Watch all eight matches from Round 5 of the NRL live on Sky Sports this weekend.
Friday 12 June 2020 13:58, UK
We round up all of the action from Friday's two NRL games as the New Zealand Warriors beat North Queensland Cowboys and Parramatta Eels won a thriller against Penrith Panthers...
A hat-trick from Peta Hiku helped New Zealand Warriors get back to winning ways as they triumphed in a see-saw contest with North Queensland Cowboys in the first game of the day.
The teams went score for score in the first 25 minutes at Central Coast Stadium, with Patrick Herbert and Eliese Katoa crossing for the Warriors, and Valentine Holmes and Kyle Feldt doing likewise for the Cowboys.
Former Warrington Wolves player Hiku's first try and a drop goal from the influential Kodi Nikorima put the New Zealanders into a 17-12 lead at half time, but Justin O'Neill pulled North Queensland back into the contest one minute after the restart.
The frantic nature of the match continued as Adam Pompey scored for the Warriors on the back of some deft handling from stand-off Nikorima, followed by Francis Molo hitting back for the visitors.
But two more tries from Hiku and Karl Lawton's score proved enough to seal victory for the Warriors before Feldt added his second of the night for the Cowboys eight minutes from time.
Paul Green's men were also left waiting on the status of full-back Holmes, who was forced to leave the field in the first half with an ankle injury.
A burst of three tries in the space of six minutes saw Parramatta Eels snatch victory over Penrith Panthers and maintain their 100 per cent record after five matches this season.
A crowd of 500 were allowed into Bankwest Stadium to watch as Australia slowly eases its coronavrius restrictions, but the visitors silenced the home fans during the first half of the Western Sydney Derby as they led 10-0 at the break.
Brian To'o broke the deadlock after a tense but enthralling opening quarter with his first try of the season wide on the right, which went unconverted, followed by fellow winger Josh Mansour going over on the left four minutes before the break for a try converted by Nathan Cleary.
But when Waqa Blake barged his way through the defence to score for the Eels after a spell of pressure in Penrith territory, it sparked an incredible turnaround from the table-toppers.
Almost straight from the restart, centre Blake broke and set full-back Clint Gutherson racing away to score, with Mitchell Moses' conversion bringing the scores level, followed by Ryan Matterson sprinting clear to grab what would prove to be the game-clinching try.
The Panthers fought valiantly right to the final hooter, but the Eels held out despite having Nathan Brown sin-binned and have now won their opening five games for the first time since winning the old NSWRL premiership in 1986.
