SYDNEY CITY ROOSTERS	GAME 2	WESTERN SUBURBS MAGPIES
20	Saturday, 3rd of July 1999	12
Tries	Referee : B Grant	Tries
J Elsegood 2	Venue : Campbelltown Sports Ground	Kevin McGuiness
S Rigon	Crowd : 6,817	H Howard
N Wood	Half Time : 14-6 Sydney City
Goals		Goals
I Cleary 2/4		T Baker 2/2
COMMENTS : Sydney City continue to struggle in their Fittler-less games. Even though Lam returned to the bench for this game, the Roosters were not their old self with undecisive running and dodgy defence making the scoreline closer than it maybe could have been. Having said that, Wests worked hard and produced an excellent try just before the break to give them a chance. However the class of some of the Rooster's players shone through with Fletcher standing out, and Nat Wood relishing the role of halfback as Lam played in spurts off the bench. For the Maggies, they would have to be disappointed that they couldn't go on with it, but Brett Hodgson, Harvey Howard and John Skandalis played strongly.

SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS	GAME 3	PENRITH PANTHERS
20	Saturday, 3rd of July 1999	0
Tries	Referee : Paul Simpkins	Tries
W Patten	Venue : Penrith Football Stadium
J Nicol	Crowd : 12,017
S Garlick	Half Time : 12-0 South Sydney
Goals		Goals
J O'Neill 4/6
COMMENTS : It was the first time in 17 years that Penrith failed to score a point at their home ground. A nasty record to break, but they didn't deserve not to. South Sydney played all over the Panthers except for a few lost chances from the Panthers. Sid Domic lost the ball over the line and repeated drops from catches gave Souths plenty of opportunity to score. Julian O'Neill played from Five-Eighth for much of the game and shone out for the Rabbitohs. This win now puts the Rabbitohs into the top 8 and the opportunity to stay there wtih Balmain and Auckland games coming up in the next few weeks. For the Panthers, this was a telling blow as their finals hopes start to slip away. They are now in 10th spot and haven't looked like the team that they were in the first half of the season. Craig Gower tried hard from Halfback with Greg Alexander suspended for a week, but it wasn't enough. It was also the first time in a decade that Souths have kept an opposition team scoreless.

MANLY SEA-EAGLES	GAME 4	NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
28	Saturday, 3rd of July 1999	26
Tries	Referee : Matt Hewitt	Tries
B Reeves	Venue : Dairy Farmers Stadium	D Smith 2
A Torrens	Crowd : 15,389	N Nadruku
S Menzies	Half Time : 16-12 North Queensland	J Doyle
T Hill		B Hetherington
A Frew
Goals		Goals
A Brown 3/4		S Prince 3/5
B Reeves 1/1
COMMENTS : Another game that North Queensland threw away. They were playing well for most of the game, and it came down to a conversion from Scott Prince in the last minute of the game that could have seen them draw. However North Queensland let the Sea-Eagles in late in the game when Chad Halliday fumbled the ball near his line allowing Albert Torrens to score from a Cliff Lyons chip. Cliffy Lyons was outstanding for the Sea-Eagles proving that age will not weary him. Geoff Toovey was also impressive. This win take Manly off the bottom of the ladder leaving Wests there by themselves.

CANTERBURY BULLDOGS	GAME 5	THE SHARKS
14	Sunday, 4th of July 1999	6
Tries	Referee : Tim Mander	Tries
R Stuart 2	Venue : Stadium Australia	T Maddison
H El Masri	Crowd : 20,173
	Half Time : 10-0 Canterbury
Goals		Goals
D Halligan 1/3		M Healey 1/1
COMMENTS : The Sharks crashed to their 2nd straight loss with the Bulldogs running in 3 tries to 1 at Stadium Australia before a very healthy crowd. Ricky Stuart was in form of old with a 2 try effort that inspired the Bulldogs to impressive defensive efforts as the Sharks repeatedly attacked the Bulldogs line in the second half. Jason Hetherington was the standout for the Bulldogs with a sterling defensive game. The Sharks now face Canberra at Shark Park next Friday, and will be hoping to turn things around. Canterbury are entrenched in the top 8 now and are looking strong, especially with Clyde making a successful return after THAT horse riding accident.

NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS	GAME 6	NORTH SYDNEY BEARS
46	Sunday, 4th of July 1999	20
Tries	Referee : Steven Clark	Tries
M Hughes 2	Venue : North Sydney Oval	J Goddard 2
M Gidley	Crowd : 9,712	S Pethybridge
A MacDougall	Half Time : 28-2 Newcastle
M Johns
S Conley
P Rauhihi
D Buderus
Goals		Goals
A Johns 6/7		J Taylor 4/4
B Peden 1/1
COMMENTS : Once again, the Newcastle Knights, led by the amazing Andrew Johns romped it in against the forlorn Bears. Every metaphor under the sun has been used to describe the Bears poor performances this season, but it has to come down to the coaching. Peter Louis is leaving the club at the end of the year, and there have been very public problems with the captain Jason Taylor, the management and the fans of the Bears with Peter Louis. Therefore the team is actually being coached by the assistant coach and it must be hard to concentrate on footy when the management is so messed up. However Newcastle were just too good for the Bears with a 8 try romp. Once again Andrew Johns was the catalyst for the side plus Buttefield played outstanding and hooker Buderus stepped out of the Walters shadow and was busy around the rucks. Newcastle, with Parramatta and St.George-Illawarra are the form sides of the comp and are looking good going into the last third of the season.

BRISBANE BRONCOS	GAME 7	BALMAIN TIGERS
42	Sunday, 4th of July 1999	10
Tries	Referee : Sean Hampstead	Tries
W Sailor 2	Venue : ANZ Stadium	M Stimson
S Berrigan	Crowd : 17,538	J Carlaw
T Carroll	Half Time : 10-6 Brisbane
B Walker
S Walker
D Lockyer
Goals		Goals
B Walker 6/8		S Nevin 1/2
D Lockyer 1/1
COMMENTS : Brisbane have stretched their winning streak to 6 with a comprehensive victory over the Tigers. Sailor scored 2, and Lockyer played well as Brisbane ran in 7 tries. The downside for the Broncos is that fact that Renouf twisted his ankle and will be out for up to 3 weeks. Balmain were not disgraced although they lost by a hefty margin. They were simply tired in the second half as Brisbane attacking machine kicked into high gear. Brisbane are sniffing at the door to the top 8 now and have Auckland and Souths to face in the coming weeks.

CANBERRA RAIDERS	GAME 8	AUCKLAND WARRIORS
46	Sunday, 4th of July 1999	22
Tries	Referee : Paul McBlane	Tries
M McLinden 2	Venue : Bruce Stadium	O Manuel
A McFadden 2	Crowd : 10,155	N Vagana
L Vainikolo 2	Half Time : 18-18	S Hoppe
L Daley		R Mears
J Burnham
Goals		Goals
L Williamson 7/8		J Simon 3/4
COMMENTS : Canberra outplayed the Warriors for 80 minutes in this game although the scores were tied at half time. Auckland fumbled their way through the game albeir for a few inspiraions that caused the tries. Canberra ran away with the game in the second half, similar to Brisbane against the Tigers. Auckland just couldn't handle the pace and moves of the 2 Macs. Andrew and Mark both played pearlers, while in a rare treat for the Canberra crowd, three of their players scored twice. Andrew McFadden just pipped his fellow Mac to the post with the Man of the Match awards, but Mark and Laurie Daley were both standouts. Canberra have a couple of injury concerns though with Mullins and Brann in doubt for next week.