Both Friday Magic Round games went by 22 points. Sharks 38 Bulldogs 16 in the opener, Dolphins 32 Rabbitohs 10 in the late. Cronulla move to 5-5 and into seventh, the Dolphins climb to sixth on the same record with three straight wins. Canterbury have now lost five in a row. Souths' night is overshadowed by a leg injury to Latrell Mitchell, off late in his first game back from a bulging disc.
Mulitalo's Two On Return, Crichton's Try in Game 150
Ronaldo Mulitalo played his first game since the ACL he tore in last October's Pacific Championships and scored two tries, including a flying back-edge finish off a Nicho Hynes cross-field kick to ice the game in the 72nd minute. His career try tally now sits at 101. Sam Stonestreet, the other Sharks wing, ran for 174 metres and held the high ball. Hynes had a try, two try assists and stopped at 992 career points after kicking five from six. Hohepa Puru, on for the head-knocked Blayke Brailey whose record consecutive-games streak ends here, scored his first NRL try out of dummy half. Stephen Crichton's milestone game 150 ended with a consolation try off a Lachlan Galvin long ball in the 60th minute. Bronson Xerri added a late one and Jacob Preston the other Bulldogs four-pointer. The Bulldogs are 13th, the Sharks 7th.
Dolphins Avenge Round 1, Latrell Limps Off
The Dolphins controlled the late game, completing 79 per cent of their 43 sets and holding the Rabbitohs scoreless until the 63rd minute. Selwyn Cobbo finished off slick hands from Isaiya Katoa, Kodi Nikorima and Herbie Farnworth for the opener, his seventh try in five Magic Round games. Max Plath ran through Sean Keppie for the second, Farnworth crossed for his fifth of the season, Jack Bostock dragged Bayleigh Bentley-Hape over for the fourth, and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow sliced through for his seventh of the season in the 78th. Jamayne Isaako kicked five from six and is now at 50 points across his last three games. Souths' only tries came from Bentley-Hape and Euan Aitken. The bigger Souths story is Latrell Mitchell, off late after struggling with a leg injury for several sets, his comeback from a bulging disc looking like it has cost more than it returned. Wayne Bennett's side stays 4th at 6-4. The Dolphins, chasing a first finals appearance, are 5-5 and look very much in the conversation. That tally now sits at seven Magic Round tries in five games for the Maroons winger.
Where the Markets Land
The Friday double settled where the team news pointed. The Sharks line of -4.5 was always thin given the Bulldogs' form line and Cronulla cleared it in the third quarter. The Dolphins drifted to $2.50 after Johnston was ruled out and the Bunnies shortened to $1.55, then the result went the other way. Souths' premiership futures drift hard, especially with Mitchell's leg injury yet to be scanned. The Dolphins shorten into the finals market, with our reviewed bookmakers dabble, Ladbrokes and Picklebet all moving them in toward $2.00 to play in September. Mulitalo anytime tryscorer goes back to a single-figure number for the first time since his injury. Saturday's Magic Round triple is Tigers v Manly at 3pm AEST, Eels v Storm at 5.30pm and Cowboys v Roosters at 7.45pm. Full Friday wrap via ABC Sport.