.

19th min: Tom Jenkins climbs high over the top of Jaylan De Groot to grab a Blaize Talagi kick. It goes up to the Bunker and gets the seal of approval. The Panthers lead 6-0 following Nathan Cleary's conversion. 

18th min: AJ Brimson saves the day with a last-ditch intervention which sees him boot the ball clear of the fast-arriving Casey McLean right on the line. Another booming dropout from the Gold Coast means Penrith start the set inside their own half. 

17th min: The Panthers initially appear to have handed the ball over after the Titans unleashed a 75-metre dropout. But Moses Leota convinces his leaders to challenge the decision of a knock on and the Bunker rules it is in fact a Gold Coast knock on. Penrith retain possession. 

15th min: Play is paused while Isaah Yeo is attended to on the field for what appears to be a shoulder injury. For now the Penrith star remains on the field though. The Panthers force a dropout at the end of it all. 

14th min: Phillip Sami spills an Isaah Yeo kick metres off his own line and gifts Penrith with a golden opportunity to open the scoring. 

12th min: Jayden Campbell sparks a set to life with a long run. The Titans get a rushed kick in after a big spread to the left, but it deflects off a Panther and isn't played at. Penrith get back on the ball, with the set starting 10 off their own line. 

10th min: Some razzle-dazzle footy from the Titans on last tackle ends with the Panthers fielding a kick. It remains 0-0, with the Gold Coast throwing plenty at the premiers early on. 

7th min: Dylan Edwards spills the ball again, but somehow manages to get his boot under it and prevent a knock on. Either a very clever, or very lucky, play by the Penrith No.1 there!

4th min: A possible Beau Fermor try goes up to the Bunker, but he's knocked on in the act of trying to get the ball over the line. No try and the Panthers survive. 

3rd min: An uncharacteristic spill from Dylan Edwards on a kick retrieval opens up an early opportunity for the Titans, who start the set 15 out from the line. 

1st min: Saturday's triple treat of NRL action is underway! It's the Titans with first use of the ball on the Gold Coast. 

Late Mail

Titans: The Titans are 1-17 with no late changes. Sam Verrills returns from personal leave after the birth of his first child and takes over at hooker from Chris Randall (concussion protocols). Alofiana Khan-Pereira was listed among the reserves on Tuesday but dropped out when the squad was cut on Friday with Arama Hau the 18th man.

Panthers: Isaiah Papali'i will start and Liam Martin goes to the bench in a late change an hour before kick-off. Martin came from the bench last week as well in his return from a wrist injury. Daine Laurie is 18th man. The Panthers have conceded only 70 points in their last seven games.

Numbers game

• The Titans have won only one of their last 11 games against the Panthers.
• Panthers fullback Dylan Edwards has scored five tries in his last six games against the Titans.
• Titans centre Jojo Fifita has scored five tries in his last four games.
• The Panthers have conceded only 70 points in their last seven games.
• Gold Coast prop Jaimin Jolliffe will make his 100th NRL appearance.