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Sea Eagles join Melbourne Storm with perfect record

Manly beat expansion team the Gold Coast Titans 20-6 yesterday, allowing the Sea Eagles to join the Melbourne Storm with 6-0 records and a perfect start to Australia's National Rugby League season.

Brett Stewart scored two tries and captain Matt Orford added a third five-pointer, giving the Sea Eagles an 18-0 lead at half-time.

In another match yesterday, winger Hazem El Masri scored a try and kicked four goals to lead the Bulldogs to a 21-18 win over Parramatta.

On Saturday, hooker Cameron Smith, playing his second match in less than 24 hours after helping Australia beat New Zealand 30-6 in a Test match on Friday, scored two tries and kicked five goals to lead Melbourne to a 30-20 win over Penrith.

Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy praised Smith's effort to help keep the Storm unbeaten and atop the NRL standings.

"He was wonderful," Bellamy said of Smith. "I wanted to get him off 10 minutes before and after half-time but then there were a few injuries. And then I planned to get him off at 22-8 but then they came back and like a baby's blanket you always want him out there, he's so reliable."

Center Ben Pommeroy scored three tries in the first half to lead Cronulla to a 26-0 win over Canberra in southern Sydney. The loss continues the Raiders' poor form on the road.

They have conceded 96 points in their three away games this season and scored a measly 12.

Today, South Sydney travel to Townsville to play the North Queensland Cowboys to close out the sixth round.

Four teams -- St. George Illawarra, the Sydney Roosters, Wests Tigers and the New Zealand Warriors -- had weekend byes to lessen the strain on the top players who competed in the Australia-New Zealand Test.
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