The Victorian Thunderbolts will be shooting for a finals berth over the second half of the NSWRL Jersey Flegg Cup season after climbing to seventh place on the ladder at the weekend.
With six Storm contracted players - Jack Howarth, Jonah Pezet, Cole Geyer, Sua Fa’alogo, Viko Cokanauto and AJ Gudgeon - in their line-up, the Thunderbolts beat Manly 32-18 at Casey Fields to record their fourth win of the season to be just one point outside the finals places following their opening 10 rounds.
They have a game in hand over sixth-placed Cronulla but have played one more than eighth-placed Canberra.
Pezet, Geyer, Cokanauto and Gudgeon have been regulars in the Thunderbolts team this season, while Howarth and Fa’alogo have mixed in Jersey Flegg duties with playing for the Sunshine Coast Falcons in the Hostplus Cup in Queensland.
The Bolts play Parramatta in Sydney this weekend before returning home to face St George Illawarra at Casey Fields on June 19.
LADDER: Roosters 20, Knights 18, Dragons 16, Panthers 14, Tigers 14*, Sharks 13, Thunderbolts 12*, Raiders 12**, Bulldogs 11*, Sea Eagles 10, Parramatta 8*, Rabbitohs 6 (* one game in hand, ** two games in hand)