2024 NRL: Round 22 Recap and Key Stats

Check out what happened in round 22 of the National Rugby League competition.

Final Scores

COWBOYS 48 d TIGERS 30
EELS 30 d WARRIORS 20
ROOSTERS 40 d DOLPHINS 34
TITANS 46 d BRONCOS 18
DRAGONS 18 d STORM 16
SHARKS 20 d RABBITOHS 16
PANTHERS 22 d KNIGHTS 14
BULLDOGS 22 d RAIDERS 18

Current Ladder

Melbourne Storm (Position: 1) 36 pts (157), Penrith Panthers (Position: 2) 34 pts (162), Sydney Roosters (Position: 3) 30 pts (219), Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks (Position: 4) 30 pts (131), Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (Position: 5) 28 pts (92), North Queensland Cowboys (Position: 6) 28 pts (29), Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles (Position: 7) 27 pts (93), St George-Illawarra Dragons (Position: 8) 26 pts (-90), Dolphins (Position: 9) 24 pts (33), Canberra Raiders (Position: 10) 24 pts (-75), Gold Coast Titans (Position: 11) 22 pts (-54), Newcastle Knights (Position: 12) 22 pts (-105), New Zealand Warriors (Position: 13) 21 pts (-32), Brisbane Broncos (Position: 14) 20 pts (-28), South Sydney Rabbitohs (Position: 15) 20 pts (-124), Parramatta Eels (Position: 16) 16 pts (-161), Wests Tigers (Position: 17) 12 pts (-247).

Review

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Melbourne are still first at the end of round 22 (despite a loss to St George Illawarra), with Penrith, the Sydney Roosters, and Cronulla-Sutherland rounding out the top four.

The Storm were shocked by the Dragons at AAMI Park. Jaydn Su’A scored a double as the Dragons led 18-10, before Harry Grant’s second try got Melbourne within two points with 20 minutes left. But the Dragons hung on for their first win against Melbourne in Melbourne since 1999.

Penrith has bridged the gap on Melbourne in the minor premiership race. The Panthers’ win against Newcastle at BlueBet Stadium cut Melbourne’s lead to just two points, and turns the Penrith vs Melbourne round 24 into a likely minor premiership “grand final”. Nathan Cleary was the difference with 14 points (a try and five goals from five). His try in the 69th minute broke a 14-14 deadlock.

The Roosters had a high-scoring win over The Dolphins at Perth’s HBF Park. There was a total of 11 tries and 74 points, with Sam Walker and Sitili Tupouniua scoring doubles for the Roosters. Walker also kicked eight goals from eight. Jamayne Isaako scored 16 points for The Dolphins (a try and six goals). Tupouniua’s double broke a 26-26 deadlock and gave the Roosters enough breathing space.

The Sharks had a dour win over South Sydney at PointsBet Stadium. Trailing 6-4 at half-time, Cronulla dominated the second half, with tries to Samuel Stonestreet (after having two first half tries denied), Braydon Trindall, and Kayal Iro.

North Queensland beat the Wests Tigers in another high-scoring game at Leichhardt Oval (14 tries and 78 points). The Cowboys scored eight tries, with a hat-trick to Murray Taulagi, a double to Scott Drinkwater, and 18 points for Valentine Holmes (a try and seven goals). Samuela Fainu and Jahream Bula scored doubles for the Tigers. The game turned when Justin Olam was sin-binned in the 49th minute, with the Cowboys scoring three tries in six minutes.

Parramatta took a step to closer to avoiding the wooden spoon by beating the NZ Warriors at Go Media Stadium. The Warriors saw their slim finals hopes vanish as Parramatta led 30-4 after 65 minutes. Clint Gutherson finished with 14 points (a try and five goals from five).

The Gold Coast beat “Big Brother” at Cbus Super Stadium. It was their second win over Brisbane this season and all but ended the Broncos’ finals hopes. A Reece Walsh double gave Brisbane an 18-10 half-time lead, but it was all Titans from there: Jojo Fifita scored a hat-trick and Keano Kini scored a double.

Canterbury-Bankstown enjoyed a triumphant return to Belmore Sports Ground, beating Canberra in a thriller. Cheered on by an 18,000+ pro-Bulldogs crowd, Canterbury lead 16-6 and 22-12 (doubles to Stephen Crichton and Josh Addo-Carr), but the tenacious Raiders (celebrating Josh Papalii’s 300th NRL game) kept fighting: Jordan Rapana got them back within four with eight minutes left and Jamal Fogarty kicked three from three. While the Raiders were brave, with a tough month ahead, their finals hopes are almost gone.

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Players Making Their NRL Debut

Tim Johannssen (Tigers) vs Cowboys, August 1
Fletcher Myers (Rabbitohs) vs Sharks, August 3 (21 years, 2 months, 22 days)
Isaiah Iongi (Panthers) vs Knights, August 4

Key Stats

• The 78 points scored between the Wests Tigers and North Queensland Cowboys on Thursday night equalled the most points in a game this season (78 between Sydney Roosters and St George-Illawarra Dragons on ANZAC Day)
• Murray Taulagi scored his third NRL hat-trick and his second against the Wests Tigers.
• The 34 points scored by the Dolphins in defeat against the Sydney Roosters was their highest-ever losing score (previously 30 in losing against Canberra Raiders at McDonalds Park, Wagga Wagga on 29/4/23).
• Isaiya Katoa’s 76th minute penalty goal saw the Dolphins pass 1,000 NRL competition points scored (in their 43rd match).
• Jamayne Isaako passed 1,000 career points with the conversion of Jack Bostock’s try in the 71st minute.
• Sam Walker’s 24-point haul equals his previous best against the Dragons (ANZAC Day, 2024) and Tigers (20/8/2022)
• Gold Coast Titans have now beaten the Broncos in their last three meetings.
• Gold Coast Titans recorded their biggest winning margin against the Brisbane Broncos (previous best 18 point victory on 27/6/20 at Suncorp Stadium)
• Jojo Fifita scored his first NRL career hat-trick for the Gold Coast Titans against the Brisbane Broncos.
• St George-Illawarra Dragons recorded their first victory over the Melbourne Storm in Melbourne since 1999 (won 34-10 at Olympic Park, 4/9/99)
• Nathan Cleary passed 1,500 NRL career points for the Penrith Panthers in victory over the Newcastle Knights (61 tries, 619 goals, 13 1pt FG, 3 2pt FG – 1,501 points)

Upcoming Milestones

• 500 NRL points: Matt Burton (497 career points), Corey Oates (484).
• 1000 NRL points: Zac Lomax (787), Alex Johnston (780).
• 50 NRL tries: David Fifita (49 career tries), Kotoni Staggs (49), Luke Brooks (49), Luke Keary (48), Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (48), Marcelo Montoya (47).
• 100 NRL tries: Tom Trbojevic (98), Maika Sivo (98), Cody Walker (98), Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (97), Clint Gutherson (94).
• 150 NRL tries: Kyle Feldt (143), Josh Addo-Carr (137), James Tedesco (131).
• 200 NRL tries: Alex Johnston (195).