Melbourne have downed Cronulla in a high-quality clash at AAMI Park while Manly have held off a late challenge from the Titans.
Check out all the live news and stats from Saturday's NRL action below.
Melbourne Storm 34 vs Cronulla Sharks 18
Some Cameron Munster magic has helped Melbourne secure a sparkling 34-18 win over Cronulla with the playmaker proving why he's on every NRL club's wishlist.
In a high quality match on Saturday night at AAMI Park fitting of two of the top three teams in the NRL, the Storm scored five tries to three with Munster collecting one while playing a starring role in three others.
The Sharks' cause wasn't helped by losing skipper Dale Finucane just eight minutes into his first meeting against his former club after failing a HIA.
Melbourne were missing their captain with Jesse Bromwich and his brother Kenny both out with COVID-19.
Justin Olam scored the first of his two tries in the 19th minute when Munster fired a long ball out to winger Nick Meaney, who passed back inside for the Melbourne centre.
The Sharks hit back with ease through their own centre Siosifa Talakai, whose silky hands also set up two second-half tries for Ronaldo Mulitalo.
Munster's individual brilliance was on show when he threw three dummies and stepped in and around the Sharks defence from 40 metres out to touch down.
His skills will surely leave Dolphins coach Wayne Bennett salivating at the prospect of luring the five-eighth north.
The Storm led 12-8 at halftime but Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon could have hardly asked for more with his team completing at close to 100 per cent and making just two errors.
Melbourne immediately made life difficult when they got a scrum off the second-half kick-off with Munster sending the ball bouncing between defenders and into touch.
Locking the scrum, hooker Harry Grant picked the the ball up at the back and off-loaded to halfback Jahrome Hughes, who found Olam for his second try.
Mulitalo scored in the 46th and 60th minutes, which again closed the margin to six points but that was as close as the visitors got.
Another big Munster dummy allowed Ryan Papenhuyzen to dot down before Grant burrowed over from dummy-half for their fifth and final try of the night.
On a sour note for the Storm, Felise Kaufusi was twice put on report, firstly for a late tackle and then a crusher.
Team stats
Manly Sea Eagles 26 def Gold Coast Titans 18
Manly have made it two straight NRL wins without superstar Tom Trbojevic as they repelled a David Fifita-inspired comeback to beat Gold Coast 26-18 at Brookvale.
After leading by 20 points at halftime, Manly looked at risk of collapsing in the second as the Titans ran in three straight tries.
But a late penalty was enough for the Sea Eagles to seal the victory on Saturday evening, turning around their poor start to the year to sit comfortably in fifth spot with four straight wins.
And notably they have done it for the past fortnight without Trbojevic.
Once considered the hardest man to replace in rugby league, the Sea Eagles have now won six of their last seven without Trbojevic dating back to last season.
Reuben Garrick was again brilliant deputising for Trbojevic at fullback, slicing through for a try of his own in the first half.
In a concern for coach Des Hasler, Garrick1 appeared to suffer a leg cork injury in the second half but soldiered on.
Kieran Foran also bagged a try late in the first half when the Titans gave up possession from a kick off, while Haumole Olakau'atu was brutal on the right edge.
The second-rower bagged Manly's first try when he ran onto a Daly Cherry-Evans grubberkick, and scored another when he barged his way over.
The Tongan star could easily have had another, held up by AJ Brimson and Jamayne Isaako just two plays before he bagged his second try.
He also ended the match injured with a leg problem, battling to walk from the field a week out from the Sea Eagles' big clash with high-flying Cronulla.
While Olakau'atu had 121 metres from his 15 runs, the Titans' biggest issue remains getting his opposite number Fifita involved more.
The Titans' million-dollar man looked dangerous on every touch, setting up a try in the first half when he twice bumped off Brad Parker to put Jamayne Isaako over.
He also scored one of his own in the second half, again bumping off defenders in the form of Christian Tuipulotu and Foran to charge over.
But he only had 13 possessions, as the Titans went periods of the match without finding their danger man.
Brian Kelly and Tino Fa'asuamaleaui also scored second-half tries to make it a 24-18 game with 14 minutes to play, giving Gold Coast a genuine chance.
But when Fa'asuamaleaui was found to be offside after being caught in the ruck while helping to save a try with five minutes to play, Cherry-Evans was able to kick Manly clear.
