2024 NRL: Round 2 Recap and Key Stats

Check out what happened in round 2 of the National Rugby League competition.

For further round 2 statistics, head to thegurgler.com

Final Scores

BRONCOS 28 d RABBITOHS 18
SHARKS 25 d BULLDOGS 6
PANTHERS 26 d EELS 18
RAIDERS 32 d TIGERS 12
COWBOYS 21 d KNIGHTS 20 (Golden Point)
STORM 30 d WARRIORS 26
SEA EAGLES 21 ROOSTERS 14
DOLPHINS 38 DRAGONS 0

Current Ladder

Canberra Raiders 4 pts (36),  North Queensland Cowboys 4 pts (26),  Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 4 pts (23),  Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 4 pts (19),  Melbourne Storm 4 pts (12),  Dolphins 2 pts (13),  Parramatta Eels 2 pts (10),  Sydney Roosters 2 pts (3),  Penrith Panthers 2 pts (0),  Brisbane Broncos 2 pts (0),  St George-Illawarra Dragons 2 pts (-14),  Wests Tigers 2 pts (-20),  Gold Coast Titans 2 pts (-24),  New Zealand Warriors 0 pts (-8),  Newcastle Knights 0 pts (-17),  South Sydney Rabbitohs 0 pts (-22),  Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 0 pts (-37).

Total round 2 points: 335 (+29 on 2023)
Avg round 2 margin: 13.38 (+5.13 on 2023)
Teams kept scoreless in round 2: St George-Illawarra Dragons (0-38 vs Dolphins, Kayo Stadium, 17/3/24)
Highest aggregate score in round 2: 56 (Storm 30, Warriors 26, AAMI Park, 16/3/24)
Hat-tricks in round 2: Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (3, Dolphins vs Dragons, Kayo Stadium, 17/3/24)
Most points in a game in round 2: 14 – Jamayne Isaako (1T, 5G; Dolphins vs Dragons, 17/3/24), Nick Meaney (1T, 5G; Storm vs Warriors, 17/3/24)

Review

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An Xavier Coates Superman try was the highlight of NRL round 2.

With the Warriors leading 26-24 in the final minute at AAMI Park, Melbourne spread the ball left, hoping for a miracle try. And Coates provided that miracle. He leapt into the air, switched the ball to his right hand, and planted it in the left corner as Melbourne stayed undefeated. This try is guaranteed to be shown on highlight reels for years to come. It was heartbreaking for the Warriors, who were seconds away from breaking their eight-game losing run in Melbourne. They rallied from 18-6 down at half-time, with a double to Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, to lead 26-18. But Ryan Papenhuyzen’s second try gave the Storm a sniff with three minutes left.

Canberra, North Queensland, Cronulla-Sutherland, and Manly Warringah also stayed undefeated.

Known as “the Faiders” because of their frequent second half collapses, Canberra showed an improved defensive attitude against the Wests Tigers at Bruce Stadium. With the Raiders leading 14-12, Jordan Rapana and Xavier Savage scored to give Canberra a 24-12 half-time lead. The Raiders kept the Tigers scoreless in the second half and scored the only try (Zac Hosking). The defensive highlight was an excellent try-saving tackle by Ethan Strange on Charlie Staines. While it was penalised for a high tackle, the effort from Strange was spectacular, and appreciated by his teammates and the Canberra fans. It was Ricky Stuart’s 250th win as an NRL coach.

The Cowboys won the first Golden Point game of the season., beating Newcastle at Queensland Country Bank Stadium. Newcastle led 12-0 at half-time (two tries to Adam Elliott), but Jeremiah Nanai’s try in the 76th minute tied the scores at 20-20, though Valentine Holmes missed the game-winning conversion. Chad Townsend sealed the win with an 81st minute field goal.

Cronulla had a comfortable win at Shark Park: with the game tied 6-6 at half-time, Sione Katoa, Ronaldo Mulitalo, and Teig Wilton scored second half tries to put the game away.

Manly defeated the Sydney Roosters at Brookvale Oval. While it was three tries each, Reuben Garrick’s four goals and a Daly Cherry-Evans field goal was the difference. Dominic Young scored his first try in Eastern Suburbs colours, running 80 metres after intercepting a Manly pass and backing up James Tedesco on the inside.

Penrith defeated Parramatta at BlueBet Stadium (a double to Sunia Turuva); Brisbane defeated Souths at Lang Park (two tries and two goals to Reece Walsh); and The Dolphins (wearing their brilliant black jerseys) smashed the Dragons at Redcliffe with a Hammer (Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow) hat-trick.

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Key Stats

• Latrell Mitchell’s 100th career try came in the 79th minute of the South Sydney loss to the Brisbane Broncos.
• Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks are the only team in the NRL yet to concede a point in the second half.
• Izack Tago’s six line breaks in the game against Parramatta is a single match player record since 2022.
• First golden point game of 2024 was in the 11th game of the season where North Queensland won with a field goal against Newcastle Knights.
• Xavier Coates and Ryan Papenhuyzen reached 50 career tries during Melbourne Storm’s victory over the New Zealand Warriors.
• Melbourne Storm were last for post contact metres this weekend.
• Adam Elliott scored his first career double and broke a try scoring drought which lasted 644 days (last try for the Raiders vs Broncos on 11/6/22)
• Dolphins history-breaking night included highest team score of 38 (surpassing 36 vs Sharks on 6/5/23 and Knights on 17/3/23); biggest team victory of 38 (previously 24 vs Warriors on 2/9/23) and first time the club has kept a team to no score.
• Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow scored his first NRL career hat-trick in the Dolphins victory over the Dragons. He’s now moved to 39 career tries.

Upcoming Scoring Milestones

• Valentine Holmes is 8 points way from 1,000 career points
• Reuben Garrick is 14 points away from 1,000 career points
• Alex Johnston is 12 tries away from 200 career tries
• Jesse Ramien is 2 tries away from 50 career tries
• Nick Meaney is 2 tries away from 50 career tries