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The big winners from round 2 of the NRL Trials were the medical community who will now assess a number of players who picked up ankle injuries.

NRL TRIALS:

CRONULLA VS SOUTHS
Central Coast Stadium, 7:30pm

Full-Time: Sharks 22 Souths 4

Match Report:

A near full-strength Sharks side showed what they were really capable of after scoring 22-points inside the second half while holding their
opposition scoreless for the remainder of the game.'

The loss won't worry South Sydney fans as the red and green had to make do without top names like Roy Asotasi, Nigel Vagana, Jeremy Smith, David Peachey and Nathan Merritt.

Jason Taylor's men showed a lot of pride in their work and this was evident from some solid defence which held out a much stronger opposition for a good period.

Taylor told the press in attendance: "The biggest thing I wanted to improve on was our defence and it was a great improvement on previous years."

While coach Ricky Stuart was happy to see his new side get their first win of 2007, it may have come at a cost with NSW Origin backrower Paul Gallen assisted from the field due to ankle ligament damage. The hopeful early prognosis is it may only be a two or three-week injury.

SHARKS; B Kearney, F Anderson, B Pomeroy, D Cooper, L Covell, A Dykes, B Kimmorley, B Ross, K Kingston, C Stapleton, P Gallen, L Thompson, G Bird. Interchange: P Leulaui, J Hannay, I De Gois, D Nielsen, L Douglas, R Williams, J Selmes, P Stephenson, C Ciraldo, M Taulapapa. Coach: Ricky Stuart.

RABBITOHS: R Simmonds, F Talanoa, G Paulson, S Hegarty, P Mellor, B Rogers, J Williams, P Cusack ©, D Irvine, S Geddes, D Widders, L Stuart, J Sutton. Interchange: S Webb, S Rigon, J Galuvao, M Manuokafoa, J Lowe, E Paea, S Huihahau. Coach: Jason Taylor.


PARRAMATTA VS GOLD COAST
Oakes Oval, Lismore, 7:30pm

Full-Time: Gold Coast 22 Eels 10

Match Report:

Mat Rogers played his first game of Rugby League in six years but had a quiet night while the NRL's 16th franchise celebrated like it was 1998.

Behind 10-4 with 10 minutes remaining, the Titans stepped on the accelerator and scored three tries in nine minutes with some help from Gavin Cooper (2) and Scott Prince (1).

The Eels picked up their own injury concerns when representative star Eric Grothe left the field in the second quarter due to ankle ligament damage.


EELS: L Burt, J Hayne, B Smith, J Reddy, E Grothe, B Finch, T Smith, N Cayless ©, M Riddell, F Moimoi, Ian Hindmarsh, C Robinson, D Wagon. Interchange: PJ Marsh, J Cordoba, T Lowrie, J Tsoulos, R Fa’aoso, F Mateo, A Cannings. Coach: Michael Hagan.

TITANS: P Campbell, L Paea, M Rogers, B Delaney, J Webster, M Hilder, S Prince, L Bailey, C Amos, B Meyers, A Laffranchi, G Cooper, L Swain. Interchange: M Henderson, K Kahler, M Minichello, L O’Dwyer, I Kauffman, N Barnes, J Graham, M Petersen, D Myles, J Atkins, C Walker, S Samau. Coach: John Cartwright.

ST GEO ILLAWARRA VS CANTERBURY BULLDOGS
WIN Stadium, Wollongong, 7:30pm

Update: Bulldogs 26 Dragons 16.
Injuries: Matt Utai (Bulldogs - Ankle)

Match Report:

A painful victory is the best assessment of the Bulldogs 10-point win over the Dragons at WIN Stadium.

While all the glory will return home to Belmore, the casualty list will be a concern for coach Steve Folkes who only this week proclaimed to the media that he was still yet to decide whether he thought trial games were a good thing.

Matt Utai left the field in the 57th minute after ending up getting twisted in a tackle while sensational five-eighth Daniel Holdsworth also picked up an ankle injury though it's being spruiked as just a 'sprain' in the press.

DRAGONS: B Morris, J Morris, W Naiqama, M Cooper, C Stanley, M Gasnier, B Hornby ©, A Peek, S Woolford, D Hunt, A Sims, B Scott, B Creagh. Interchange: C Houston, B Ellis, C Payne, R Chase, R Lovegrove, R Young, T Caine. Coach: Nathan Brown.

BULLDOGS: L Patten, N Davui, D Millard, C Phelps, M Utai, D Holdsworth, B Roberts, J Hickey, C Hughes ©, K Cleal, S Bill Williams, N Kouparitsas, D McIlwain,. Interchange: T Cutler, L Te Maari, B Ngawini, A Perry, A Wheatley. Coach: Steve Folkes

NEWCASTLE VS PENRITH
Richardson Park, Darwin, 8:00pm

Update: Panthers 18 Knights 30

Match Report

9,000 turned up to Richardson Park in Darwin last night to witness the Newcastle Knights slay the Penrith Panthers 30-18.

The game was Craig Gower's first since being re-appointed co-captain by coach Mathew Elliot earlier in the week. The theme of the night however ended up being the Master teaching the student a thing or two.

Some may not remember but Elliot did play under his knights counterpart, Brian Smith in 1992.

For Smith, it was his first win with the Knights minus Andrew Johns, Danny Buderus and Steve Simpson.

The only lowlight of the night was the strong storm which turned up, forcing fans to find any shelter they could.

KNIGHTS: D Abraham, G Carmont, P Franze, K Gidley, M Karawana, J Ling, J McManus, J Mullen, C Paterson, J Perry, T Polglase, L Quigley, K Reynoldson, J Royal, T Seu Seu, M Tafula, B Tighe, W Tupou, L Walsh, M White, A Woolnough, A Uate. Coach: Brian Smith.

PANTHERS: P Alton, M Bell, M Blair, L Campbell, J Clinton, M Cross, G Daniela, M Gordon, C Gower, T Grant, L Lewis, M Meredith, J Moors, B Norrie, M O’Halloran, K Peter, L Priddis, T Puletua, L Rooney, N Smith, C Trindall, P Wallace, T Waterhouse, R Wesser, B Worth, N Youngquest. Coach: Mathew Elliot.


NQLD V NEW ZEALAND
Brothers League Oval, McKay Oval, 8:30pm

Full-Time: Cowboys 32-14

Match Report

Jason Smith made a good return to the greatest game of all last night as his side trounced the New Zealand Warriors by 18-points at a water soaked Leprechaun Park.

Smith- who left the Raiders last season - gelled very well with new halves partner Johnathan Thurston and gave the winning side plenty of direction on their way to victory.

A prize acquisition by all reports.


COWBOYS: M Bowen, B Bowen, M Henry, A Graham, N Sweeney, J Smith, J Thurston, M Scott, A Payne, C Webb, S Southern, J Lillyman, J Smith. Interchange: J Anderson, S Faumuina, S Tronc, R Cashmere. Coach: Graham Murray.

WARRIORS: W Mckinnon, L Hohaia, M Vatuvei, T Byrne, M Crockett, T Martin, S Mannering, J Ropati, M Witt, G Rovelli, S Price ©, R Wiki, ETuimavave, S Rapira, N Fien, G Gatis, M Luck, E Lauaki, S Fai, C Lawrie. Coach: Ivan Cleary.

MANLY V MELBOURNE:
Quad Park, Kawana Waters, Sunshine Coast, 8:30pm

Update: Manly 30 Melbourne 20
Injuries: Mathew Bartlett (Storm - Ankle)

Match Report

Melbourne showed a lot of grit and determination to stay in the game for as long as they did against a more experienced opposition featuring Kangaroos star Jamie Lyon.

Matt Orford had a stellar night against his former club, nailing 4 conversions while Israel Falou impressed many with his performance for a rookie Melbourne side.

Antonio Kaufusi - who was on the verge of being sent back to the Queensland Cup due to his pre-season match fitness - made a point of his own also, scoring one of Melbourne's four tries.

SEA EAGLES: B Stewart, M Robertson, S Bell, J Lyon, C Hicks, T Burns, M Orford ©, J King, M Monoghan, M Bryant, G Stewart, A Watmough, L Williamson. Interchange: M Ballin, J Wells, G Rose, P Morwood, S Neumann, J Afamasaga, A Groom, G Hall, A Cuthbertson, S Finefeuiaki, S Meaney, M Bani, T Barrow, C Halden.

STORM: L Samoa, A Perkins, R Shortland, I Falou, W Chambers, R Aitken, L Foran, B White, J Aubusson, A Kaufusi, R Hoffman, M Bartlett, S Tagataese. Interchange: S Joe, J Thompson, M Geyer, G Crossman, I Donnelly, S Anderson, J Aston, S Manu, K Proctor, P Ale. Coach: Craig Bellamy.


CANBERRA V BRISBANE RESERVE GRADE
Redcliffe, 8:30pm

Update: Brisbane 18 Raiders 12

Match Report:

The media is making a big noise about this trial game after the Raiders sent out a near full-strength squad onto Redcliffe Oval last night and came away with a 6-point loss against a reserve grade Broncos side.

A result like this has hyped up talk of the Raiders under new boss Neil Henry climbing to the top of the NRL ladders as Wooden Spoon favourites.

Canberra led 6-4 at the break but then some poor playing movements proved costly, with their lesser known opponents scoring three tries in seven minutes to sign, seal and deliver an unlikely upset.

Broncos forward Derrick Watkins went on report for a high shot on Raiders prop Dane Tilse.

The fact that the Raiders were only able to score once in both halves despite having been in training since December will be a major concern for Neil Henry.

RAIDERS: M Chalk, C Best, P Graham, W Zillman, A Purtell, T Carney, M Dobson, M Weyman, L Withers, D Tilse, G Turner, N Costigan, A Tongue, A Dunemann, B Cross, S Logan, J Miller, B Jones, M Bickerstaff. Coach: Neil Henry

BRONCOS: R Cullen, D Kemp, J Moon, N Emmett, G Mzembe, C Fox, M Turner, T Lindsay, M Roberts, N Kenny, D Bourke, C Muckert, M Shipway. Interchange: D Taylor, I Lacey, J Te Reo., B McConnell, N Walker. Coach: Not Wayne Bennett.


Wests Tigers V SOUTH LOGAN MAGPIES
West End, Brisbane, 8:30pm

Full-Time: Wests Tigers 20 Souths Logan 10
Injuries: Nil

Match Report:

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