Western Sydney and West Harbour claimed big wins in the wet, while Warringah fought from behind to claim a second come from behind victory in as many weeks.

Elsewhere, Sydney Uni held on for a tight win over Hunter, Manly were too good in the second half against Souths and Gordon beat Randwick to claim their fourth straight victory.

Western Sydney 29-28 Northern Suburbs

Western Sydney kicked a penalty goal in the 79th minute to claim a 29-28 victory over Norths on a wet day at Eric Tweedale Stadium. 

Neither side looked overly keen on defending in the opening stages with four tries scored in the opening 15 minutes. 

With the scores level, Two Blues fullback Christian Papas received a yellow card after attempting an intercept near his side’s try line and Norths capitalised soon after with winger Carrick McDonough crossing in the corner on the back of a dominant Norths’ scrum. 

The Two Blues responded with a try from a maul late in the first half, then took a 26-21 lead in the 46th minute when Heremoni Nepo scored from a pick and drive. 

Both sides seemed to be scoring each time they visited their opponent’s red zone, but the Two Blues stopped that trend and defended their line impressively for long periods of the second half. 

The Shoreman eventually scored in the 75th minute when fullback Matt Ryan scooped up a loose ball and stepped his way through a tired defensive line. 

Jude Gibbs kicked the conversion to give the visitors a 28-26 lead but Norths spilled the ball deep in their own half a few phases after the kick off. 

The Two Blues earned a scrum penalty and Reece Suesue calm slotted his lead-snatching attempt. 

Norths had time for a restart, but Gibbs didn’t kick the ball past the 10 metre line, sealing a 29-28 statement win for Western Sydney. 

West Harbour 22-18 Eastwood

West Harbour produced their best performance of the season to upset Eastwood 22-18 at TG Millner. 

The home side jumped out to an 8-0 lead midway through the first half following a try to Aussie Sevens backrower Ben Dalton and a penalty goal. 

But West Harbour hit back on the stroke of half time, with centre Lucas Titherington throwing a clever inside ball to winger Callum Sirker, who scored his sixth try of the season. 

The Pirates then scored a pushover try early in the second half and took a 12-8 lead. 

Eastwood tried to go through the middle but West Harbour’s defence was clearly up for the challenge. Eventually the Woodies spread the ball wide and JL Bacon scored after a big right foot step 

West Harbour levelled the scores with a penalty goal soon after, then defended their line with 14 men brilliantly, forcing Eastwood to kick another penalty goal to take an 18-15 lead. 

With 10 minutes remaining, Pirates’ playmaker Hunter Hannaford split the Eastwood attack near half way. He passed inside to replacement prop Robert O’Donovan, who drew the fullback and passed calmly to Lucas Titherington to score next to the posts. 

Leading 22-18, the Pirates defended inside their half for the remaining minutes and eventually caused a turnover after a strong counter ruck to seal their first win of the season. 

Sydney Uni 38-34 Hunter

After a run of narrow losses, Sydney Uni held on to claim an important 38-34 victory over Hunter at Camperdown. 

Big second rower Clem Halaholo scored twice in the opening stages to claim his fifth try in two weeks for the Students but the Wildfires responded with a try to winger Siti Vahai set up by a clever kick from flyhalf Ethan Morgan; and a penalty goal to lead 8-7. 

The Wildfires pushed further ahead when scrumhalf Nick Murray scored from a charge down, and led 22-14 when Morgan produced another clever kick to set up a try for sliding fullback Nate De Thierry. 

Uni responded with a try from close range through prop Brad Amituanai and trailed by one point at half time before Hunter scored early in the second half from a driving maul. 

But desperate for their first win in five weeks, the Students took control of the match, scoring from a clever backline set play in the 50th minute, then from close range through Angus Allen to take a 35-29 lead. 

Uni added a penalty goal in the 75th minute to extend their lead and looked to have secured the points. 

But Hunter scored from a driving maul in the final minutes, then attacked from a lineout deep in Uni territory after the 80th minute bell had rung with a chance to win the match. 

But the visitors couldn’t execute at lineout time and Uni fans breathed a sigh of relief as the referee called it a day. 

Manly 30-16 Southern Districts

Manly claimed a scrappy but important 30-16 win over Southern Districts on a very wet afternoon at Forshaw. 

Souths opened the scoring with a penalty goal but handed Manly the lead with an intercept that led to an Ollie Horne try.

The Marlins received two yellow cards in the first half and Souths eventually capitalised through winger Declan Mulcahy and led 11-10 at the half time break.

Manly took the lead minutes into the second stanza when big prop Maka Mafileo barged over from close range, then extended their lead with two penalty goals. 

The Marlins then landed the killer blow, with centre Fraser Conway splitting the tiring Souths’ defence to score and give his side a 30-11 lead. 

Souths scored in the 70th minute through winger Oscar Schmidt-Uili but couldn’t close the gap any further. A dissapointing second half performance costing the Rebels in a 30-16 defeat. 

Warringah 27-22 Eastern Suburbs

Warringah scored three tries in five minutes to claim their second come from behind victory in as many weeks, this time beating Easts 27-22 at Rat Park. 

Easts opened the scoring with a penalty goal, before the home side took the lead with a try to lock Sam Thomson. 

Easts responded with a try to Archie Gavin, who followed his pass and scored soon after and led 15-7 at half time after a try to scrumhalf Seb Strang on the back of a dominant Easts’ scrum. 

Strang then scooped up a loose lineout throw in the 50th minute and raced away to claim a double and give his side a 22-10 lead with 30 minutes remaining. 

With 15 minutes left, Warringah scrumhalf Ben Fuhiniu found space next to the ruck and set up a try for flyhalf Coby Miln to give the Rats’ fans hope of a comeback. 

Hooker Wes Thomas then barged over just minutes later to level the scores and when Easts failed to clear the ball from the ensuing kick off, the Rats struck again through winger Archie Saunders to claim their third try in five minutes. 

Suddenly the home side led 27-22 and despite defending with 14 men for the final eight minutes, the Rats were able to hold on to claim their second tight win in as many weeks. 

Gordon 19-13 Randwick

Gordon have well and truly found their feet under new coach Harry Fehily, beating Randwick 19-13 on a muddy Chatswood Oval to claim their fourth straight win. 

Randwick opened the scoring with a penalty goal in the 20th minute before Gordon scored the only try in a tight first half through Press Tufuga on the stroke of half time. 

Leading 7-3, the Stags went further ahead in the 50th minute after Milan Basson eventually found a way over from close range. 

Randwick responded with a try to centre Jayden Blake after his forwards found space through the middle of the field and trailed by just four points with 10 minute remaining. 

But after being held up over the line and having a second potential try disallowed, Gordon landed the killed blow with Brandon Quinn scoring off a well executed cross field kick from Ben Pollack. 

Randwick kicked a penalty goal in the 78th minute, but Gordon controlled territory in the final minutes to seal a six point win. 

After losing their opening two matches, Gordon are now third on the Shute Shield ladder, while Randwick drop outside of the top six after six rounds.