As it happened: Raiders Kaeo Storm; Cleary masterclass; Dogs dazzle

Next week: The Storm look to bounce back when they host Wests Tigers at AAMI Park while the Raiders return home to Canberra for a top of the table blockbuster against the Bulldogs on Saturday.

Full-time: The Raiders jump to second on the ladder on the back of their seventh win of the season. Kaeo Weekes ran for 198 metres and came up with the try to send the game to golden point while Savelio Tamale ran for 188 metres and was superb under the high ball. Sua Faalogo was at his dazzling best for the Storm with 213 run metres and a try and try assist. 

85 min: A penalty against Trent Loiero for a high shot on Hudson Young gives Jamal Fogarty a shot from 20 metres out in front of the posts. The Raiders No.7 nails the kicks and the Raiders get home 20-18 in a thriller.

85 min: Jamal Fogarty has his field goal shot charged down and the ball goes dead off the Storm players so a line dropout follows.

84 min: A penalty against Seb Kris for a late tackle hands the Storm a chance to move into field goal position but a scuffle occurs and Stefano Utoikamanu and Josh Papalii are both sent to the sin bin. The Raiders get the penalty for Utoikamanu lashing out in the play the ball before the melee.

Full-time: We head to golden point with an epic clash finishing at 18-18.

78 min: The Raiders again prove the masters of the great escape after a superb offload by Matty Nicholson puts Kaeo Weekes into space. The fullback chips over the top of Ryan Papenhuyzen and comes up with a stunning pick-up in the greasy conditions to make it 18-16. Jamal Fogarty adds the extras to lock it up at 18-18 with 30 seconds to play.

77 min: Raiders forward Corey Horsburgh leaves the field for a HIA.

76 min: Trent Loiero is penalised and placed on report for the actions on Tapine and the Raiders hang on.

74 min: Seb Kris makes a mess of a play the ball 10 metres out from his own line and the Storm take a field goal through Ryan Papenhuyzen that would make the margin seven but the field goal is ruled out after replays show Trent Loiero had elbowed Joe Tapine in the face at the play the ball. Storm 18-12.

71 min: The Raiders are coming hard but Hudson Young's chip over the top is expertly cleaned up on the full by Ryan Papenhuyzen.

67 min: Raiders hooker Owen Pattie's kick goes too long and rolls dead to hand the Storm a seven-tackle set out of their own end.

64 min: Storm utility Tyran Wishart leaves the field for a HIA.

63 min: With the rain coming down again, the Raiders launch a successful captain's challenge to remain in the attacking zone but great scramble defence by the Storm denies the Green Machine.

59 min: Having set up a special try in the first half, Sua Faalogo grabs a magical Magic Round four-pointer of his own after Nick Meaney gets a magnificent offload away after being tackled by Seb Kris. The conversion is missed from wide out by Ryan Papenhuyzen. Storm 18-12.

57 min: The Raiders blow a golden chance to hit the lead when Owen Pattie throws a poor pass out of dummy half and Ata Mariota spills it.

53 min: A superb exchange of passes between the Raiders forwards almost produces a try but Owen Pattie can't hang on to the last pass.

50 min: Raiders prop Josh Papalii is placed on report after working over Ryan Papenhuyzen on the ground after the Storm fullback was tackled.

45 min: Another classy kick by Sua Faalogo earns the Storm a goal line dropout and they put some serious pressure on the Raiders line before their last tackle play goes wrong and the ball is knocked on.

41 min: An early mistake by Ryan Papenhuyzen puts the Storm under pressure but they muscle up in defence to bundle Savelio Tamale into touch.

Half-time: A cracking contest between two in-form sides with the Raiders completing at 94 per cent and the Storm 82 per cent. Plenty of stars on show with Sua Faalogo running for 145 metres and coming up with one of the try assists of the year with his infield kick for Paps. The Storm take a 14-12 lead into the sheds but the Green Machine will gain plenty of confidence from their fightback after trailing by 14.

39 min: Nick Meaney comes up with an error coming out of his own end Canberra almost make them pay when a Jamal Fogarty grubber hits the upright and presents Ethan Strange with a chance to pick it up and plunge over but he fails to control the bouncing ball.

37 min: The Storm lose their captain's challenge after unsuccessfully contesting a knock-on call from a kick contest.

34 min: The Raiders make the most of the field position when powerful centre Matt Timoko breaks through three tackles to score his fourth try of the season and Jamal Fogarty converts to cut the margin to two. Storm 14-12.

32 min: Back-to-back penalties put Canberra inside the Red Zone again and they earn a goal line dropout when a Kaeo Weekes grubber is grounded by Grant Anderson.

29 min: Trent Loiero concedes a penalty for overdoing it in a tackle on Corey Horsburgh and the Raiders cash in when Savalio Tamale powers his way into the corner despite Sua Faalogo's efforts to bundle him out. Jamal Fogarty produces a pinpoint kick from touch to add the extras. Storm 14-6.

25 min: Raiders hooker Tom Starling is penalised for late contact on Cameron Munster after a kick and Ryan Papenhuyzen steps up to bang over the penalty goal to make it 14-0.

22 min: The Raiders get their first chance inside the Red Zone but a grubber from Matt Timoko on the last tackle is too heavy and the Storm get a seven-tackle set.

20 min: Stefano Utoikamanu and Joe Tapine square off under the sticks as the emotions spill over again. The Raiders receive the penalty.

20 min: With the Storm in complete control Jahrome Hughes produces a 40-20 to give his side another set inside the Red Zone.

16 min: A stunner from the Storm as Nick Meaney puts Sua Faalogo down the right edge and the winger makes 45 metres before kicking back infield for Ryan Papenhuyzen to catch the ball on the full and score under the sticks. Papenhuyzen converts for a 12-0 lead.

11 min: A penalty against Matt Timoko for obstructing Xavier Coates on kick chase handed Ryan Papenhuyzen a chance to make amends for his missed conversion and he made no mistake. Storm 6-0.

7 min: A sizzling run by Sua Faalogo ends just short of the tryline but Cameron Munster comes up with a cross field kick on the next play for Grant Anderson to follow through and score the opening try. Ryan Papenhuyzen's conversion attempt sails wide. Storm 4-0.

3 min: A high tackle by Eli Katoa earns Canberra a penalty and a scuffle follows as both sides let off some steam early.

1 min: Raiders forward Corey Horsburgh comes up with an error on the first carry of the game and the Storm go within an ace of making them pay but a swarm of defenders shut down Sua Faalogo to keep Canberra's line intact.

 

Magic Numbers

• The Storm have scored an average of 34 points per game at Magic Round.
• The Raiders have averaged 36 points per game over the past month.
• Storm halfback Jahrome Hughes has scored four tries in his last three games at Suncorp Stadium.

Late Mail

Craig Bellamy's Storm side is 1-17 with no game day changes. Sua Fa'alogo lines up on the wing having been cleared of a concussion after last week's win over South Sydney. Tui Kamikamica is set to make his return from an ankle injury on the interchange. 

The Raiders will take the field 1-17 with no late changes. Josh Papalii remains on the interchange as per Tuesday's original selection. Simi Sasagi is the 18th man for the second straight week. Skipper Joseph Tapine plays his 200th NRL match. 

 

Panthers v Broncos at Suncorp Stadium

The Panthers are back after a Nathan Cleary masterclass inspired the four-time premiers to an emphatic 32-8 defeat of the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium.

Sitting in outright last place after just two wins from their opening eight matches, Penrith blew Brisbane off the park as Cleary revived memories of his 2023 grand final performance against the same team.

The superstar playmaker even scored a try that was a virtual carbon copy of the one in the grand final and he had a role in each of Penrith's other four tries.

The turning point was Brisbane's decision to take a penalty goal after being unable to penetrate the defence of the Panthers midway through the first half, despite being camped on their opponent's line.

The Broncos didn't score another point as Cleary took control of the match in his a and Penrith's best performance of the season.

70 min: The Broncos forced a goal line drop out after Jenkins was trapped from a kick but Corey Jensen was offside and the Panthers received a penalty. 

55 min: Jenkins scored his second try in similar circumstances after quick hands from Cleary, Talagi and Garner created an overlap out wide. Panthers 32 Broncos 8 

45 min: Cleary makes the Broncos pay as he lays on another try after combining with rookie five-eighth Blaize Talangi before make shift centre Luke Garner bats the ball on for winger Tom Jenkins to score. Panthers 26 Broncos 8

44 min: Reynolds has again kicked out on the full.

Halftime summary

Nathan Cleary has revived memories of his 2023 grand final performance agaisnt the Broncos to guide the Panthers to a 20-8 halftime lead. After a period of sustained defence on their own line, Penrith appeared to take confidence from Brisbane's decision to kick a 32nd minute penalty goal to level the scores. Cleary produced a spectacular 40/20 kick and rookie Luron Patea scored. Cleary then scored a try of his own - a virtual carbon copy of the one he scored in the 2023 grand final. Former Broncos coach Kevin Walters, who took the team to the grand final, said it was hard to watch Cleary dominate again in his role as a commentator for Fox League. 

40th min: More Cleary brilliance has sent the Panthers to a 12 point lead as the teams go to the dressing sheds at halftime. Receiving the ball on the left side of the ruck, Cleary feigned to pass and then stepped inside, beating Reynolds to score. Panthers 20 Broncos 8

37th min: Luron Patea crashes over from dummy half to score his first NRL try. Cleary converted. Panthers 14 Broncos 8 

36 min: Cleary puts the Panthers back in an attacking position with a brilliant 40/20 kick.

32 min: Adam Reynolds has surpassed Hazem El Masri as the second highest pointscorer in premiership history after kicking a penalty goal to level the scores. Panthers 8 Broncos 8

30 min: The Broncos have been camped on the Panthers line, with the four times premiers conceding three six agains, two goal line dropouts and a penalty but Brisbane fail to capitalise.

25 min: The Panthers have hit the lead after Cleary received a penalty for a late tackle and kicked a simple penalty goal. Panthers 8 Broncos 6.

23 min: Reynolds has kicked out on the full attempting a 40/20 kick. 

15 min: The Panthers hit back and it is that man, Nathan Cleary, who produces a perfectly placed short bomb behind Broncos fullback Selwyn Cobbo for winger Izack Tago to score. Cleary converted. Panthers 6 Broncos 6.

10 min: Ben Hunt scored the opening try after outleaping Nathan Cleary for an Adam Reynolds kick. Reynolds converted. Broncos 6-0

7 min: The Broncos have started with great intensity, putting the Panthers on the back foot through offloads and forced a goal line drop out when Lindsay Smith was tackled behind his own line off a Ben Hunt kick.

The Broncos will wear black armbands to honour Jack Gosiewski's father, who passed away last week after a short battle with cancer. 

Late Mail

Panthers: Isaiah Papali'i has come into the starting side to replace Scott Sorensen after the forward's unsuccessful trip to the judiciary on Tuesday night. Luron Patea joins the bench. Luke Garner is preparing for his first match since suffering a concussion in Round 7 while Brian To'o is at least another week away in his recovery from a hamstring injury. Luke Sommerton was named at hooker, after Brad Schneider was ruled out with an eye injury but shifts back to the bench in a reshuffle, with Trent Toelau to start at dummy half. Lindsay Smith will also start, with Liam Henry dropping back to the bench.

Broncos: Jordan Riki has been cleared to make his return from a staph infection, and will start on the interchange. Halfback Adam Reynolds is set to take his place in the side after overcoming a shoulder injury and infection in the past week. Riki's move to the bench sees Brendan Piakura again promoted to start in the second-row. Reynolds requires three points to overtake Hazem El Masri and climb to second on the all-time premiership point scorers list. Tyson Smoothy is the 18th man.

Titans v Bulldogs at Suncorp Stadium

Full-time: The scores remain 38-18 with the Bulldogs doing just enough to deny the Titans a win. In a game that reached no great heights, the scoreline would actually have been much closer if the Titans were able to convert some of their four-pointers, only able to add the extras on one of their four tries. Kiraz was a standout for the visiting side, scoring a hat-trick.

79th min: Reed Mahoney seals the deal for the Bulldogs, with some nice interaction of passing in the lead up. Crichton again perfect with the boot, converting for a 38-18 lead.

76th min: Preston is sent to the sin bin for a Crusher tackle on Tino Fa'asuamaleaui, making it 12 on 12 in the closing stages of the game. 

73rd min: With another one-man advantage, the Bulldogs thought they have put the Xerri on top with a try, but it is called back by the Bunker for a knock on.

70th min: Chris Randall is sent to the sin bin with just over 10 minutes left in the match for a professional foul, deemed to have impeded Bronson Xerri, but there was no hint of a penalty try.

66th min: Some joy for the Titans eventually with a Lofi getting a typical Lofi try, collecting a bouncing ball on the fly in his own 20 to sprint down the middle of the field. Kelly finally gets an easy conversion attempts and is successful, narrowing scores to 32-18. 

60th min: Titans keep on fighting and Fermor has his second try. Brimson puts in the kick into the in-goal for his second rower to score. The try came after fullback Jaylan De Groot - who has been helping AJ Brimson in the halves after Weaver was ruled out of the game - and earns a repeat set, giving them a chance to attack. Kelly's kick is again off target and scores stay 32-12. 

54th min: And another! Kiraz has a hat-trick with Crichton setting him up with a good run that includes a dummy flick pass to his outside to evade the Titans defenders. The Bulldogs captain converts the and the Bulldogs have a big 32-8 lead. 

48th min: The Bulldogs go back to back with Preston going over after Kiraz bats back a Toby Sexton kick. Crichton slots another for a 26-8 lead. 

44th min: The Bulldogs are the first team to score in the second half after attacking the right side that is still missing Kelly in the bin, with Kiraz picking up his second. Crichton converts and the scores are 20-8. 

Half-time: The Bulldogs hold a 14-8 lead at the break in a topsy-turvy half that has been a hard slog for the two teams involved. The Gold Coast lost halfback Tom Weaver in the fourth minute to a head knock, causing some disruption to their attack, but they have scrapped their way to two tries to keep in touch with the Bulldogs who had raced to an early lead. 

The stats at the break have the Titans with 49% of the possession with a 16/20 completion rate to 51% for the Bulldogs with 16/22 completions. 

34th min: Brian Kelly is put in the sin bin for being offside on a scrum, after the Titans were pinged previously for being offside. Stephen Crichton kicks a penalty goal to extend the lead to 14-8. 

31st min: The main thing to note about this next try for the Titans is that Tino Fa'asuamaleaui did a chip and chase and it came off for his team. While he couldn't quite collect it himself, the Titans were able to get the ball to Phil Sami to score. Kelly's conversion is unsuccessful after he slips over on his approach. Bulldogs lead 12-8.

20th min: Tony Francis scoops up a loose pass 12 metres out from his own line to sprint down the field before getting run down by Tracey. The Titans then swing the ball to the left and eventually the Queensland side are rewarded with Beau Fermor adding to his try scoring tally. Brian Kelly misses the conversion attempt from the far left, keeping scores at 12-4. 

12th min: Bulldogs get their second with a spectacular offload from Jacob Preston, who manages to get a ball to fullback Connor Tracey as he is falling in a tackle. Crichton converts for a 12-0 lead. 

7th min: The Bulldogs are denied a second try after it is deemed to be a double knock on, with the Titans breathing a sign of relief and giving them a chance to regroup.

5th min: After an uneventful start, plenty has happened since with Tom Weaver sent from the field for a HIA after getting his head caught in the wrong place trying to tackle Viliame Kikau. In the next play, the Bulldogs kick out to their right with Jacob Kiraz outjumping Alofiana Khan-Pereira, swiveling to his left to score. Stephen Crichton converts for a 6-0 lead. 

3rd min: Steady start from both sides who are playing on a Suncorp Stadium field currently bathed in sunshine. 

Late Mail

Titans: A few late changes to the Titans before kick-off. Tony Francis comes in to start on the wing in place of Jojo Fifita. Chris Randall moves to the bench with Klese Haas promoted to start. Earlier, emerging prop Josiah Pahulu is set for his NRL game of the season after making a successful return from concussion through Queensland Cup. The 20-year-old has been selected on a new-look bench after representative forward David Fifita was dropped. Iszac Faasuamaleaui will also start from the interchange with Jaimin Jolliffe suspended. Reigning Hostplus Cup prop of the year Tukimihia Simpkins was included in the squad when it was trimmed to 19 on Saturday and remains as 18th player. 

Bulldogs: No late changes to the Bulldogs on game day. Bailey Hayward will return to the halves after five-eighth Matt Burton was suspended while Daniel Suluka-Fifita is set to take on a bigger role up front with Josh Curran and Sitili Tupouniua also suspended. Kurtis Morrin will also get his first chance in the top flight since Round 3, while Blake Taaffe has also been called in for his second game of the season. Lipoi Hopoi remains as 18th player.