Norths overcame a 17-year losing streak at Yoku Road in round five to take a bonus point win over GPS and climb to top spot on the ladder.

University of Queensland secured their first win of the season, while Brothers and Souths came out on top in close encounters.

Brothers 22-21 Easts

A top of the table clash saw Brothers steal a nail-biting victory late in the game to move three points clear of Easts in second place. 

Veteran openside Brad Wilkin kicked off the scoring at Crosby Park, taking a short ball next to the ruck from Elijah Pilz before bumping one defender and carrying another over the line.

The home side responded soon after when hooker Dom Fraser rode over the paint at the back of a dominant Brothers maul – his first of two for the day. 

Powerful no.8 Nuku Swerling forced his way over from close range mid-way through the half for the visitors, before Fraser picked up his second on the stroke of half time. 

A yellow card early in the second 40 left the Brethern one short, and they felt the impact almost immediately as Ed Fidow cut through the defence in the first phase at scrum time to extend the Tigers’ lead to nine points.

Easts held out for 20 minutes before letting Brothers in again, then ill disciple gave fullback Benn Dalle Cort the chance to take the lead with a penalty to the left of the uprights.

With the home side down 21-19 and just six minutes left to play, Dalle Cort pushed the kick out to the left. But he had another shot at redemption, as Easts gave away another penalty on the opposite side of the park with just two minutes on the clock. 

The iceman Dalle Cort slotted it to put the Brethern in front, who successfully saw out the final minute to inflict Easts’ first lost of the season.

Norths 34-29 GPS

It had been 17 years since Norths had last travelled to Yoku Road and won. But that streak ended in round five as the Eagles earned themselves a gritty five points to climb into first on the ladder.

The game started on a sour note as GPS winger Bailey Trew found himself in the sin bin after just one minute, hitting Norths’ backrower Alex Watkins in the head with a horrendous high tackle.

But the vistors quickly set the tone, crossing twice through Oliver Milne and Mosiah Christian to go up by 14 points in as many minutes.

Momentum began to swing in the home side’s favour as Ben Johnston fielded a cross-field kick from Bryce Hegarty for their first points.

Two more before half time made it 19-14 to GPS, and they would have had their bonus point before the break had it not been for the try-saver of the year from Christian.

With almost a clear run to the line, GPS scrum half James Martens only had to beat the fullback and he was in under the posts. But as he dove towards the paint, his opposite number somehow managed to slide under the ball and snatch it from Martens’ hands to stop a certain five-pointer.

The Gallopers did, however, get their fourth try off the kick off for the second half, with Trew landing a double down the right wing.

Then a penalty and converted try to the visitors brought the scores back level, before Johnston matched his wing partner with his own double to give GPS the lead once again.

Norths continued to pile pressure on the home side, edging closer with a penalty to Ben Mooney, then eventually cracking through the defence in the far corner.

Even with a yellow card in the final five minutes leaving them one-man short to defend their lead, the Eagles were able to hold on to secure an historic win.

Another loss sees GPS remain second from the bottom of the ladder with just seven competition points for the season so far. 

University of Queensland 46-40 Wests

The Red Heavies took five points home following their trip to Wests, as two late tries saw them secure their first win of 2026.

Wests wasted no time as they battled to set the tone at Sci-Fleet Stadium, scoring first points through Jone Tiko in the opening minutes.

But a yellow card to the home side paved the way for Uni’s first try, with Josh Meyer cutting through the middle to put Reece Tapine in under the posts.

Wests crossed the paint another three times before the half was out, while the visitors managed another try and two penalties to make it 26-18 at drinks in favour of the home side.

The Red Heavies started the second half with a renewed vigour, scoring two five-pointers in quick succession through Connor Mitchell and James Dillon to take an early lead.

Of course, there was still plenty of fight left in the Bulldogs, and they mounted a comeback through scrum half Jamie Alexander. 

The no.9 took the ball from the base of the scrum some 30 metres out from the Uni line and attacked the short side, putting a huge fend on his opposite number to break free down the left wing and give himself a clear run to the line.

Then backrower Keynan Tauakipulu showed his strength, running off the back of the scrum and beating two defenders to score under the posts and reclaim the lead for Wests.

The Red Heavies hit back once more, making it a one-point ballgame with 10 minutes to go. But they delivered the final blow a few minutes later when Meyer showed the forwards how it’s done with a powerful carry from the base of the ruck seeing him touch down under the posts. 

Uni held out for a much-needed win, which moves them up to sixth place on the ladder, while the losing bonus points also bumped Wests up to fourth.

Souths 38-36 Sunnybank 

Sunnybank narrowly missed out on stealing a clutch win at home in round five, with a penalty kick in the final minute missing the posts to give Souths their first win of the year.

Rainy conditions didn’t stem the flow of points at Biggs Field, as Souths scored twice early through Henry Hourigan and Harry Holt.

The home side responded equally through Liongi Fangupo and Richie Asiata, but a yellow card with 10 minutes to go in the half made way for the visitors to capitalise on the overlap and run in another two scores before the break.

More points came for Souths has the second half reached its midway point, as a fumble from Kiyan Gunewardene attempting to field a box kick saw the visitors turn the ball over and ship it through the hands to give prop George Francis a clear run to the line.

Another five-pointer each made it 38-19 with 12 minutes remaining, and most at Biggs Field would have chalked off the loss for the home side. 

But Sunnybank weren’t prepared to roll over and mounted a late comeback, scoring three tries in six minutes to put the game on a knife edge until the final buzzer.

Then with the clock in the final minute, flyhalf Te Atawhai Mason stepped up to the tee to take a shot at goal in what would have secured an incredible late-stage victory. But it wasn’t to be as the ball sailed past the left upright and ended the game. 

Souths climb up to eighth place while the losing bonus points put Sunnybank in sixth on the ladder.