Sunday 12 March 2017 14:14, UK
The Parramatta Eels stormed to the top of the NRL when they thrashed St George-Illawarra 34-16 on Sunday.
Eels winger Semi Radradra ran in four tries against the Saints, who had opened the 2017 season last week with a 32-point win over Penrith.
But they were no match for Parramatta, with the Eels dominating from the opening whistle when St George's Russell Packer coughed the ball up from the kick-off and Clint Gutherson sliced through the defence to score.
The Eels are joined at the top of the table by Melbourne, Sydney Roosters and North Queensland as the only four teams to remain unbeaten after two rounds.
Melbourne travelled to New Zealand where they beat the Warriors 26-10, Sydney Roosters defeated Canterbury 28-24 at home and North Queensland won an extra time thriller against the Brisbane Broncos 21-20 in Brisbane.
The win was the second in extra time for the Cowboys this season, who again had Jonathan Thurston's field goal to thank.
It was the fourth time in their previous five encounters that the match between the two Queensland rivals went to extra time, including the 2015 Grand Final, which was also decided by a Thurston field goal.
However, the win has come at a cost for the Cowboys, who lost winger Antonio Winterstein, full-back Lachlan Coote and co-captain Matt Scott to serious injuries.
Coach Paul Green said the match was one of the hardest he'd been part of.
"I don't think I've ever been involved in a tougher win than what was out there tonight," he said. "I was so proud of the boys just for the effort that they showed for each other.
"There were so many exhausted bodies out there, guys playing out of position but they just kept turning up for each other."
In other matches Penrith recovered from their thrashing last week with a 36-2 demolition of the Wests Tigers, Newcastle beat the Gold Coast 34-26, South Sydney downed Manly 38-18 and reigning Premiers Cronulla were too good for Canberra, winning 42-16.
