League: In-form Broncos favourite for premiership title

The Broncos backed up after State of Origin with a big victory over Wests Tigers - their 10th straight win.

They now enjoy a four-point advantage over their chasers and are hot premiership favourites with 11 rounds of the NRL to go.

The Eels solidified second place after their sixth straight win, Manly kept Newcastle winless yesterday, the Sharks kept the Roosters scoreless in the second half on Friday night to get an upset victory and the Cowboys took two points from the bye and remain one of four teams level on 20 points.

The Storm, Dragons, Roosters and Raiders compete for the remaining playoff spots. The Warriors and Tigers, both losers at the weekend, look to be stuttering but the Bulldogs and Panthers, who look to be improving, seem sure to fight to grab a lower-eight finals spot.

Souths matched it with the Dragons for two-thirds of the game at the Sydney Cricket Ground yesterday before running out of steam in a 28-10 result. It was the same flow and scoreline at the Sydney Showgrounds, where the Raiders matched the Bulldogs for most of it before falling away.

The Broncos remain title favourites after demolishing Wests Tigers 40-22 despite having players backing up from State of Origin.

Centre Shaun Berrigan scored two tries and was held up over the line when going for a third.

The Broncos attracted 25,780 to Suncorp Stadium, a measure of interest in winners. Their only problem may be a citing for forward utility Neville Costigan, who is on report for a tackle offence.

There were several come-from-behind wins earlier in the weekend.

The Warriors led Parramatta 10-0 before the Eels halfback Tim Smith delivered an audacious cross-field kick 15m from his own line and wing Matt Petersen scored to turn the momentum.

The Storm led Penrith 8-4 at halftime and could have gone further ahead in the 43rd minute had a pass to fullback Billy Slater not been called forward. Instead, Panthers hooker Luke Priddis ran from dummy-half to score at the other end to turn things. Preston Campbell engineered their comeback and was rewarded with an 85m intercept to seal the result.

Cronulla upset the Roosters 16-10 at Shark Park on Friday night, and the Eagles ravaged Newcastle 48-26 at Brookvale Oval yesterday.