A contentious 76th minute try to Leivaha Pulu gave Gold Coast a shock come-from-behind win over Cronulla on Saturday night, to snap a four-game losing streak. The Titans were down by two points when Pulu finished off a left-side scramble, which included an offside Ryan Simpkins being ruled inactive by the bunker, to snatch a 16-12 victory.

Pulu crossed twice in the final 13 minutes to be the unlikely hero for a Titans side that welcomed back Jarryd Hayne, Kevin Proctor and Konrad Hurrell from injury.

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In front of a crowd of 12,397 at Southern Cross Group Stadium, the Sharks appeared headed for a fifth-straight win when James Maloney’s 60th-minute penalty gave them a six-point lead. However, the visitors set up a thrilling finish when a quick-thinking Hayne hit Pulu on a blindside play to cut the deficit. The impact forward then snatched the win after Chad Townsend fumbled a loose ball, handing the Titans just their second win of the season.

In a closely fought first half, halfback Tyrone Roberts justified coach Neil Henry’s decision to drop Kane Elgey by dummying his way over for first points.

The Sharks worked their way in to the contest and hit back through Ricky Leutele in the 24th minute, before Jayson Bukuya was awarded a penalty try not long after. Bukuya looked certain to win the race to a Townsend grubber but was adjudged by the bunker to have been held back by Dale Copley.

In bad news for the Titans, forward Chris Grevsmuhl suffered a possible dislocated shoulder in the first half and Copley came off the field with a back problem in the second half. Second-rower Chris McQueen was the third Titans player unable to finish the match after a second concussion test. The Sharks’ Bukuya suffered a shoulder injury.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Kalyn Ponga scored a try either side of half-time and was influential against his future side. Photograph: Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images

Earlier on Saturday, a classy double from Newcastle-bound fullback Kalyn Ponga helped North Queensland to a 12-point win over the Knights on Saturday in Townsville. Injured Johnathan Thurston was again sorely missed by the hosts but they fought back from being behind at half-time to prevail 24-12 at 1300SMILES Stadium and snap a two-game losing streak.

Teenage fullback Ponga bagged a try either side of half-time and an improved second 40 minutes saved the Cowboys blushes against an injury-ravaged Knights side that suffered their sixth straight defeat.

North Queensland should have crossed in the first minute of the game but Origin hopeful Coen Hess bombed what appeared to be a certain try after grassing a Justin O’Neill pass with no-one ahead of him.

The home side had another great chance go begging when Antonio Winterstein fumbled a grubber but their early dominance paid off when Gavin Cooper caught the Knights markers napping to dive over for the game’s opening try.

Newcastle were down but not out and hit back after 17 minutes with a simple try to winger Nathan Ross and they struck again almost instantly when Brendan Elliot pounced on an errant Cooper grubber and darted 90 metres to score a breathtaking runaway try against the run of play.

The Cowboys looked out of sorts in attack but Ponga darted over from short range in the 37th minute to cut the Knights lead to just two points. North Queensland started the second half much stronger and edged in front when Kane Linnett charged through some soft Knights defence, with second-rower Ethan Lowe stepping up to nail a tough conversion.

The home fans had more to cheer when makeshift five-eight John Asiata hit Ponga with a delightful ball for the young star to complete his double before a late Kyle Feldt penalty goal rounded off the scoring.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Corey Norman of the Eels kicks off to start the round eight clash between the Eels Panthers at ANZ Stadium. Photograph: Matt Blyth/Getty Images

In the first NRL game on Saturday, a Corey Norman masterclass for Parramatta condemned Penrith to their fourth-straight defeat as the Panthers’ woeful start to the NRL season continued. Norman scored two tries and set up the other in the Eels’ 18-12 win at ANZ Stadium, as Penrith fell from pre-season equal favouritism to two-and-six from the opening eight rounds.

While Norman starred for the Eels, the Panthers’ halves floundered as Bryce Cartwright returned at five-eighth for the injured Te Maire Martin. Cartwright struggled to make an impact in his first game since round two, in his comeback game from an ankle injury. He let the opening kick off go over the dead-ball line, forcing the Panthers in to a drop out from their own goal line. Minutes later he fumbled a Brad Takairangi grubber in goal and failed to ground it, allowing Norman to score his first. Cartwright also twice dropped the ball on the attack for the Panthers, and threw a crucial forward pass as Penrith were threatening to make a late charge with 20 minutes remaining.

In comparison, Norman was sensational in the opening half but did it tough in the second without a regular five-eighth, after makeshift partner Takairangi was taken from the field with a knee injury. After the Eels were controversially denied a try midway through the first half when the bunker ruled Clinton Gutherson had knocked on a similar ball to that of Brisbane Anthony Milford on Friday night, Norman steadied the ship.

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The 26-year-old kicked perfectly for Semi Radradra just moments before half-time to extend their lead to 12 points at the break. Norman was then in the thick of the action immediately after the break, latching onto a Gutherson kick that came from a Kaysa Pritchard break on the last tackle.

Penrith threatened to mount a comeback when they broke a 126-minute point-scoring drought as Peta Hiku finished a left-edge movement. They had their second try in the 77th minute when Corey Harawira-Naera crossed but the Eels held on to revive their season with back-to-back wins improving their record to four wins and four losses.