Each week day NSWRL will showcase the best tries scored in its representative competitions this year in these five categories: don’t argue tries, through-the-hands tries, kick tries, runaway tries and individual effort tries – this week from the Men’s Under-23s Country Championships. Check back into this page for our rolling daily coverage.
Monday: Best don't argue tries
Tuesday: Best through-the-hands tries
Friday: Best individual effort tries
Monday: Best don’t argue tries
Men's Under-23s Country Championships | Best don't argue tries
The Illawarra South Coast Dragons were too strong for the Riverina Bulls in the opening round, and No.14 Matthew Sheppard extended a 30-point margin when he stepped inside two tacklers and pushed off the third before strolling under the sticks.
Northern Rivers Titans prop Nick Morrissey ran onto the ball with a full head of steam from the 20-metre line against the North Coast Bulldogs as he brushed of three brave defenders and crashed over between the uprights.
Liam Wiscombe looked like he had nowhere to go after being caught by a trio of Monaro Colts forwards, but the Bulls’ second-rower kept going, finding just enough room to reach out and plant the ball down.
In the same fixture between the Bulls and the Colts in Round 2, Monaro No.15 Mitch Bennet didn’t need any support as he charged into the line, making a destructive run through four attempted tackles to score.
No.17 Tyson Donnelly was among the try-scorers in North Coast’s 32-6 win over Greater Northern Tigers in Round 1. Donnelly latched on to a pinpoint offload early in the second half and found a way to score after contending with a handful of Tigers defenders.
Tuesday: Best through-the-hands tries
Men's Under-23s Country Championships | Best through the hands tries
The Northern Rivers Titans had plenty of highlights in the through-the-hands category with some slick passing on show. Winger Daryl Brooks had a bit of work to do in Round 2 against the Bulldogs after juggling the last pass before stepping back infield for the try. Brooks would finish the contest with a brace. A week earlier against Greater Northern Tigers the Titans’ flyer was again the beneficiary of superb lateral movement in attack, crossing for a double as well.
Round 1 saw the Western Rams taking on GSR Wests Tigers in an entertaining 32-16 victory for the home side. The Tigers were 10 points down with 20 minutes remaining when a late offload popped up for Bailey King to narrow the deficit to six. The Rams managed to run away with the win, however, sealed by centre Cody Godden navigating past four tacklers to score.
Wednesday: Best kick tries
Men's Under-23s Country Championships | Best kick tries
In the opening game of the 2020 Country Championships, Colts halfback Josh Fattore’s brilliant chip and regather on one bounce was capped off with a perfect inside ball for fullback Kyle Shepherdson to cross the try-line untouched.
Dragons five-eighth Jackson Willis bounced the ball on a dime with a cross-field kick for winger Dante Lusio against the Bulls, who slowed up to take clean possession before diving into the left corner for the four-pointer.
GSR Tigers half Ailand Davis-Pihema had a slice of luck, with the help of the left upright, to break the nil-all deadlock against the Rams in Round 1. The crafty No.7 put in a grubber from 10 metres that bounced back off the goalpost padding and into his chest to score.
A grounded kick was executed to great effect by the North Coast Bulldogs in the second week of competition in their matchup with the Titans. Bulldogs halfback Triston Scott caught the ball at second receiver when he split the defence with a deft grubber for try-scorer Dylan Collet.
The Bulldogs’ short-side defenders were caught off-guard in the final minutes of Round 2 against Newcastle and Hunter, when the opposition No.9 dinked a grubber in behind for chasing fullback Brendan Hay to seal the try.
Playing in the rain with slippery conditions for their Round 2 clash with Newcastle and Hunter, the Central Coast Roosters thought the best way to score was on the toe. Five-eighth Connor O’Beirne struck a low, clearing kick from just over the 40, then No.16 Dylan Clark made it to the rolling ball first and toed it further. A charging Caleb McGrady-Munro kicked the ball again for good measure before sliding into the in-goal for an unlikely try.
Thursday: Best runaway tries
Mens Under 23s Country Championships Best runaway tries
As the GN Tigers tried to hold onto the wet ball in Round 1, Northern Rivers Titans hooker Zac Beecher took the opportunity from an unforced error, jumping on a loose ball and running 55 metres to score.
The long range try became a speciality for the Men’s Under-23s Western Rams in this year’s competition. When the Rams shifted wide on either flank against the Dragons, they came up trumps twice as centres Jesse Wighton and Mitch Andrews found open space, with fullback William Lousick backing up in support on both occasions. Against the GSR Wests Tigers in Round 1, Rams winger Brock Naden made a break in midfield and, with only the fullback remaining, handed off to his second-rower for the try.
The Monaro Colts kept their foot on the gas in Round 2 despite a 38-6 lead against the Bulls, taking the ball to the blindside from their own 10-metre line and finding room to move on the left touchline before hooker Zac Patch kicked infield for Jackson Stuart to score.
Friday: Best individual effort tries
Mens Under 23s Country Championships Best individual effort tries
After bouncing off a couple of defenders from a scrum play in Round 2, GSR Wests Tigers centre Jye Ellul quickly hit full speed and raced away for an 18-point lead late in the second half.
Illawarra South Coast five-eighth Jackson Willis put on a man of the match display against the Bulls, having key involvements – including one four-pointer – in three of the Dragons tries. Willis increased the visitors’ margin by 20 when he backed up an offload and kicked a grubber for himself to score beneath the crossbar, and 15 minutes later put in another kick for the in-goal, leading to a miraculous put-down before the dead ball line by Dante Lusio.
Knights halfback Boston Smith feigned to go left from an attacking scrum against North Coast Bulldogs in Round 1, but he stepped off his left foot, sliced through two defenders, skipped past the fullback and held off one more to level the scores at 4-all.
Northern Rivers No.7 Harry Fitzhugh appeared to run out of options on last tackle in Round 2, so he held onto the football and threw a dummy before kicking along the ground and winning the race to score.
Monaro forward Isaiah Latu took a hit-up from deep in his own territory in the Colts’ Round 2 meeting with Riverina Bulls, and with late footwork made a clean break from the first line of defence. When he got to the opposition fullback, Latu fooled him with a dummy and placed the ball under the posts for a well-earned solo try.
