Smith guides Storm to win over Roosters, Sharks pip Warriors
A Cameron Smith field goal in the dying stages handed the Storm a 9-8 win over the Roosters, while the Sharks enjoyed a last-gasp 18-15 victory over the Warriors.
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Storm beat Roosters with late Smith field goal
Melbourne skipper Cameron Smith has booted a field goal to sink former teammate Cooper Cronk and the Sydney Roosters in a memorable 9-8 win at Adelaide Oval.
Smith showed nerves of steel to kick the winner from 40 metres out on Friday night, as his side provisionally moved into third on the NRL ladder.
Playing against his former side for the first time, Cronk had a chance to send the game into golden point in the dying seconds but had his field goal attempt charged down by Ryan Hoffman.
Hoffman twice smothered Cronk's attempt at one point in a helter-skelter final five minutes that also had Cameron Munster twice miss shots at field goal.
Dylan Napa's involvement in State of Origin III appears doubtful after the Queensland prop left the field with 10 minutes remaining with a suspected medial ligament strain.
After twisting his left knee in a Nelson Asofa-Solomona tackle, he went straight up the tunnel and is racing the clock 12 days out from the Game Three dead rubber.
The match was mostly a dour affair but a thrilling finish served the purpose of spreading the rugby league gospel in Australian rules heartland.
The Roosters were reduced to 12 men in the 50th minute when Victor Radley was sin-binned for a late high shot on Christian Welch.
External Link: Roosters – Storm summary
The Storm finally took advantage when Asofa-Solomona crashed over off a Smith short ball for the first try of the game at the one-hour mark.
It also allowed Smith to pass 2,300 career points, becoming just the second player in history to do so after Canterbury great Hazem El Masri.
Asofa-Solomona quickly went from hero to villain after spilling the ball from the kick-off, allowing debutant Matt Ikuvalu to score in the corner.
External Link: Roosters – Storm chalkboard
Latrell Mitchell converted from the sidelines to lock up the scores at 8-8 with 16 minutes on the clock but missed a penalty attempt from right in front just four minutes later.
Earlier, the two sides went into halftime locked at 2-2 after an opening 40 minutes marked by 15 penalties and some staunch defence from both sides.
At one point the Storm had six sets in a row on the Roosters' line but were turned away with Luke Keary coming up with a desperate try-saver on Suliasi Vunivalu.
Mitchell had a chance to give his side a two-point lead but missed a penalty conversion on the stroke of half-time.
NSW also have concerns over Josh Addo-Carr, who appeared to injure his ankle after he was trodden on by Blues teammate Mitchell.
External Link: Roosters – Storm stats
Sharks edge out Warriors in Auckland
Edrick Lee has gone from zero to hero, as Cronulla pulled off a last-gasp 18-15 win over the Warriors at Mt Smart Stadium.
In a dramatic finish between two top-eight teams, Lee crossed in the left corner in the 78th minute to hand new signing Aaron Woods a win in his first Sharks appearance.
It capped a disastrous night for the Warriors, who lost forwards Bunty Afoa and Tohu Harris to what appeared to be serious injuries.
The home side appeared to have an 11th victory in their grasp when half-back Shaun Johnson landed a field goal to put his team in front off the back of a glaring Lee handling error.
External Link: Warriors – Sharks summary
Issac Luke crossed for what seemed a match-winning try soon afterwards but it was disallowed for offside, handing Cronulla a late chance.
The Sharks took it through Lee's second try to notch a 10th win for the season, the same number as the Warriors, who have played one less game.
Woods played his part in a dominant Cronulla pack, three days after his mid-season switch from Canterbury.
The unwanted Blues prop came off the bench and clocked up 128m from 15 runs to join Paul Gallen and Andrew Fifita as influential Sharks big men.
Deprived of possession and hammered 8-3 in the penalty count, the Warriors did well to be level 12-12 at half-time and still in the contest during the thrilling final exchanges.
External Link: Warriors – Sharks chalkboard
Prop Afoa left the game before half-time with a suspected dislocated elbow, while Harris limped off in the final minute with an apparent knee complaint.
Captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck was a Warriors standout again, unleashing one spectacular run and couple of try-saving tackles to narrowly shade Valentine Holmes in a clash of two of the form full-backs.
The Warriors best period was easily the opening eight minutes when they set up tries to centres Solomone Kata and Anthony Gelling.
The visitors began to establish control, responding through backs Jesse Ramien and Edrick Lee, who are both bound for Newcastle next year.
External Link: Warriors – Sharks stats
Chad Townsend kicked penalties either side of halftime to put the Sharks 14-12 ahead before opposite Johnson levelled the scores with a penalty 12 minutes from full-time.
Warriors coach Stephen Kearney started with two New Zealand internationals involved in the Test loss to England.
Luke ground out 80 minutes while Peta Hiku played out of position on the right wing in place of the injured David Fusitu'a.
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