Storm return to top of NRL standings; Roosters edge Dragons

By Associated Press 26 April 2017, 12:00AM

SYDNEY (AP) — Melbourne returned to the top of the National Rugby League standings with 20-14 comeback win over the New Zealand Warriors in the last game of the eighth round.

Josh Addo-Carr and Felice Kaufusi both scored tries in the last 14 minutes as the Storm won for the seventh time in eight games to move to 14 competition points — two clear over St. George-Illawarra and Sydney Roosters, which played the annual Anzac Day clash earlier Tuesday in Sydney.

Halfback Mitchell Pearce kicked a field goal four minutes into golden point extra time to lift the Roosters to a 13-12 win over the Dragons, ending his run of 18 missed attempts at a field goal.

Pearce also scored an earlier try as the Roosters posted 12 unanswered points after trailing 6-0 at halftime. The Roosters were on the verge of winning in regulation time but Dragons winger Nene MacDonald barged through four tacklers to score a strong try and Josh Dugan landed a last-minute touchline conversion to level the score and force the extra time.

The Dragons played most of the match without their English playmaker Gareth Widdop, who injured his left knee and is likely to be ruled of England's test match against Samoa next month.

The eighth round yielded two other results decided on late kicks.

On Friday, Manly edged the Canberra Raiders 20-18 in golden point extra time when center Dylan Walker landed a penalty from the 40-meter line and the Brisbane Broncos held off South Sydney 25-24 with Anthony Milford's 78th minute field goal.

Walker missed an earlier chance to win the match for Manly when he skewed his conversion attempt wide after Tom Trbojevic crossed for an equalizer in the 76th minute. He got another chance when Raiders lock Joseph Tapine was penalized for an illegal strip on Martin Taupau four minutes into extra time and converted it despite his penalty attempt hitting the cross bar.

In other weekend matches, Parramatta beat Penrith 18-12, Wests Tigers beat the Canterbury Bulldogs 18-12 and the North Queensland Cowboys had a 24-12 win over Newcastle.

The Gold Coast Titans scored two tries in the last 13 minutes to register their second win of the season, a 16-12 upset over the reigning champion Cronulla Sharks. Jarryd Hayne had one of his best games since joining the Titans following his return from the NFL.

By Associated Press 26 April 2017, 12:00AM
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