Munster produces a magic score, a couple of Dragons enjoyed the try-fest against the Titans, a trio of Eels go big against the Knights while a couple of popular No.9s at opposite ends of their careers suffer injuries.
Winners
Cameron Munster was in everything as he guided the Storm to a gripping win over the Rabbitohs. Some clutch plays, including three line breaks, nine busts and a try resulted in a round-high 94.
Fears that Cameron McInnes wouldn't have to tackle much against the Titans proved unfounded despite 11 tries scored in the game, with the in-form hooker racking up 50 tackles plus a try-assist in his 82. His teammate Ben Hunt had a try and one assist in his 79.
Wests Tigers lock Ryan Matterson shared the second-top score of the round, producing an incredible 272 metres and 41 tackles in his 82.
The suspension of James Maloney meant plenty of work for Nathan Cleary as senior half with the Blues playmaker chalking up a try and two assists in his 79 in an upset win over the Sharks.
Get Caught Up: Round 21
The Sharks had a couple of Fantasy stars of their own with Shaun Johnson (two try assists and five busts in 70) and Josh Dugan (a whopping 16 busts in 69) scoring well.
Parramatta's hard-fought win over the Knights netted a monster 76 for star half Mitch Moses on the back of two assists and six busts, while Manu Ma'u (72) continued his late-season surge and Reed Mahoney (69) counteracted his reduced minutes with a try.
David Klemmer (63) and Nathan Brown (61) each had plenty of work to do in the middle in that game.
Tries also propelled Brisbane duo Jake Turpin (77) and David Fifita (72) to big scores against the Cowboys.
Losers
There was a cruel blow for resurgent Wests Tigers hooker Robbie Farah, who has been producing big scores of late with Jacob Liddle back in reserve grade.
He went off after just 24 minutes with 16 points thanks to a fractured tibia that hopefully does not spell the end of his first-grade career.
Roosters hooker Sam Verrills was also dealt an injury blow which was awful luck for the many Fantasy coaches (including yours truly) who jumped on board this week. He went off at half time against Canberra with a knee injury and just 15 points.
Fantasy coaches will also be sweating on the fitness of Andrew Fifita (knee, 49), Adam Reynolds (back, 32) and Braidon Burns, who was a late out with a hamstring issue.
There were below-par scores from plenty of Fantasy big guns including Jason Taumalolo (41), Tom Trbojevic (25), Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (33) and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (24).
James Fisher-Harris has emerged as a genuine keeper playing close to 80 minutes in the front row every week but undid a lot of his good work on Friday – he racked up 69 points but lost 26 of them through nine missed tackles and a couple of errors and penalties to finish on 43.
Round 21 team of the week
- Josh Dugan 69
- Ken Maumalo 58
- Brian Kelly 64
- John Bateman/Paul Momirovski 62
- Reuben Garrick 63
- Cameron Munster 94
- Nathan Cleary 79
- Addin Fonua-Blake 68
- Cameron McInnes 82
- Payne Haas 67
- Manu Ma'u 72
- David Fifita 72
- Ryan Matterson 82
- Ben Hunt 79
- Jake Turpin 77
- Mitch Moses 76
- Angus Crichton/Shaun Johnson 70
