The Eels have moved away from the bottom of the NRL ladder with a hugely entertaining 36-20 Sunday night victory over the Gold Coast Titans in Parramatta.
Earlier, the Brisbane Broncos came from 16 points down twice to beat Cronulla Sutherland Sharks 34-28 in a dramatic contest in front of 39,042 at Lang Park.
And in Sydney, the Cowboys’ woes continued with another devastating defeat, this time at the hands of the rampant Sydney Roosters 42-8 at the Sydney Football Stadium.
The Eels and Titans, the NRL’s two bottom-ranked sides, combined for a fun contest in western Sydney.
However, the Titans were left frustrated by losing Jayden Campbell for a category one head injury in the first half, robbing them of their only goal-kicker and key halfback.
The Eels scored three unanswered tries in the first half through Sean Russell, Joey Lussick and Charlie Guymer after Jaimin Jolliffe’s opener for the Titans.
But Gold Coast hit back through Chris Randall and Alofiana Khan-Pereira to trail by just two at half time.
The Eels scored first in the second half to extend their lead through the excellent Dean Hawkins, but the Titans came back again through Khan-Pereira.
However, the Eels managed to regroup with a double for Will Penisini — who was later deservedly sin binned for a tip tackle on Beau Fermor — enough to seal victory.
“I expected a better performance … I thought the types of tries they scored were pretty disappointing,” Titans coach Des Hasler said.
The Roosters scored three tries to start the half. (Getty Images: Jeremy Ng)
Across Sydney at the Football Stadium, the Roosters were superb in blasting the sorry Cowboys for eight tries in another blowout.
The Roosters threw the ball around with abandon, scoring a series of incredible tries, with James Tedesco staring once again from full back.
Billy Smith and Mark Nawawanitawase both scored a double each, with Lindsay Collins, Connor Watson, Tedesco and Daniel Tupou also crossing.
“It’s been a bit of a slow year to start with, and we’re starting to find our feet now,” Roosters hooker Watson told ABC Sport.
The Roosters move to seventh on the ladder, with the Cowboys slumping to 12th after conceding 138 points in their last three matches, scoring just 26 in response.
“We were disappointing and it’s far from good enough,” Cowboys coach Todd Payten said.
“We got bullied, it’s men against boys there and that’s concerning.”
In Brisbane, in front of a massive Sunday lunchtime crowd, the Broncos roared back in the second half, with doubles to Gehamat Shibasaki and Josiah Karapani sealing a come from behind victory.
Reece Walsh, despite clearly struggling with a knee injury, set up two of those scores in an impressive display.
“I guess we expect Reece to come up with those things. He just keeps competing,” Broncos coach Michael Maguire said.
“The captain spoke to them at half-time and sharpened them up a bit.
“It was pleasing that with their backs against the wall … to fight the way they did and get the win at the end.”
Look back on how all the action unfolded in our live blog.
Key Events
1h ago1 hours agoSun 22 Jun 2025 at 10:06am
1h ago1 hours agoSun 22 Jun 2025 at 10:03am
2h ago2 hours agoSun 22 Jun 2025 at 9:05am
1h agoSun 22 Jun 2025 at 10:22am
We’ll wrap things up here
By Simon Smale
A big night of football has come to an end.
Thanks so much for being with me this weekend.
The NRL blog will be back on Thursday night when the Panthers take on the Bulldogs in western Sydney.
We’ll be there to bring you all the action, and I hope you’ll join us too.
Enjoy what’s left of your weekend.
1h agoSun 22 Jun 2025 at 10:07am
Thanks for being here
By Simon Smale
Thanks for an entertaining afternoon/evening of blogging Simon – even though the QLD teams fell away after the Bronco’s exciting comeback win. Regarding the refuge of your sports moat, can I request you keep the drawbridge drawn for a while? We don’t need to be anywhere…
– Mike
It’s my pleasure, Mike.
Anything that can bring some enjoyment to such troubled times.
Happy to be here to take you through a big Sunday triple header.
1h agoSun 22 Jun 2025 at 10:06am
FT: Eels hold firm to beat the Titans
By Simon Smale
(Getty Images)
A really good game, and a really good win there for the Parramatta Eels, who beat the Titans 36-20 in western Sydney,
The Eels scored three unanswered tries through Sean Russell, Joey Lussick and Charlie Guymer after Jaimin Jolliffe’s opener.
But the Titans hit back through Chris Randall and Alofiana Khan-Pereira to trail by just two at half time.
The Eels scored first in the second half to extend their lead through the excellent Dean Hawkins, but the Titans came back again through Khan-Pereira.
But the Eels managed to regroup, a double for Will Penisini who was later deservedly sin binned, enough to seal victory.
Great game.
1h agoSun 22 Jun 2025 at 10:03am
78′ Will Penisini on report, sent to the sin bin
By Simon Smale
That’s thoroughly deserved there.
Beau Fermor was tipped and then dumped head first in a one-on-one tackle by Will Penisini.
Had Fermor not twisted to land on his shoulder that could have legitimately been a full send off.
1h agoSun 22 Jun 2025 at 9:58am
74′ Beau Fermor in the wars, Titans penalty
By Simon Smale
This time Beau Fermor is caught in a crusher tackle by J’maine Hopgood.
The Titans piggy back deep into the Eels half.
1h agoSun 22 Jun 2025 at 9:54am
71′ Will Penisini is held up! OR IS HE?!
By Simon Smale
Alofiana Khan-Pereira
does brilliantly there.
He leaped on the back of Will Penisini at first and then slid under the tackler and stopped the ball from being grounded.
OR DOES HE?
NO! IT’S A TRY!
The Eels are finishing strongly here!
It was a nice piece of play from Hawkins, who took a one-two from Kelma
Tuilagi and comes away with another try assist.
The kick is good, and it’s 36-20.
1h agoSun 22 Jun 2025 at 9:51am
70′ Beau Fermor is whacked across the chops
By Simon Smale
But it’s no penalty and, despite staying down, there’s no HIA called for Fermor after the head shot.
Bizarre.
A month ago Penisini, whose arm it was that was swinging, would have been hung, drawn and quartered.
1h agoSun 22 Jun 2025 at 9:49am
67′ PENISINI SEALS IT FOR THE EELS!
By Simon Smale
That’s brilliant!
Dean Hawkins puts up a massive bomb.
Zac Lomax takes a speccy in the air.
He offloads to Penisini, who leaps over one Titan, shrugs off a couple more and that, given the Titans’ goal kicking issue, is probably going to be enough to win them the game!
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Addo-Carr had a big part to play earlier in the set with a great run up the middle.
The kick is good and it’s 30-20.
1h agoSun 22 Jun 2025 at 9:44am
63′ Alofiana Khan-Pereira has another!
By Simon Smale
Lovely stuff from AJ Brimson, firing a brilliant pass across the line to get the Titans moving.
Sami then passed wide to Khan-Pereira who scored in the corner.
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Beau Fermor tries a kick from the sideline and misses.
It’s 24-20.
1h agoSun 22 Jun 2025 at 9:42am
62′ Ryley Smith on report
By Simon Smale
That’s a nasty one.
Ryley Smith lifted the legs of Philip Sami in a tackle and tipped him onto his head.
He apologises profusely but that could (should?) really be a sin bin.
It could have been very nasty.
1h agoSun 22 Jun 2025 at 9:39am
59′ Eels think they have a 40:20!
By Simon Smale
But the ball went out about 20cm before the 20m line!
It was so close – the Eels and their fans were euphoric after the pressure they’ve been under.
But the correct decision was made in the end.
2h agoSun 22 Jun 2025 at 9:38am
58′ FORAN DROPS IT COLD!
By Simon Smale
The kick pressure from the Eels has been great all night.
And when Foran needed to get a kick in at the end of a set where the Titans went nowhere, he fluffs it badly.
2h agoSun 22 Jun 2025 at 9:37am
57′ Knock on Iongi!
By Simon Smale
Bad luck for Isaiah
Iongi, who knocks on at the goal line trying to stop a Alofiana Khan-Pereira
from squeezing through.
2h agoSun 22 Jun 2025 at 9:36am
56′ Tino Fa’asuamaleaui held up!
By Simon Smale
Williams makes an amazing tackle on Tino
Fa’asuamaleaui to stop the giant Maroons forward from crossing.
2h agoSun 22 Jun 2025 at 9:35am
55′ Penalty Titans
By Simon Smale
Matt Doorey strips the ball in a three-man tackle.
The Eels are going to challenge but it’s a clear penalty.
Good chance for the Eels 20 metres out.
With Femor taking the kicks, they don’t opt to take the points to reduce the deficit.
2h agoSun 22 Jun 2025 at 9:34am
55′ Kelma Tuilagi passes the ball straight to the Titans!
By Simon Smale
Incredible!
He was making some extra metres up the middle and then, as he was falling, he tried to offload but he did so straight into the hands of a Titan.
2h agoSun 22 Jun 2025 at 9:30am
51′ Kitione Kautoga loses the ball
By Simon Smale
That’s a bad error from the Eels, just after points they cough up possession and the Titans will have the ball on the Eels 40 to start.
2h agoSun 22 Jun 2025 at 9:29am
49′ Hawkins scores off the post!
By Simon Smale
Lovely stuff from the Eels!
Kitione Kautoga and Dylan Walker link up to make a line break up the middle.
Off a supremely quick play the ball Iongi grubbers towards the in-goal.
The ball hits the post and is gathered by Dean Hawkins who dives over.
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Brilliant from Iongi.
Brilliant from the Eels.
The kick is good and it’s 24-16.
2h agoSun 22 Jun 2025 at 9:24am
45′ Lomax pinged for a mid-air tackle, but challenge it
By Simon Smale
Lomax and the home support are furious this this decision, as AJ Brimson and Lomax compete for the ball.
It’s been sent upstairs and it’s not a mid-air tackle.
AJ Brimson did so well to hold onto the ball but it was just a contest.
It’s not a penalty and the Titans get no free metres out their own end.
2h agoSun 22 Jun 2025 at 9:21am
44′ Titans lose the ball now
By Simon Smale
Jojo Fifita loses the ball after a poor pass from AJ Brimson.
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