Brisbane Broncos thump West Tigers to cement NRL lead
Sunday 19 July 2015 20:51, UK
Brisbane Broncos consolidated their lead at the top of the NRL with an eight-try 42-16 win over bottom team Wests Tigers.
Brisbane's seventh successive win was set up by a dominant first half in which the home team ran in five unanswered tries, including two to back-rower Alex Glenn, to lead 26-0 at half-time.
Winger Lachlan Maranta claimed three tries in the win as the Tigers slumped to their fourth straight defeat.
The Sydney Roosters shook off the distraction of Shaun Kenny-Dowall's arrest to score an emphatic 24-0 win over the New Zealand Warriors.
Kiwi international Kenny-Dowall was stood down for Sunday's match after he was arrested and charged with a string of offences including the common assault and stalking of his former partner.
The Roosters kept third spot in the standings with their fifth straight victory, while the Warriors dropped out of the top four and had their three-game winning streak brought to a halt.
Defending champions South Sydney moved into the top four for the first time in three months with a 24-8 victory over St George-Illawarra at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday.
Rabbitohs scrum-half Adam Reynolds produced two clutch plays in the final 10 minutes to seal a decisive win.
The Rabbitohs led 12-4 when Josh Dugan crossed in the 69th minute to set up a tense finish.
But Reynolds hit back with an outstanding reflex catch off his own grubber in the 73rd minute, before the playmaker sealed the win with a kick for Luke Keary to score with three minutes left.
Melbourne Storm made sure that captain Cameron Smith's 300th NRL game was one to remember with a record win over Penrith on Friday.
The Test skipper became the first Storm player to reach the milestone and was able to celebrate in style after a 52-10 victory at AAMI Park.
Canterbury Bulldogs maintained their resurgence with a 28-4 win over Parramatta at the Olympic stadium on Friday.
Valentine Holmes kicked the Cronulla Sharks to a 21-20 golden point victory in Canberra, the winger slotting a drop goal in the third minute of extra-time, while Newcastle Knights were comprehensive 30-2 winners over Gold Coast Titans.
Second-placed North Queensland Cowboys finish off the weekend round away to the Manly Sea Eagles on Monday.
