NRL 2021 as it happened Sea Eagles beat Dragons 32-18 Eels beat Titans 26-8
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Thanks for joining us on a crazy night for the NRL, moreso off the field than on it.
First to the footy, the Eels cruising to a 26-8 win over the Gold Coast after piling on three first-half tries in the space of five minutes while Kevin Proctor was in the sin bin.
The Bulldogs have signed Phil Gould as a general manager of football.Credit:Getty Images
And then the Sea Eagles overcame a half-time deficit - and rested superstars Daly Cherry-Evans and Tom Trbojevic - to put a huge dent in the Dragons’ finals hopes with a 32-18 win at Cbus Super Stadium.
But the big news of the night: Phil Gould is a Bulldog again, Canterbury announcing his signature as a general manager of football in a stunning late night coup.
Rugby league, never change.
Good night!
Josh Schuster was very impressive for the Sea Eagles, especially with some big stars out of the side following Origin.
Couple of line breaks, couple of try assists and five tackle breaks. As is so often the case, those numbers are impressive but don’t tell the whole story for a player who could be in a representative jersey sooner rather than later.
Some late news for you after your Friday night footy...
Phil Gould has walked out on the New Zealand Warriors to take on a role as Canterbury’s general manager of football.
We’ll have more to come on this tonight.
Brilliant work (and some serious speed) from young Dragons fullback Tyrell Sloan. Highlight reel stuff. Love to see a set play off a scrum too. However, not enough for the Dragons tonight.
The Sea Eagles have completed a gritty 32-18 win after a tumultuous week for all the teams in the NRL. Both sides tonight were down on troops (although the Dragons only have themselves to blame on that front). Without Cherry-Evans and Tom and Jake Trbojevic the Sea Eagles weathered an early storm and then really put the game away early in the second half.
Reuben Garrick knocks it over and is now six from six for the evening from the tee. It gives the Sea Eagles at 14-point lead inside the final five minutes.
Have we got a game on our hands? Gerard Beale has scored for the Dragons in the corner. Jack Bird misses the sideline conversion, but we’re back to 30-18 with eight minutes left. Have they got a miracle in them?
Game. Set. Match. Maybe?
The Dragons have been a shadow of the team they were in the first half. They’ve made another elementary error down their own end, and Manly punish them this time. Kieran Foran has used the old double pump, popping a beautiful short pass for Brad Parker as the defence swarmed towards Josh Schuster to his outside. Pretty to watch.
Reuben Garrick adds the extras and now it’s 30-14 to the Sea Eagles with 20 minutes left.
A mountain to climb for the Dragons now.
I think Josh Schuster was a lot closer to a maiden State of Origin jersey before game one this year than a lot of people realise. He’s arguably been the difference between the two teams so far tonight.
And just as I finish typing, he throws one of those trademark no-look passes into the first row of the grandstand.
“There’s talent and irresponsibility, and that was just irresponsible,†Phil Gould says in commentary.
Writer’s curse.
Josh Schuster has been toying with the Dragons.Credit:Getty
Is anyone else noticing this - how do we put it? - putrid trend of bowl haircuts in lockdown. Dylan Brown and AJ Brimson from the first game tonight, and Blake Lawrie will now be charged with a grade one horrible fade. I’m not sure the St George Illawarra prop will look back fondly on this in years to come.
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