The Sharks remain the competition’s sole undefeated team after ending the Roosters’ winning run, while the Bulldogs snapped the Eels’ four-game streak away from home in a full six-game Round 7.
Cronulla Sharks 26 – 6 Sydney Roosters
Cronulla have shown themselves to be the team to beat so far in 2023 with a strong 20-point win over the Roosters. Despite the win, the Sharks still sit in second behind the Roosters, with a game in hand.
Cronulla 26 (C Barnes 2, S Healey, B Hosking, H O’Kane tries; M Riolo 3 goals) def. Sydney 6 (C Ross try; H Savala goal) at PointsBet Stadium. Referee: M Ford. Halftime: Cronulla 20-6. Sin Bins: K Dixon (CRO), C Tohi (SYD).
Stat sheet
Cronulla: Blake Hosking – 33 tackles; Lachlan Crouch – 159 run metres; Cain Barnes – 2 line breaks; Manaia Waitere, Niwhai Puru – 2 try assists
Sydney: Christian Abal – 34 tackles; Caleb Tohi – 125 run metres; Tyler Colley– 1 line break, 1 try assist
Debuts: John-Thomas Manuofetoa* (Cronulla)
*Previously played Colts
Penrith Panthers 28 – 24 Newcastle Knights
The Knights almost chased down a 20-point halftime deficit against Penrith, falling just short. Panthers’ forward Zac Lipowicz was sent off late for a dangerous tackle.
Penrith 28 (H Hassett, C Lawson, Z Lipowicz, L Philp, A Runchel tries; L Philp 4 goals) def. Newcastle 24 (C Vea’ila 2, F Forsythe, N Nailagoliva, D Pettet tries; M Henderson 2 goals) at McDonald Jones Stadium. Referee: B Greatbatch. Halftime: Penrith 24-4. Sent Off: Z Lipowicz (PEN).
Stat sheet
Newcastle: Travis Petersen – 23 tackles; Brock Greacen – 199 run metres; Chris Vea’ila – 2 line breaks
Penrith: Billy Scott – 29 tackles; Timothy Sielaff-Burns – 159 run metres; Luke Philp – 2 line breaks
Manly Sea Eagles 24 – 16 Canberra Raiders
Manly picked up their second victory of the year and handed Canberra their sixth straight defeat in Queanbeyan. The boot of former Raider Blake Metcalfe was the difference, kicking six from six.
Manly 24 (Z Dunford, L Fainu, K Mafoa tries; B Metcalfe 6 goals) def. Canberra 16 (E Strange 2, S Packer tries; R Carr 2 goals) at Seiffert Oval. Referee: J Bird. Halftime: Manly 14-0.
Stat sheet
Canberra: Shaun Packer – 35 tackles; Jermaine Pangai – 95 run metres; Ethan Strange – 2 line breaks
Manly: Zane Dunford – 30 tackles; James Uesele – 145 run metres
South Sydney Rabbitohs 21 – 14 Melbourne Storm
The Rabbitohs have beaten their 2022 win total in just six games with an away victory over the Storm in Victoria. Top prospect Josiah Karapani crossed twice for Souths in his first Flegg game of the year.
South Sydney 21 (J Karapani 2, L Le Blanc, J Nohra tries; J Nohra 2 goals, field goal) def. Melbourne 14 (M Amosa 2, A Hinchey tries; K Russell-Smith goal) at Comely Banks Recreation Reserve. Referee: A Sirianni. Halftime: South Sydney 14-6.
Stat sheet
Melbourne: Gabriel Satrick – 32 tackles; Jordan Wilson – 143 run metres; Maanaima Amosa – 2 line breaks; Ammaron Gudgeon – 2 try assists
South Sydney: James Kokkinos – 30 tackles; Josiah Karapani – 166 run metres, 2 line breaks; Keahlan Bray – 2 try assists
Debuts: Maanaima Amosa (Melbourne); Joseph Yeo (South Sydney)
St George Illawarra Dragons 34 – 20 Wests Tigers
Former schoolboy rugby union star Savelio Tamale marked his Flegg debut with two tries in his side’s 14-point win over the Tigers.
St George Illawarra 34 (S Tamale 2, T Heremia-Tukere, R Pascoe, C Perryman, D Purcell tries; R Pascoe 5 goals) def. Wests Tigers 20 (J Feledy 2, J Owen, T Peni tries; Z Camroux 2 goals) at Lidcombe Oval. Referee: B Williams. Halftime: St George Illawarra 18-12.
Stat sheet
Wests Tigers: Finnley Neilsen – 29 tackles; Cayne Nicholas – 116 run metres
St George Illawarra: Dylan Egan – 29 tackles, 2 try assists; Ben Johnson – 133 run metres
Debuts: Leo Nasio (Wests Tigers); Dylan Egan, Te Umuariki Heremia-Tukere, Savelio Tamale (St George Illawarra)
Canterbury Bulldogs 26 – 22 Parramatta Eels
The Bulldogs ended their two-game losing streak and Parramatta’s winning run thanks to a late try to hooker Samuel Inoke. Winger Jordi Mazzone crossed for a hat trick, which included a 100m intercept try.
Canterbury 26 (J Mazzone 3, S Inoke, J Su’a tries; J Su’a 3 goals) def. Parramatta 22 (T Chase, L Munro, M Puafisi, N Reed tries; S Loizou 3 goals) at New Era Stadium. Referee: P Eden. Halftime: Canterbury 14-10.
Stat sheet
Parramatta: Nicholas Lenaz – 20 tackles; Ned Hicks – 121 run metres
Canterbury: Lachlan Vale – 28 tackles; Jordi Mazzone – 182 run metres, 3 line breaks
Round 7 Highlights: https://www.nswrl.com.au/news/2023/04/17/jersey-flegg-cup-highlights–round-seven/
Click HERE for the Jersey Flegg Cup ladder
| Top Try Scorers | Top Point Scorers |
| 8 Isaac Guba (Roosters) | 42 Eli Clark (Bulldogs) |
| 7 Turoa Williams (Eels) | 40 Max Riolo (Sharks) |
| 6 Jordan Swann (Roosters) | 40 Hugo Savala (Roosters) |
| 5 Cain Barnes (Sharks) | 37 Joseph Nohra (Rabbitohs) |
| 5 Matthew Hill (Storm) | 36 Keagan Russell-Smith (Storm) |
| 5 Jordi Mazzone (Bulldogs) | 32 Isaac Guba (Roosters) |
| 4 Freeman Forsythe (Knights) | 30 Turoa Williams (Eels) |
| 4 Carson Kaho (Rabbitohs) | 28 Jahoiyakim Afoa (Knights) |
| 4 Cody Lawson (Panthers) | 24 Zane Camroux (Tigers) |
| 4 Lindsay Munro (Eels) | 24 Jamie Humphreys (Sea Eagles) |
Upcoming Fixtures
| Round 8 | |||||
| 21 April | Canterbury Bulldogs | v | Cronulla Sharks | Belmore Sports Ground | View |
| 22 April | South Sydney Rabbitohs | v | Penrith Panthers | Redfern Oval | View |
| 22 April | Melbourne Storm | v | Newcastle Knights | Comely Banks Reserve | View |
| 23 April | Wests Tigers | v | Manly Sea Eagles | Campbelltown Stadium | View |
| 23 April | Sydney Roosters | v | St George Illawarra Dragons | Wentworth Park | View |
Canberra Raiders, Parramatta Eels – BYE
18TH MAN 