NRL round 16 wrap: Edrick Lee, Latrell Mitchell, Alex Johnston, Nicho Hynes, Selwyn Cobbo

Guest Author Published July 4, 2022 at 10.38am (AWST)

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Edrick Lee has made Newcastle Knights history at the club the revitalised winger will be departing from at the end of the year.

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander became the first Newcastle player to claim five tries in a single match during a comprehensive 38-12 win against Gold Coast.

The 29-year-old on Friday night repeatedly exposed the left flanks of the sloppy Titans' defence while on the end of quick go-forward from Knights teammates.

The cousin of basketballers Patty Mills and Nathan Jawai broke the mark Andrew Johns, Darren Albert, Akuila Uate, Cooper Vuna, James McManus and Adam MacDougall equaled across the past 35 seasons.

"It feels pretty awesome," Lee told newcastleknights.com.au.

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"Newcastle has a pretty rich history here with the great players that have played.

"To snag one I am pretty happy, but to snag five it's pretty special.

"I was more than happy with the win, but to score that many I will take that."

In addition to tries, Lee amassed 177 metres from 15 runs, cracked four line-breaks and broke through four tackles.

But his name being inked into the club's record books ahead of elite Knights company as a parting gift before joining the Dolphins never entered his mind.

"I wasn't conscious of the record," Lee said.

"I was just in the moment of the game."

In his nine appearances this year, Lee scored four times, but the dazzling feat in front of home fans now has Lee as the club's leading scorer.

The night one of the proudest moments from Lee's four seasons on Awabakal country after being unable to play last year due to injury

The injury forced Lee to miss the first six games of 2022 as well.

That prompted the club to offer the one-time Maroons Origin starter a train-and-trial contract this season before Wayne Bennett lured Lee north for 2023 and 2024.

Meanwhile, a fit Latrell Mitchell sparked South Sydney to a 30-12 victory on Saturday night against Parramatta.

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The Rabbitohs talisman's long-awaited return from a hamstring injury complimented two more tries this season from winger Alex Johnston.

The Torres Strait Islander scored for the 16th time in 2022 to lead the NRL tryscorers after he weaved sensationally in the wet to the line after three minutes, and later took an intercept pass at the halfway line to deliver a 18-6 half-time lead.

But in a sideshow to Souths' securing a spot inside the top eight, Mitchell put an end to speculation over a Blues' return after coming back from 12 weeks on the sidelines.

After booting five crucial goals, the Birrbay-Wiradjuri man ruled himself out for the Brisbane decider next week.

"I am going to focus on South Sydney, focus on myself and get myself right," Mitchell told ABC radio.

"They have got some good fellows in there, and they have played really well through the year, so let them go and see what happens."

The 25-year-old proved to be a key figure behind returning the shield back to his state after the massive 2021 series win.

But Mitchell felt one NRL match was not enough to dislodge Stephen Crichton or Matt Burton out of the centres on the back of an emphatic 44-12 victory in Perth.

"I felt alright out there," he said.

"I think it will be two, three or four more games (before he is back to full fitness)."

Nicho Hynes, who has been unused as the NSW reserve, did his chances of retaining a spot in the squad no harm in Cronulla's victory on Saturday.

The Wiradjuri man steered the Sharks' well against a resurgent Canterbury amid drenching conditions towards an 18-6 triumph.

Hynes set up the vital play when throwing a gusty long ball which found a flying Sione Katoa to put the Sharks in front on the 50th minute.

North Queensland survived a 40-26 scare against Brisbane after Selwyn Cobbo had almost set up the win from the most unlikely of roles.

The winger from Wakka Wakka country scored the Broncos' second converted try in three minutes to reduce the deficit entering the final seven minutes from 20 points.

The Cowboys only snuffed out the improbable comeback with a sixth try after Cobbo got around four defenders close to the line from the dummy half position.

While St George-Illawarra controversially hung on to beat Canberra 12-10 following no offside call on the final play the ball, it was poor judgement from Wiradjuri man Jack Wighton early in the contest that proved most costly.

After the Raiders' goal-line dropout swung back amid the near gale in Wollongong on Sunday, Wighton tapped the ball back only to land into the hands of rival Dragons five-eighth Talatau Amone inside the Raiders' 10 metres to score.

Xavier Savage soon after attempted to make amends with a 29th minute try.

On the end of a cut-out ball from Wighton, the Birri Gubba/Gungganyji man sprinted and dragged two defenders to the line to cut the deficit.