2009-07-05 09:19:02 -

SYDNEY (AP) - Penrith center Michael Jennings scored three tries and set up the match-winner four minutes from fulltime to lead the Panthers to a 38-34 win over the Parramatta Eels in Australia's National Rugby League on Sunday.
Jennings had not played since tearing a calf muscle a month ago while playing for New South Wales in the first State of Origin match against Queensland.
His performance Sunday could earn him a recall for the third match on July 15 in the annual series that Queensland has already clinched for the fourth straight year with wins in the first two matches.
In the other Sunday match, the Canberra Raiders beat the Gold Coast Titans 34-28, with David Mead scoring two second-half tries.
North Queensland overcame the loss of three injured stars, including forward Luke O'Donnell, to beat Cronulla 24-4 Saturday.
The Cowboys were meant to be celebrating Aaron Payne's 150th appearance and Johnathan Thurston's and Luke O'Donnell's 100th games for the club. But Payne was forced from the field in the 12th minute with a rotator cuff injury and O'Donnell went down shortly after with a medial ligament tear to his right knee.
Sharks coach Ricky Stuart believed his side had a chance for an upset win until Thurston took control.
«Probably the first 40 minutes was the best we have defended, that was outstanding the way we defended on them, we nullified Johnathan (Thurston),» he said. «At halftime we were still pretty confident we could go on with it, they were in pretty bad shape with a couple of injuries. JT ran the show for 15 minutes and broke us.
Melbourne maintained its top four position after scrambling to an 18-14 win over Newcastle on center Will Chambers' late try.
Wests Tigers piled on 10 tries, including three from winger Taniela Tuiaki, to crush South Sydney 54-20.
The league-leading St. George Illawarra beat the last-placed Sydney Roosters 36-12. Jamie Soward scored two tries and kicked five goals for the Dragons, who trailed 12-6 at the break but held the Roosters scoreless in the second half.

Coach Wayne Bennett said the Dragons were aware of how poorly they played in the first half.
«They didn't need me to inspire them at halftime ... 12,000 people knew so I assume they knew,» he said.
On Friday, the Brisbane Broncos ended a four-game losing streak with a 28-14 win over the New Zealand Warriors. Broncos winger Israel Folau suffered a broken ankle in the match and will miss at least eight weeks.
On Monday, the Manly Sea Eagles play the second-place Bulldogs to close out the 17th round.
It will be Bulldogs winger Hazem El Masri's first match since announcing last week that he will be retiring at the end of the season.
The Lebanon-born El Masri, who moved to Australia with his family in 1988, became Australian rugby league's highest all-time point scorer in March, overtaking Newcastle star Andrew Johns' 2,176 points.