PARRAMATTA EELS
GAME 1
NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS
29
Friday, 30th of April 1999
22
Tries
Referee : Tim Mander
Tries
J Smith 2
Venue : Parramatta Stadium
J Moodie 2
S Kelly
Crowd : 12,021
T Butterfield
J McCracken
Half Time : 19-12 Parramatta
M Johns
B Kusto
  
Goals
Goals
L Burt 4/6
A Johns 3/4
J Smith 1 Field Goal
    
COMMENTS : A fantastic game this one. Parramatta looked like another team from the one that went down to Manly the week before. Jason Smith was outstanding like usual, but it was the Forwards that really paved the way. Michael Vella is representative material with a man of the match performance, while Tookey had a big game, and Moran's running from dummy half was excellent. Parramatta lead 18-0 after 20 minutes, but let Newcastle in for 2 late 1st half tries to tighten things up. Parramatta again started the 2nd half with a try, and this helped them keep enough momentum to hold off the Newcastle attack. Once again the Eels managed to shut down the Johns boys sufficiently. Ben Kusto came off the bench to score the clinching try with 10 minutes to go. A quality game of Footy with very little mistakes.

CANTERBURY BULLDOGS
GAME 2
WESTERN SUBURBS MAGPIES
26
Saturday, 1st of May 1999
12
Tries
Referee : Paul Simpkins
Tries
W Talau
Venue : Stadium Australia
B Davis
T Norton
Crowd : 8,283
M Spence
B Sherwin
Half Time : 12-8 Western Suburbs
H El-Masri
  
Goals
Goals
D Halligan 5/5
B Hodgson 2/2
COMMENTS : Canterbury were a little flat in this game. It took then 60 minutes to wake up, and then they easily out lasted the Magpies in the second half. Wests performed admirably however and it seemed to come down to fitness in the end. Canterbury ran in 2 late tries to give the final scoreline, but it could have been a lot closer. Travis Norton played well in his first game of the season, while Halligan is back to his old tricks with a 100% goal-kicking display.

ST.GEORGE-ILLAWARRA DRAGONS
GAME 3
SYDNEY CITY ROOSTERS
20
Saturday, 1st of May 1999
16
Tries
Referee : Brian Grant
Tries
A Mundine 2
Venue : WIN Stadium
L Ricketson
N Blacklock
Crowd : 14,731
B Fittler
T Barrett
Half Time : 10-4 Sydney City
A Lam
Goals
Goals
W Bartrim 1/4
A Walker 2/3
C Fitzgibbon 1/1
    
COMMENTS : Anthony Mundine may have a lip on him, but he can certainly play. In this game he ripped through the Roosters defence repeatedly in the second half to halt the 7 game winning streak of the Roosters. Before a healthy Wollongong crowd, the Dragons put on a spectacular show. A controversial video try to Barrett proved the game winner. For the losers, Fittler played well (as usual) as well as Lam.

NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
GAME 4
BALMAIN TIGERS
20
Saturday, 1st of May 1999
14
Tries
Referee : Steven Clark
Tries
B Jellick
Venue : Dairy Farmers Stadium
S Price
M Shipway
Crowd : 14,752
R Villasanti
K Warren
Half Time : 12-8 Balmain
Goals
Goals
A Connelly 2/3?
J Caine 3/3?
COMMENTS : Don't know much about this game, but I do know that the Cowboys haven't been beat for 3 rounds and are looking to be in good form! THey should have a good tussle with the rejuvenated Sea-Eagles next week. Balmain looked to be disappointing and missed their new acquisition, Craig Field.

MELBOURNE STORM
GAME 5
BRISBANE BRONCOS
28
Sunday, 2nd of May 1999
18
Tries
Referee : Bill Harrigan
Tries
R Ross 2
Venue : Olympic Park
S Walker
M Rua
Crowd : 16,473
T Carroll
D Williams
Half Time : 12-6 Melbourne
M Devere
S Hill
    
S Kearney
  
Goals
Goals
M Geyer 4/6
M Devere 2/2
   
B Walker 1/1
COMMENTS : Brisbane have lost Langer and they were fired up for this game, but it wasn't enough. It was a very physical game, and a mentally powerful agme from the Broncos with plenty of sledging directed at the Storm. Melbourne prevailed however and when Scott Hill scored 4 minutes from full-time, it was all over. Howe played well again.

CANBERRA RAIDERS
GAME 6
NORTH SYDNEY BEARS
37
Sunday, 2nd of May 1999
8
Tries
Referee : Matt Hewitt
Tries
J Croker 2
Venue : Stadium Australia
J Wilson
B Mullins
Crowd : 8,032
L Williamson
Half Time : 10-2 Canberra
D Furner
  
A McFadden
    
Pearson
  
Goals
Goals
L Williamson 4/7
  
J Taylor 2/2
L Daley 1 Field Goal
COMMENTS : The Raiders are hot and cold this season, but they proved their worth in this game with a 7 try drubbing of the home-less Bears. The Bears are looking like a lost side this season, with their new home ground not available and a different ground every home game. Their coach is leaving at the end of the season, and several iof their players have specified dissent at moving to the Central Coast. Trouble a plenty! Can they get out of this rut? Canberra were superior all over the park in this game, with Daley, Pearson and Ben Kennedy leading the way.

SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
GAME 7
AUCKLAND WARRIORS
12
Sunday, 2nd of May 1999
8
Tries
Referee : Rod Lawrence
Tries
C Wing
Venue : Ericcson Stadium
C Beverley
D Trindall
Crowd : approx. 5000
Goals
Half Time : 6-2 South Sydney
Goals
J O'Neill 2/2
S Jones 1/3
   
Dougherty 1/1
COMMENTS : In a very uninspiring game, the Rabbitohs got up over a lack lustre Warriors side. Once again, Trindall was the stand out for the Rabbits, but to their coaches admission, no-one played exceptionally well. Auckland have yet to win at their home ground this year (or to win again?)

MANLY SEA-EAGLES
GAME 8
PENRITH PANTHERS
26
Sunday, 2nd of May 1999
22
Tries
Referee : Sean Hampstead
Tries
A King
Venue : Brookvale Oval
R Girdler
A Frew
Crowd : 10,189
S Elford
A Brown
Half Time : 10-0 Manly
C MacNamara
A Collela
  
O Cunningham
  
Goals
Goals
A Brown 3/5
R Girdler 3/4
COMMENTS : Manly are back! (Doh!) They won their 2nd of the year (and in a row) with a courageous victory over the previously competition leading Panthers. Penrith looked uncharacteristically flat in this game, despite some quality performances from Girdler and Gower, they couldn' t get home against an impressive Manly outfit.