Overnight Wrap

Melbourne can move a step closer to a second straight minor premiership when they host Newcastle to close out round 18 of the NRL tonight.

The match will be Storm backrower Clint Newton's first since his acrimonious mid-season walkout from the Knights, but the Country Origin backrower played down the possibility of any on-field fireworks.

Yesterday Parramatta leapt into third spot with a tight 18-12 win over South Sydney, while the New Zealand Warriors moved into the top eight with a 44-16 thumping of St George Illawarra in Auckland.

Canberra kept in touch with the finals contenders after crushing the Gold Coast 56-10 in the nation's capital, the Titans' afternoon made all the worse with skipper Scott Prince forced from the field with a reoccurrence of a collarbone injury.

Sydney Roosters prop Nate Myles has a nervous few hours on his hands as he awaits the NRL match review committee's findings today. The Queensland Origin representative is facing the prospect of his third suspension of the season after being placed on report for a head slam on Cronulla five-eighth Greg Bird on Saturday night.

St George Illawarra rookie Chase Stanley could also be in hot water following a lifting tackle in yesterday's 44-16 loss to the New Zealand Warriors in Auckland.

The NRL are likely to investigate a verbal stoush between rival coaches Jason Taylor and Michael Hagan which marred Parramatta's 18-12 win over South Sydney yesterday.

Taylor, who was overlooked for the Eels coaching job last year, traded barbs with Eels mentor Hagan as the two crossed paths on their way to the post match press conference. The Rabbitohs coach was upset his team wasn't allowed to warm up on an oval adjacent to Parramatta Stadium before the argument became more heated.

Taylor made a disparaging remark in reference to Hagan's time at Newcastle, with the entire episode taking place before stunned onlookers. Parramatta's win moved the Eels into third spot on the ladder while the Rabbitohs have now lost six matches this season by six points or less.