Full highlights and details from all Round 1 matches of the 2020 NRL season.
PARRAMATTA EELS V CANTERBURY BULLDOGS @ BANKWEST STADIUM
Highly-rated Parramatta grafted out a dour 8-2 win over a Canterbury side rocked by the standing down of Corey Harawira-Naera and Jayden Okunbor for an off-field incident. Reed Mahoney’s 65th-minute try from a grubber broke a long impasse and proved the match-winning play.
Eels 8 (Mahoney try; Moses 2 goals) d Bulldogs 2 (Wakeham goal)
CANBERRA RAIDERS V GOLD COAST TITANS @ GIO STADIUM
A dominant first half carried the Raiders to a comfortable 24-6 win over the lowly Titans. Jack Wighton had a double inside 13 minutes as the hosts raced to an 18-0 lead, but the Titans managed to stem the flow of points in a one-try-apiece second half.
Raiders 24 (Wighton 2, Guler, Whitehead tries; Croker 4 goals) d Titans 6 (Don try; Taylor goal)
NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS V BRISBANE BRONCOS @ QUEENSLAND COUNTRY BANK STADIUM
The Broncos spoiled the opening night party at the Cowboys’ sparkling new stadium, carving out an impressive 28-21 derby win. The rivals scored two tries apiece in an absorbing first half, but three unanswered tries after the break gave the Broncos a 17-point lead. The Cowboys ran in two late tries to narrow the gap.
Broncos 28 (Turpin, Staggs, Pangai Jr, Fifita, Isaako tries; Isaako 4 goals) d Cowboys 21 (Holmes, Feldt, Cooper, Hampton tries; Feldt 2 goals; Morgan field goal)
NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS V NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS @ McDONALD JONES STADIUM
The Knights flourished in abysmal home conditions to shut out an insipid Warriors outfit 20-0. The hosts scored twice in the opening 17 minutes but struggled to ram home the advantage, despite the Warriors’ myriad shortcomings. A superb try finished off by Kalyn Ponga midway through the second half sealed the deal.
Knights 20 (D. Saifiti, Lee, Ponga tries; Ponga 2 goals) d Warriors 0
SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS V CRONULLA SHARKS @ ANZ STADIUM
The Rabbitohs survived a Shaun Johnson-inspired comeback after building a 22-6 lead over the Sharks early in the second half. A four-minute double from Sharks winger Sione Katoa set up a grandstand finish, but interchange Connor Tracey flubbed a chance to level the scores against his former club in the dying stages.
Rabbitohs 22 (Reynolds, Graham, Lowe tries; Reynolds 5 goals) d Sharks 18 (Katoa 2, Graham tries; Johnson 2 goals)
PENRITH PANTHERS V SYDNEY ROOSTERS @ PANTHERS STADIUM
The Panthers sprung the upset of the opening round, downing two-time champs the Roosters 20-14 – despite falling behind 12-0 early. A stunning try finished off by Stephen Crichton – who only entered the fray seconds earlier – tied up the scores with 16 minutes left, before Viliame Kikau plunged over for the match-winner.
Panthers 20 (Naden, Crichton, Kikau tries; Cleary 4 goals) d Roosters 14 (Aubusson, Taukeiaho tries; Flanagan 3 goals)
MANLY SEA EAGLES V MELBOURNE STORM @ BROOKVALE OVAL
The Storm continued their incredible Round 1 streak with a typically gritty 18-4 win over a disappointing Manly. In a repeat of the season opener, the first half was try-less but the match swung on a three-minute double from Suliasi Vunivalu. Tom Eisenhuth’s 74th-minute try clinched an impressive result.
Storm 18 (Vunivalu 2, Esienhuth tries; Smith 3 goals) d Sea Eagles 4 (Garrick 2 goals)
WESTS TIGERS V ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS @ WIN STADIUM
A 14-6 lead early in the second half disintegrated into a 24-14 loss for the Dragons in the battle of the joint ventures. The Tigers scored the last three tries of an error-strewn match, with David Nofoaluma’s second in the last minute clinching the two points.
Tigers 24 (Nofoaluma 2, Marshall, L. Leilua tries; Marshall 4 goals) d Dragons 14 (Ravalawa, Lomax tries; Lomax 3 goals)
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