Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles v Illawarra RLFC
Lottoland, Saturday 8 April
12:40pm
Broadcast LIVE on Fox League
Blacktown Workers and Illawarra open the Round 6 fixtures, with the Sea Eagles still searching for their first win of the season.
Despite turning in an inspired performance across the ditch last weekend, the Sea Eagles were unable to capitalise on their opportunities, letting slip an early lead as the Warriors ensured Blacktown’s pain continued after five rounds.
“There were patches where we were the better side. It was just our try-line defence was a little bit soft,’’ Blacktown coach Pat Weisner tells seaeagles.com.au
“We need to start winning and it has to be sooner rather than later. If we play how we have over the last couple of weeks, I know the win is getting close.
“We have done enough to win but just our errors are really costing us points. If we cut those down a little bit and be a bit more patient, we will get that win.”
Illawarra meanwhile were on the wrong end of a big scoreline themselves, as the Wyong Roos got the better of the 2016 premiers at Morry Breen Oval.
Illawarra will be out to find a performance that will see them keep in touch with the likes of the top four, with consecutive losses in recent weeks seeing the reigning champions slip to nearer the bottom of the top eight.
Wests Tigers v Mounties RLFC
Leichhardt Oval, Saturday 8 April
3:00pm
Broadcast LIVE on SteeleSports.com.au
The Wests Tigers scored a last-start win over the previously undefeated Bears, breathing life into the side’s 2017 Intrust Super Premiership NSW campaign.
Weeks of rumour and innuendo at the club were put to the side as the Tigers scored a dramatic, and somewhat surprising win over North Sydney, giving them a source of hope ahead of this weekend’s clash with the Mounties.
Mounties also scored a win in Round 5, edging a gallant Wentworthville Magpies side by four points in Canberra last Saturday.
Mounties sit in third on the ISP NSW ladder, behind only the undefeated Warriors and then the Bears, who themselves are on eight competition points also.
Despite the Tigers’ win in Round 4, the Mounties will fancy their chances of making it back-to-back wins over the hosts in this one.
Wyong Roos v Wentworthville Magpies
Morry Breen Oval, Saturday 8 April
3:00pm
It’s a story of contrasting fortunes as the Wyong Roos and Wentworthville Magpies go head to head in Round 6 of the Intrust Super Premiership NSW.
The Roos head into this clash following a commanding 48-14 win over Illawarra last Saturday, while the Magpies were made to rue chances gone begging in their loss to the Mounties in the ACT.
Starring for the Sydney Roosters on occasions last season, Jayden Nikorima looks much-improved player for Wyong, and will be a man heavily marked come Saturday afternoon.
Nikorima’s teammate, Liam Knight, says the influence of the Roosters’ NRL squad is rubbing off on the in-form Roos.
“You learn a lot around them, especially their composure and how they work under fatigue,” Knight told NSWRL.com.au after the win over Illawarra.
“Their talk and their stature in the game that they have, there’s a reason those guys are at the top of their sport because they train harder than anyone else.
“It’s obviously great to watch and I try and learn from that on the training paddock and off the field as well.”
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs v North Sydney Bears
Belmore Sports Ground, Saturday 8 April
3:00pm
Broadcast LIVE on SteeleSports.com.au
Minus halfback Matt Frawley who made the step up to the NRL, the Bulldogs notched an upset 18-14 win in Round 5, over competition heavyweights the Penrith Panthers.
The win at St Marys last weekend holds the Bulldogs in good stead, with the side returning to their spiritual home at Belmore to host the high-flying North Sydney Bears on Saturday afternoon.
Lachlan Lewis will again partner Josh Cleeland in the halves, as the pair look to forge their growing combination at the heart of the Bulldogs’ attack.
Alike the Panthers, the Bears were also on the end of a surprising loss, going down to the then-winless Wests Tigers at Chatswood Oval.
Disappointed with the loss – their first of the season – the North Sydney side will be intent on bouncing back in this clash.
Penrith Panthers v Newcastle Knights
St Marys Leagues Stadium, Saturday 8 April
5:00pm
Broadcast LIVE on Hawkesbury Radio 89.9 FM
The Panthers’ NRL loss is their Intrust Super Premiership NSW gain, with club captain Matt Moylan set to feature in the side’s clash with the Knights – alongside fellow NRL regulars Peta Hiku and Waqa Blake – following on from off-field misdemeanours by the trio.
Going down to the Bulldogs ins a tight affair last Saturday night, again the Panthers will play under lights, though they’ll be hoping to reverse the result of Round 5 in this match-up with the in-form Knights.
The Novocastrians head west on the back of a last-start win against the Jets at Southern Cross Group Stadium, the victory the second in succession for the Knights, though this task looms as one much more difficult than that of the previous two assessments.
Stay tuned to NSWRL.com.au after the match as we bring to you a FULL replay of the Panthers v Knights clash, ‘On Demand’.
NZ Warriors v Newtown Jets
Mt Smart Stadium, Sunday 9 April
11:45am NZT
Broadcast LIVE on Fox League (AUS) and SKY Sport NZ
After a tough start to the year, the Jets find no respite when heading across to the Mt Smart Stadium to take on the red-hot NZ Warriors.
Though far from convincing in their Round 5 win over the Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles, the Warriors found a way to the front, doing enough to keep intact their unbeaten start to the 2017 season.
Newtown meanwhile fell to an impressive Knights outfit, with the Jets’ goal-line defence sure to have been put to the test mid-week, on the back of some soft efforts nearer their line.
The Jets – poised mid-table as it stands – will have their premiership credentials tested in this one, against a Warriors side intent on extending their winning run to six.
For full team lists and fixture details, visit the NSWRL Match Centre
