2024 NRL: Round 20 Recap and Key Stats

We recap round 20 of the National Rugby League competition and look at the key stats from the round completed.

Final Scores

RAIDERS 20 d WARRIORS 18
RABBITOHS 42 d TIGERS 28
BRONCOS 30 d KNIGHTS 14
STORM 24 d ROOSTERS 8
PANTHERS 28 d DOLPHINS 26 (Golden Point)
SEA EAGLES 38 d TITANS 8
COWBOYS 20 d BULLDOGS 18

Current Ladder

Melbourne Storm (Position: 1) 34 pts (141), Penrith Panthers (Position: 2) 30 pts (118), Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks (Position: 3) 28 pts (125), Sydney Roosters (Position: 4) 26 pts (209), Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles (Position: 5) 25 pts (97), Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (Position: 6) 24 pts (63), Dolphins (Position: 7) 24 pts (46), North Queensland Cowboys (Position: 8) 24 pts (3), St George-Illawarra Dragons (Position: 9) 24 pts (-56), Canberra Raiders (Position: 10) 22 pts (-91), Brisbane Broncos (Position: 11) 20 pts (25), South Sydney Rabbitohs (Position: 12) 20 pts (-90), Newcastle Knights (Position: 13) 20 pts (-97), New Zealand Warriors (Position: 14) 19 pts (-34), Gold Coast Titans (Position: 15) 18 pts (-89), Parramatta Eels (Position: 16) 14 pts (-153), Wests Tigers (Position: 17) 12 pts (-217).

Review

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Melbourne are still first at the end of round 20. Penrith, Cronulla-Sutherland, and the Sydney Roosters round out the top four.

The Storm comfortably beat the Sydney Roosters in the blockbuster top four clash at AAMI Park. A double to Grant Anderson gave the Storm a 14-4 half-time lead. Though a try in the 66th minute to Dominic Young closed the gap to eight points, a late try to Sualauvi Faalogo secured the win.

Penrith pulled off a brilliant Golden Point win against The Dolphins at BlueBet Stadium. The Dolphins showed they could compete with the competition’s benchmark, leading 26-12 after 55 minutes (two tries to Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow). Penrith’s comeback started with tries to Moses Leota and Daine Laurie, before a Josh Kerr sin bin allowed Nathan Clearly to tie the scores at 26-26. And it was Cleary who kicked the winning two-point field goal in Golden Point.

Canberra snapped a four-game losing streak, beating the NZ Warriors at GIO Stadium. A Hudson Young double gave Canberra a 14-0 lead after 18 minutes, then three tries to the Warriors (Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Kurt Capewell, Mitchell Barnett) tied the scores with 20 minutes left. Xavier Savage put Canberra back in front before Addin Fonua-Blake answered back. Goalkicking was the difference: Jamal Fogarty kicked four from four, while Adam Pompey kicked one from one and Chanel Harris-Tavita none from three. The Warriors’ season is all but over, while Canberra’s finals hopes are still alive.

Souths kept their finals hope alive with a high-scoring win over the Wests Tigers at Industree Group Stadium (Gosford). There was 12 tries in total, with doubles to Alex Johnston and Cody Walker. The Tigers led 28-24 when Sione Fainu scored with 26 minutes left, but Souths scored the last three tries as the Tigers made some costly errors.

Brisbane welcomed back Adam Reynolds with a comfortable win over Newcastle at McDonald Jones Stadium. Deine Mariner scored a double as the Broncos led 24-0 early in the second half. Reynolds kicked five goals from five in his return. It was Brisbane’s first win since Magic Round and keeps their finals hopes alive, while Newcastle’s season is all but over.

Manly have won the “Des Hasler Cup”, beating the Gold Coast at Brookvale Oval. While the Titans led 8-0 after 12 minutes (tries to Alofiana Khan-Pereira and Beau Fermor), Manly responded with seven straight tries, including two to Tom Trbojevic, and five goals to Reuben Garrick. They now sit one point outside the top four.

North Queensland have won a thriller against Canterbury-Bankstown at Queensland Country Bank Stadium. Both sides scored three tries (two to Heilum Luki), while Valentine Holmes’ four goals gave the Cowboys the edge, with Matt Burton kicking three.

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Players Making Their NRL Debut

Lazarus Vaalepu (Storm) vs Roosters, 20/7/24
Harry Hayes (Bulldogs) vs Cowboys, 21/7/24

Key Stats

• Brisbane Broncos have won their last five against the Newcastle Knights.
• Melbourne have won 10 of their last 11 matches against the Sydney Roosters.
• The Dolphins are yet to win in golden point at three attempts.
• Damien Cook’s 14-point haul for the Rabbitohs against the Tigers was his best individual point score in his NRL career.
• Grant Anderson has scored four of his eight NRL career tries against the Sydney Roosters.
• Nathan Cleary drew level with Adam Reynolds with the most 2-point NRL field goals (3).

Upcoming Milestones

• 500 NRL points: Sam Walker (494 career points), Corey Oates (484), Matt Burton (478).
• 1000 NRL points: Jamayne Isaako (979), Alex Johnston (780), Zac Lomax (779).
• 1500 NRL points: Nathan Cleary (1,461).
• 50 NRL tries: David Fifita (49 career tries), Kotoni Staggs (48), Luke Brooks (48), Luke Keary (47), Marcelo Montoya (47), Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (47).
• 100 NRL tries: Tom Trbojevic (98), Maika Sivo (98), Cody Walker (97), Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (95), Clint Gutherson (93).
• 150 NRL tries: Kyle Feldt (139), Josh Addo-Carr (135), James Tedesco (130).
• 200 NRL tries: Alex Johnston (193).