NRL

Before the Warriors' final pre-season game last month coach Brian McClennan talked about refusing to put his props in cotton wool as he considered a distinguished injury line-up of Jacob Lillyman a

Warriors winger Manu Vatuvei is free to play against the Bulldogs at Mount Smart Stadium on Sunday.

David Shillington staked an early claim for a Queensland Origin spot in leading the Canberra Raiders to a rugged 24-12 win over the Gold Coast Titans at Skilled Park on Saturday night.

Sydney Roosters produced the ultimate NRL Houdini act with an Anthony Minichiello try 19 seconds from time securing a scarcely believable 24-20 NRL win over arch-rivals South Sydney on Monday.

He missed from the sideline in regulation but Wests Tigers superstar Benji Marshall made no mistake in golden point to get his side out of jail with a 17-16 NRL win at Leichhardt Oval on Sunday.

Welcome to the Warriors, Bluey.

The Warriors' season-opening NRL match at Eden Park had reason to call on the services of St John - at halftime.

Gold Coast's recruitment decisions paid dividends in their NRL season-opener on Saturday night as high-profile recruit Jamal Idris picked up two tries in an 18-0 win over the Cowboys in Townsvill

Michael Gordon's NRL season is in jeopardy after the Penrith pointscoring ace suffered a suspected broken fibula in his side's dramatic 22-14 opening-round loss to Canterbury at Centrebet Stadium

Brisbane have begun life without Darren Lockyer in positive fashion, seeing off the Eels 18-6 in Friday's NRL clash at Parramatta Stadium.