NRL wrap - ROUND 19

Friday night footy kicked off to see the mighty Panthers juggernaut continue to sweep all before them. This time Penrith over came an Origin weary Knights outfit in Newcastle. With a bye still in hand, the Panthers are now looking odds-on to claim the 2003 minor premiership.

Saturday afternoon saw the Raiders sneak home against the Tigers in Canberra. Tigers supporters had every reason to go ballistic following the roughest of decisions from referee Steve Lyons. There were a number of dodgy decisions but the bell ringer was right on full time when the Tigers were robbed following a forward pass ruling against them. It looked like a fair dinkum try and even Raiders' coach Matt Elliott questioned the decision.

Next up were the Warriors who came home late to defeat the Sharks at Toyota. The result sees the Warriors still hanging onto glimpses of form while the Sharks fall further into the abyss. The news that Wigan coach Stuart Raper may be moving to Woolaware next year must have some Sharks' supporters jumping for joy. Incumbent coach Chris Anderson has probably found some relief in knowing that he will be leaving the hemisphere and finding a patch of support on the opposite side of the world.

Saturday night wound up with the Dragons making short work of the Cowboys in Townsville. With Origin star Josh Hannay off the field, the Cowboys looked out of step against a committed St George outfit. Even Glenn Morrison's new Mohawk couldn't save the locals as Saints posted a 36-16 win which coincidentally, was the opposite result to when the two teams previously met at Kogarah.

Sunday football saw the Broncos get home in extra time over the Storm in Melbourne. It's always great to see a happy coach and at extra-fulltime, Brissie coach Wayne Bennett was as happy as a pig in mud. Going off on the sidelines after his team got home with the golden try, Wayne showed us that emotion isn't exclusively the domain of mere mortals. A staunch critic of the golden point rule, Bennett was reportedly 'warming to the idea' following his team's victory under the new rule.

Meanwhile, the Roosters were handing out a real hiding to Manly at Brookvale. Scoring Nine tries to five and the highest scoring game so far in the 2003, Brad Fittler's charges eventually creamed the Sea Eagles in front of a stunned home crowd.

The final match of the round saw Souths go down to Parramatta at Aussie. For a while, Parra were handing out a thrashing but the Rabbitohs staged a comeback. However, with little on offer for either side, the match petered out for a comfy win to the Eels.

Next week (round 20, 25-27 July): Broncos v Sea Eagles at Suncorp Eels v Saints at Parramatta Storm v Rabbitohs in Melbourne Bulldogs v Cowboys at the Showground Raiders v Sharks in Canberra Westie Tigers v Kinights in Campbelltown Panthers v Roosters at Brookvale* Warriors: Bye *Mondays Expert match of the round

Round 19 results at a glance home team listed first

KNIGHTS 16 Tries: 3 Tahu Goals: Johns 2/3 defeated by PANTHERS 29 Tries: 2 Rooney, 2 Whatuira, Lewis, Waterhouse Goals: Girdler 2/6, Gower F/G Friday 18 July 2003 7:30 PM EnergyAustralia Stadium Referee: T Mander Crowd: 19,246 Leagueunlimited.com players of the match: 3 - C Gower (Panthers) 2 - T Tahu (Knights) 1 - S Sattler (Panthers)

RAIDERS 28 Tries: Monaghan 2, Lolesi 2, Mogg Goals: Schifcofske 4/5 defeated TIGERS 26 Tries: Wilson 2, O'Neill, Covell, Halatau Goals: Covell 3/5 Saturday 19 July 2003 5:30 PM Canberra Stadium Referee: S Lyons Crowd: 10,363 Leagueunlimited.com players of the match: 3 - M McLinden (Raiders) 2 - L Withers (Tigers) 1 - J Monaghan (Raiders)

SHARKS 24 Tries: Rieck, Peachey, Isemonger, Anderson. Goals: Anderson 4/6. defeated by WARRIORS 31 Tries: Toopi 2, Villisanti, Webb, Murphy. Goals: Jones 5/5, Jones FG. Saturday 19 July 2003 7:30 PM Toyota Park Referee: S Hayne Crowd: 13,563 Leagueunlimited.com players of the match: 3 - S Jones (Warriors) 2 - C Toopi (Warriors) 1 - D Peachey (Sharks)

COWBOYS 16 Tries: Sing, Bowman, Bowen Goals: Hannay 0/1, Morrison 2/3 defeated by DRAGONS 36 Tries: Gasnier 2, Young, Hornby, Leikvoll, Kite Goals: Riddell 6/6, Firman 0/1 Saturday 19 July 2003 7:30 PM Dairy Farmers Stadium Referee: P Simpkins Crowd: 16,542 Leagueunlimited.com players of the match: 3 - B Firman (Dragons) 2 - M Gasnier (Dragons) 1 - L Bailey (Dragons)

STORM 22 Tries: Slater, Bai, Hoffman, Moala Goals: Orford 3/5 defeated by BRONCOS 26 Tries: De Vere, Tate, MacGuire, Kelly, Minto Goals: De Vere 3/4 Sunday 20 July 2003 2:30 PM Olympic Park Melbourne Referee: S Clark Crowd: 11,512 Leagueunlimited.com players of the match: 3 - B Slater (Storm) 2 - D Lockyer (Broncos) 1 - M Geyer (Storm)

SEA EAGLES 26 Tries: Lima, MacDougall 2, Creary, Donald Goals: Walker (3/4), Williamson (0/1) defeated by ROOSTERS 50 Tries: C Walker 2, Wing 2, Crocker, Robertson, Cross, Fittler, Morley Goals: Fittler (0/1), Crocker (7/8) Sunday 20 July 2003 3:00 PM Brookvale Oval Referee: B Harrigan Crowd: TBA Leagueunlimited.com players of the match: 3 - B Fittler (Roosters) 2 - M Crocker (Roosters) 1 - C Randall (Manly)

RABBITOHS 20 Tries: Hookey 2, Craigie, MacDougall Goals: Smith 2/3 defeated by EELS 34 Tries: Witt 2, Lyon 2, Heckenberg, Morris Goals: Witt 4/5 Sunday 20 July 2003 3:00 PM Aussie Stadium Referee: S Hampstead Crowd: 8,987 Leagueunlimited.com players of the match: 3 - M Witt (Eels) 2 - O Craigie (Rabbitohs) 1 - N Hindmarsh (Eels)

Leagueunlimited.com Player of the Year Awards Round 19 Tally update: 21 points: D Lockyer (Broncos) 20 points: M Orford (Storm) 19 points: P Campbell (Panthers) 18 points: L Bailey (Dragons) 16 points: A Johns (Knights), C Schicofske (Raiders) 15 points: B Firman (Dragons), C Gower (Panthers) 14 points: A Minichiello (Roosters), B Sherwin (Bulldogs) 13 points: C Fitzgibbon (Roosters), B Slater (Storm) 12 points: T Hill (Tigers), B Kimmorley (Sharks), S Price (Bulldogs), C Wing (Roosters) 10 points: S Jones (Warriors), PJ Marsh (Warriors), F Meli (Warriors), G Morrison (Cowboys), L Priddis (Panthers), M Sing (Cowboys), J Smith (Rabbitohs), L Withers (Tigers) 9 points: B Drew (Raiders), R Wesser (Panthers), B Walker (Sea Eagles) 8 points: M Bowen (Cowboys), K Campion (Cowboys), J Ferris (Sea Eagles), B Fittler (Roosters), D Nutley (Sharks), G Tallis (Broncos), R Wiki (Raiders) 7 points: S Berrigan (Broncos), D Buderus (Knights), M Geyer (Storm), N Hindmarsh (Eels), L Hohaia (Warriors), S Kearney (Storm), M McLinden (Raiders), J Morris (Eels), S Timmins (Dragons), N Vagana (Bulldogs) 6 points: T Carroll (Broncos), S Faumuina (Warriors), B Kennedy (Knights), M O'Meley (Bulldogs), D Peachey (Sharks), C Pearson (Wests Tigers), A Watmough (Sea Eagles) 5 points: O Craigie (Rabbitohs), M Gidley (Knights), J Hannay (Cowboys), B Harris (Bulldogs), J Lyon (Eels), W Mason (Bulldogs), J Monaghan (Raiders), C Randall (Sea Eagles), M Riddell (Dragons), J Seu Seu (Warriors), P Stringer (Rabbitohs), L Swann (Warriors), L Thompson (Dragons), S Webcke (Broncos), S Woolford (Raiders) 4 points: D Abraham (Knights), P Bailey (Sharks), T Byrne (Roosters), B Finch (Roosters), B Fletcher (Rabbitohs), J Galuvao (Panthers), M Gasnier (Dragons), B Hodgson (Eels), R Kearns (Storm), L McWilliams (Cowboys), T Puletua (Panthers), J Skandalis (Tigers), T Tahu (Knights), B Tate (Broncos), P Whatuira (Panthers), M Witt (Eels) 3 points: B Anasta (Bulldogs), S Bell (Storm), L Covell (Tigers), H El Masri (Bulldogs), P Graham (Raiders), A Guttenbeil (Warriors), L Lewis (Panthers), J Lowe (Cowboys), M McClinden (Raiders), A Morley (Roosters), D Myles (Cowboys), J Perry (Knights), P Rauhihi (Cowboys), L Rooney (Panthers), S Sattler (Panthers), D Senter (Wests Tigers), B Webb (Warriors) 2 points: N Blacklock (Dragons), M Crocker (Roosters), D Byrne (Dragons), D Carlaw (Broncos), J Caine (Wests Tigers), L Dorn (Sea Eagles), J Feeney (Bulldogs), A Graham (Eels), 2 - T Grimaldi (Bulldogs), D Heckenberg (Eels), S Hill (Storm), L Hopkins (Eels), J Lolesi (Raiders), A MacDougall (Knights), N Merritt (Rabbitohs), B Reeves (Sea Eagles), L Ricketson (Roosters), S Rudder (Knights), J Ryles (Dragons), M Sargent (Storm), S Tadulala (Storm), C Toopi (Warriors) 1 point: T Barrett (Dragons), C Beattie (Sharks), M Creary (Sea Eagles), J Croker (Raiders), J Death (Rabbitohs), M De Vere (Broncos), S Donald (Sea Eagles), S Dunley (Eels), H Fa'afili (Warriors), B Galea (Wests Tigers), P Gallen (Sharks), R Girdler (Panthers), E Grothe (Roosters), A Hart (Rabbitohs), J Hodges (Roosters), S Kelly (Broncos), D Kidwell (Storm), L MacDougall (Rabbitohs), S Menzies (Sea Eagles), R O'Davis (Knights), M Peterson (Eels), A Quinn (Knights), C Sheppard (Cowboys), T Smith (Raiders), R Swain (Broncos), J Thurston (Bulldogs), C Webb (Broncos), D Widders (Eels), T Williams (Cowboys), A Woolnough (Knights)