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Recap | The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup - Round 17

Round 17 of The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup kicks off on Friday 8 July as the Newcastle Knights host the South Sydney Rabbitohs. Saturday features a bumper line-up of four games before the Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles and St George Illawarra Dragons round out the weekend in the Sunday 3pm clash at 4 Pines Park.

Sea Eagles v Dragons

Magpies v Eels

Raiders v Bears

Panthers v Bulldogs

Mounties v Jets

Knights v Rabbitohs

 

Newcastle Knights v South Sydney Rabbitohs

NSW Cup Highlights | Knights v Rabbitohs - Round 17

 

Mounties v Newtown Jets

NSW Cup Highlights | Mounties v Jets - Round 17

Pele hattrick secures victory over Mounties

Anthony Eltarraf

Game summary

Star forward Franklin Pele scored a rare prop’s hattrick to help the Newtown Jets secure a dominant 46-14 victory over Mounties on Saturday at Aubrey Keech Reserve.

An error from Mounties in the first set allowed Newtown to assert some early pressure. The away side took full advantage of their opportunity through front-rower Thomas Hazelton, who powered his way through the line and reached out to score under the posts.

The Jets went back-to-back when five-eighth Kade Dykes sliced through Mounties’ line before offloading to fullback Lachlan Miller, who turned the afterburners on to score between the uprights.

Mounties had their fair share of chances to get on the scoreboard, and they were finally able to crack the brave Jets’ defence through Tui Katoa who dived over in the corner following a lovely rainbow pass from second rower Dane Aukafolau.

Newtown’s interchange forward Pele terrorised the home side’s defence in the final five minutes of the half, crashing over twice in no time to give his side a 24-4 lead at the break.

The Jets continued their dominance by opening the second half with another try from Kade Dykes, who stepped and weaved his way over for Newtown’s fifth of the afternoon.

Newtown were proving too good for the hosts with another try coming for the visitors through a brilliant, late offload from former Mounties player Kayne Kalache, which saw Rhys Davies streak downfield before finding Tyla Tamou to finish off.

A short restart allowed Mounties a chance to respond, and the home side did just that as Dane Aukafolau burst through a hole to score his side’s first try of the half.

Mounties scored consecutive tries for the first time in the game after a short side raid found Dylan Smith, who stepped around his man to score in the corner.

With less than ten minutes left, Tyla Tamou secured his double after picking up a loose ball and running in to score.

Arguably one of the sights of the afternoon was saved for the very end, when Pele completed his hattrick, running 80-plus metres in open to score in the corner and give his side an outstanding 46-14 victory.

Talking points

Jets five-eighth Kade Dykes starred for the visitors, breaking the line on several occasions and scoring a four-pointer – proving a constant nightmare for Mounties.

Franklin Pele had an afternoon to remember, scoring twice before the break and streaking away for his third late in the match.

The Jets were brilliant in defence to withhold plenty of Mounties pressure, giving them the platform to attack so fluently.

Key moment

Mounties still looked to be in the game just prior to halftime, but the Pele double within the final five minutes of the opening 40 would shut down any hope for the hosts.

What’s next?

Mounties look to bounce back as they host the Canberra Raiders next week, while the Jets welcome the Eels to Henson Park as they look to win three in a row.

 

Penrith Panthers v Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs

Undermanned Panthers consolidate top spot

Jason Hosken

Game summary

An understrength Penrith Panthers have defeated the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs for the second time this season in The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup, with a 22-12 victory in an absorbing contest at BlueBet Stadium.

With a host of talent rested to assist Ivan Cleary’s NRL side combat Origin commitments, the Panthers were well served by Ron Massey Cup regulars Trent Toelau and Luke Sommerton. 

In an even opening, it was Toelau’s kicking game that constantly turned the Bulldogs around while Sommerton was superb in directing traffic in the absence of hooker Soni Luke. 

Winger Christian Crichton came close to scoring Penrith’s first in the 17th minute, but the points came shortly after when Sommerton broke into Canterbury’s backfield. The St Mary’s No.9 did it all himself several plays afterward, powering over from close range to open a 6-0 lead. 

Busy lock Kurtis Morrin and the energetic Bailey Biondi-Odo were dangerous at times for Canterbury, while Matt Dufty created several opportunities in the Bulldogs’ scoreless opening half.

In an end-to-end contest the Panthers looked like heading to the break with a slender advantage, but a repeat set in the Bulldogs’ red zone opened the way for five-eighth Niwhai Puru to create another try. The Jersey Flegg playmaker scooped up a bouncing ball before passing to Thomas Jenkins as the centre raced across to score in the left corner.

Trailing 10-0, the Bulldogs came out firing after the break and hit the front with two tries in the space of four minutes. Second-rower Reece Hoffman swooped on a Dufty grubber for the first before Brandon Wakeham did it all himself from a scrum to put Canterbury-Bankstown in front 12-10.

With all the momentum flowing the way of the Bulldogs, it was left to the reliable J'maine Hopgood to swing it back to the Panthers. On the back of a rare attacking set, the ball playing lock threw a slick dummy before breaking the line and diving over next the the posts.

Up 16-12 Penrith made the most of their chances and John Faiumu helped put the result beyond doubt with nine minutes left to play. A well-directed grubber by the back-rower was pounced on by Jenkins to score his 14th four-pointer of the season, before Jack Cole’s sideline conversion rounded out an impressive 22-12 victory.

Talking points 

Entering Round 17 in third place, the Bulldogs hadn’t won a match against any of the other top four sides. Having missed the opportunity to defeat an undermanned Panthers, they can still boost their premiership credentials ahead of the finals with strong upcoming performances against the Bears and Jets.

In Round 14 a weakened Panthers succumbed to the Raiders in their last loss, and since then a full strength Penrith side reinforced their title aspirations by knocking over fellow contenders Newtown and North Sydney. Today’s upset victory is a shot across the bow for the other premiership hopefuls.

Key moment 

With seven minutes to play and trailing by 10 points, the Bulldogs were on the attack and seemingly on target to narrow the gap. Winger Jayden Okunbor seemed odds-on to ground a grubber kick for the visitors' third try, but he was beaten to the punch by his opposite Logan Cohen, who appeared from nowhere to rush the ball out of play.

What’s next?

Both sides are back in action next Sunday when the Panthers kick off the day against the Magpies in the early game at CommBank Stadium, before the Bulldogs close out Round 18 when they host the Rabbitohs at Accor Stadium.

 

Canberra Raiders v North Sydney Bears

NSW Cup Highlights | Raiders v Bears - Round 17

 

Western Suburbs Magpies v Parramatta Eels

Perham bags four as Eels race home for victory

Patrick Staveley

Game summary

The Parramatta Eels have held off a late fightback to down the Western Suburbs Magpies 38-20 in Round 17 of the Knock-On Effect NSW Cup.

Eels centre Hayze Perham was the man of the moment, picking up four sensational tries in a great performance from the Kiwi.

The Magpies opened the scoring with Asu Kepaoa before Samuel Loizou helped even things out again.

Zac Cini gave Eels the lead when he raced 90 metres off an intercept before Kepaoa’s second kept Magpies in touch.

Perham scored his first with a scintillating 35-metre burst to the try-line before halftime. He scored his next try early in the second half, scooping up a loose ball from a James Roberts knock-on. His third came soon after with slick footwork to beat the Magpies defenders.

The Magpies reduced arrears from 18 to eight points with tries to Junior Pauga and James Roberts but the comeback was put to bed with Perham’s fourth - a rampaging Elie El-Zakhem cutting through a hole and lining up with his centre to score.

Zac Cini later pounced on a grubber in the final play to score a double of his own, capping off a fine performance from the Eels and their strike centre pairing.

Talking points

It was all about the back line stars this evening with terrific finishing on show by Perham and Cini - combining for 6 tries - with Kepaoa displaying his strength for a double. It’s not surprising these men have all played first grade at some stage in their careers so far given their impact on this result.

Key moment

At 12-10 neither side had truly gained the ascendancy, but it was Perham’s try late in the first half to establish a halftime lead of 18-10 to set the tone for the remainder of the match. 

What's next?

Both sides face tough opponents in Round 18, with the Magpies hosting the Panthers at Commbank Stadium and the Eels travelling to Henson Park to face the Jets. 

 

Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles v St George Illawarra Dragons

Dragons put Sea Eagles to the sword to maintain top eight spot

Stewart Moses

Game summary

St George Illawarra Dragons came away with all important two competition points after a strong 34-16 win over Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles at a slippery 4 Pines Park.

With the bonus of a week off after last weekend’s washed-out game against the Raiders, the eighth-placed Dragons were never headed. They skipped out to a handy eight-point lead inside the opening 20 minutes before scoring right on halftime to take control of the game at 18-4.

The Dragons opened their account in the 10th minute when winger Alexander Lobb swooped on a Manly error from a kick to ground the ball in the southwest corner.

They doubled the lead soon after when former Sea Eagles back-rower Jack Gosiewski finished off a barnstorming 30m diagonal run to score in the identical spot in the 16th minute.

Blacktown scored their first points in the 20th minute when a classy, back-handed offload from the versatile Ben Trobjevic enabled winger Raymond Tuaimalo Vaega to crash his way over in the corner and reduce the gap to four points.

The Dragons still maintained pressure with multiple scrum wins, kick restarts and six-again penalties, before a quick shift to the left finished with an acrobatic try to winger Treigh Stewart which re-established an eight-point lead.

Things went from bad to worse for the Sea Eagles on the stroke of halftime when their attempts to construct some attacking play down the Dragons’ right edge defence went wrong.

A wayward pass was snapped up by Lobb who, from 55 metres out, teased the Sea Eagles’ cover defence before putting support player Tyrell Sloan away to score untouched, giving the visitors a commanding 18-4 lead at the break.

The sin-binning of Gosiewski early in the second half proved pivotal as Blacktown scored soon after through fullback Jake Toby, finishing a quick right shift to score from close range and lessen the gap to eight points with more than 30 minutes remaining.

The Dragons - despite being reduced to 12 men - still conjured up points when a cross-field kick from Cryer was taken in spectacular fashion by Lobb for his second try of the afternoon.

The sin-binning of Tuaimalo Vaega soon after proved telling when the Dragons produced a try from the ensuing set. Centre Ethan Clark-Wood scored in the corner to give the Dragons their biggest lead of the afternoon at 28-10.

The Dragons soon had their sixth try of the game when Sloan found himself on the end of a slick attacking raid down Blacktown’s left edge to score behind the posts for a double. With fifteen minutes remaining and the score-line 34-10, the match was as good as gone for the hosts.

Talking points

The Dragons’ already formidable forward pack boasting the likes of Poasa Faamausili, Tyrell Faimaono, Jack Gosiewski, and Jackson Ford, was bolstered by the inclusion of back-rower Billy Burns.

Manly were feeling the effects of the unavailability of winger Jorge Taufua, after the former NRL veteran and Tongan international was granted a release mid-week by Manly.

The win was soured by Gosiewski being placed on report early in the second half, which also left his team down to 12 men after he was sent to the sin bin for the incident.

Early in the second half, Blacktown’s efforts to get back into the game - hampered by the halftime loss of experienced NRL centre Brad Parker along with William Swann - weren’t helped with the sin-binning of winger Raymond Tuaimalo Vaega.

The Dragons scored seven tries to three in the impressive win, but the winning margin could have been much greater again with more accuracy off the tee.

Key moment

With the game in the balance at 22-10 and Blacktown mounting some attacking pressure, the sin-binning of Tuaimalo Vaega proved costly with the visitors scoring two converted tries in his absence through Clark-Wood and Cryer to all but seal the result.

What's next?

The Dragons will be looking to consolidate their position in the top eight when they host the North Sydney Bears at Collegians Sporting Complex on Sunday, while the Sea Eagles return once more to 4 Pines Park to face the Newcastle Knights on Saturday.

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New South Wales Rugby League respects and honours the Traditional Custodians of the land and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on the lands we meet, gather and play on.

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