Live Coverage | The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup - Round 18

Dominant second half leads Knights to victory

Patrick Staveley

Game summary

The Newcastle Knights have overcome a two-point halftime deficit to defeat the Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles 32-12 in Round 18 of The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup.

Ominous signs were on display early when the Knights ran in two tries on the left edge to lead 10-0 after McKenzie Baker and Heath Gibbs both crossing the line.

The Sea Eagles quickly hit back with a short ball from halfback Ben Stevanovic putting centre Pio Seci through a gaping hole to score.

Another 20 minutes passed without points before James Segeyaro burrowed his way to the line to put the hosts 12-10 in front at halftime. It was the Blacktown No.9’s last major involvement of the game as he was forced to leave the field with an ankle concern.

The Knights, needing a win to stay in the finals hunt, came out firing in the second half and their renewed attitude reaped the rewards when Jack Johns scored the first try after the interval.

Looking for options on the last play, Johns pin-balled off a defender and found an open passage to the line.

The game was getting away from the Sea Eagles when they conceded another try shortly after, this time to Ben Talty, as their defence started to give way. Talty resisted three defenders to manoeuvre his way to the line.

Blacktown’s troubles were compounded when fullback Jake Toby threw an intercept into the clutches of Heath Gibbs who ran 55 metres to score. John Toleafoa added to the second half scoring when he posted a deserved try after a strong performance.

Talking points

Despite Newcastle sitting in ninth position and Blacktown 12th, the game had plenty of quality with both sides making no errors for the opening 30 minutes.

The physicality was just as exceptional, with a number of big hits and strong tackling consistently on show.

Key moment

Segeyaro’s try before the break ultimately ignited Mark O’Meley’s Newcastle troops, who were seemingly the more dominant side for most of the half. They went on to make the most of their opportunities in the second half to ensure victory in the end.

What's next?

Next week for the Knights host the eighth-placed Dragons, which could play a major role in their finals aspirations. The Sea Eagles are at home again when they the difficult task of the Panthers. 

Western Suburbs Magpies v Penrith Panthers

Magpies keep finals hopes alive with win over table-topping Panthers

Mitchell Farrugia

Game summary

The Western Suburbs Magpies have upset a depleted Penrith Panthers to remain in the hunt for finals, winning 32-20 at Leichhardt Oval in Round 18 of The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup.

It was the visitors who crossed first through winger Logan Cohen in the 13th minute, before the Magpies quickly even the ledger.

After a second try, this time to Luke Sommerton, the points would dry up for the Panthers.

The Magpies took advantage by crossing again only minutes from halftime. Jock Madden's conversion was soon followed by a 39th-minute penalty goal to give the home side a 14-12 lead at the break.

The second half started perfectly for Wests with five-eighth Tyrone Peachey scoring within a minute of play being resumed.

Centre Junior Pauga was next on the board, then winger Trey Peni followed suit as the Magpies' lead extended out to 32 points thanks to the boot of Jock Madden - landing six straight conversions.

Despite two late tries after Pauga was sin-binned, the Panthers couldn’t claw their way back in front as the Magpies held on for victory.

Talking points

The Magpies' win opens the door for a late charge to the finals, with confidence certainly boosted after knocking off the well-drilled Panthers. Wests now sit just three wins outside of the top eight.

The Panthers, despite going down, were able to showcase the club’s incredible depth across all grades. With seven NSW cup regulars named for the Panthers' first grade side including halves partners Kurt Falls and Sean O’Sullivan, the NSW Cup squad will be bolstered in the coming weeks by their return.

Key moment

Experience was key for the Magpies and veteran Tyrone Peachey’s try just one minute after the break helped Wests take the lead for the first time. The Magpies scored again soon after and gained the ascendancy to surge to victory.

What's next?

The Magpies will be able to rest up after an important victory due to the bye in Round 19. Meanwhile, the Panthers will be looking to shake off their loss next Sunday against the last-placed Sea Eagles at HE Laybutt Field from 3pm.

Newtown Jets v Parramatta Eels

Clinical Jets outclass Eels to claim top spot

Anthony El

Game Summary

Newtown Jets proved too classy for Parramatta Eels on Sunday afternoon, defeating the visitors 30-10 at Henson Park to claim top spot on The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup ladder.

With Newtown seeking their third win on the trot, a strong start from the home side saw Prop Thomas Hazelton barge over to score his second try in as many weeks.

The Jets went back-to-back after successfully converting a penalty goal, through a try to Kayal Iro who touched down near the left corner, before diving over for a second time to give his side an 18-point lead.

The Eels responded with a try of their own just before half time through Hooker Mitch Rein, who crashed over from dummy half bringing his team within two converted tries at the break.

The second half saw plenty of opportunities pass for both sides, until the Jets finally broke the deadlock through a right side shift, which was finished off by Tyla Tamou with an acrobatic dive in the corner.

The visitors responded almost immediately, after reclaiming possession from the restart and scoring in almost identical fashion to the Jets’ previous try. Sean Russell dived over in the corner for the Eels second and final try of the afternoon.

Newtown Jets secured the victory just five minutes later with a brilliant solo effort from Kade Dykes, which saw him go over for his seventh try of the season and securing the Jets third victory in a row.

Talking Points

Kade Dykes proved that he is a real star, shining for his side in the fullback role this afternoon, just one week after starring in the five-eighth position.

The hosts’ defence remained rock solid after plenty of pressure on their goal line, especially in the second half.

The Eels had plenty of chances to close in on their opponents, and though the Jets’ defence was commendable, Parramatta will need to work on converting chances into points for the remainder of the season.

Key Moment

With the Eels scoring just before the break, a real threat emerged for the Jets as they sought to slow down their opposition’s momentum. Tyla Tamou’s try in the 69th minute proved key in securing the home side’s victory as they ran away with the victory.

The Road Ahead

The Jets look to continue their dominant run as they host the North Sydney Bears at Henson Park next week, while the Eels have a week off, securing two competition points with a bye.

St George Illawarra Dragons v North Sydney Bears  

Fast finishing Dragons keep finals hopes alive

Blake Edwards

Game Summary

A strong showing from Ben Marschke and Adam Keighran wasn’t enough to hold out a fast finishing Dragons outfit, who scored three tries in the final quarter of the match to record a 28-all draw against North Sydney Bears in Wollongong. 

The Dragons were bolstered by the inclusion of Jayden Sullivan, Tyrell Sloan and Josh Kerr, all of whom played their role in helping the Dragons secure a much needed draw to keep their finals hopes alive in 2022. 

Despite the handy inclusions for the Red V, It was visitors who got off to the perfect start, laying on two tries within the opening 15 minutes of the mach.

The first four-pointer came off a nice blind-side play, with centre Kieran Hayman twisting his way over the stripe. The 14th minute saw the Bears notch their second try, when Adam Keighran broke through some staggered Dragons defenders before supplying a perfectly weighted grubber kick that was collected and grounded in spectacular fashion just inside the corner post by halfback Lachlan Lam, extending the lead to 12-0. 

Having enjoyed an extended period of possession, the Dragons hit back with two quick tries of their own, through a strong close range effort from prop Josh Kerr in the 23rd minute.

This was shortly followed by some silky backline movement by fullback Treigh Stewart, who put centre Max Fegai through a considerable gap for their second, narrowing the Bears lead to 12-10 at the half hour mark.

An error in the shadows of half-time by Dragons rake Connor Mulheisen invited the Bears back into the contest. The visitors accepted the invitation when interchange forward Michael Fenn shook off multiple defensive efforts from the Dragons defenders, crashing his way over the line and giving his side a handy 18-10 lead heading into the sheds. 

A mid-game positional switch from centre to fullback for Bears star Adam Keighran showed its worth in the early stages of the second stanza, with Keighran chiming in nicely to provide a try for winger Tom Carr. A short while later, Ben Marschke provided a beautiful cut-out pass to Carr’s wing partner Toa Mata’ofo, with the flanker scoring in the corner to extend the lead 28-12 heading into the final 20 minutes.

Despite the Bears looking like they would run away with the game, the momentum remarkably swung back into the Dragons favour. The shift in momentum provided two tries within the space of five minutes to Tyrell Sloan and Treigh Stewart, setting up a grandstand finish, trailing 28-22. 

The Dragons were afforded the opportunity to level the game after a 75th minute error by Norths. Jackson Ford went awfuly close for the Red V in the ensuing set before a Max Feagai flick pass found a supporting Sloan who raced down the touchline to score out wide. Jayden Sullivan nailed the wide conversion to lock the scores at 28-all heading into the final two minutes. 

Both sides had the opportunity to seal the game through field goals, but attempts by Sullivan and Keighran respectively, were unsuccessful, meaning the score remained 28-all at full time. 

Key moment

There were a few key moments within the final quarter of the game. Looking down and out, a flick switched for the Red V in the 60th minute, with the hosts scoring back-to-back tries within 5 minutes courtesy of Tyrell Sloan and Treigh Stewart to get themselves back within six of the Bears. An error in the 75th minute by the Bears, saw the Dragons take full advantage, with Sloan crossing for his second of the afternoon, ultimately levelling the scores at full-time. 

Talking points

The drawn match makes things interesting for the make-up of the top eight heading into the final weeks of The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup, with the Dragons moving three points clear of the 9th placed Newcastle Knights, whom they face in Round 19.

What’s next?

The Dragons head up the freeway to tussle with a desperate Newcastle Knights outfit, whilst the Bears will make the trip to Henson Park to face competition leaders, Newtown Jets.

Mounties v Canberra Raiders

Abbey sinks Raiders with last play try

Jason Hosken 

Game Summary

A Brad Abbey try in the final minute has secured Mounties an upset 20-18 victory over the Canberra Raiders in an epic Round 18 The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup contest at Aubrey Keech Reserve.

The 10th placed Mounties outshone an undermanned Raiders for much of the match yet trailed by two-points as the final seconds counted down. It was left to Abbey to roll the dice, and the five-eighth iced the clutch play when he chased his own grubber in-goal before juggling a Raider fumble to secure the unlikely win.

Mounties rattled Canberra from the outset, but the points didn’t come until the 11th minute. Several failed raids were quickly forgotten when an Abbey cut-out pass sent Tuipulotu Katoa dashing down the left touchline. 

With the cover defence looming, the winger found Tim Simona on the inside and the centre finished the 80 metre movement to open a 6-0 lead.

Canberra were quick to hit back and drew level when prop Peter Hola reached out to plant the ball next to the uprights.

In a tit-for-tat contest, Mounties regained the advantage through backrower Haimona Hiroti, who did it all himself with a diagonal charge to cross in the left corner.

Trailing 10-6 three minutes before the break, Canberra needed something special to change the momentum, and it came in the form of Steven Numambo - the speedy winger flying above his opposite to ground a pin-point Josh James cross-field kick.

Canberra were unable to add to their 12-10 advantage upon the resumption and Mounties centre Semisi Kioa made them pay for repeated errors with a try to put his side in front 16-12. 

Little went to plan for Canberra’s disjointed backline but Adrian Trevilyan covered the cracks with thirteen minutes left to play. The hooker proved too quick from dummy-half sliding over the next to posts and with James’ conversion, at 18-16 the Raiders were on track to post a fifth straight win.

But just as he did at the start, Abbey’s brilliance came to the fore when it mattered most and he rounded out Mounties third win from their last four starts.

Talking points 

The surprise loss leaves the Raiders clinging to fifth place and could spell the end of their minor premiership tilt.

Albert Hopoate, the side’s leading try scorer, along with Corey Harawira-Naera and Warriors bound fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad headed a list of Raiders missing from the original team list, and it the end it proved the difference.

Key moment 

Abbey’s match winning play was a lesson in desperation. He grubbered to the corner, yet chased with intent and when the ball unexpectedly popped up, his effort was rewarded.

What’s next?

Next Saturday the Raiders host fellow top four aspirants the Bulldogs in the early game at GIO Stadium, before Mounties meet the Rabbitohs in the final match of the day at Accor Stadium. 

Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs v South Sydney Rabbitohs

Bulldogs beat Bunnies to bounce back at home

Pranav Harish

Game Summary

Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs capped of Round 18 of The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup with a 20-10 win over South Sydney Rabbitohs on Sunday afternoon at Accor Stadium.

It took the Bulldogs just two minutes to put points on the board after fullback Matt Dufty made a brilliant line-break to set up five-eighth Brandon Wakeham near the eastern touchline.

Wakeham converted his own four-pointer to give the home side a 6-nil lead in a strong start to the game.

Bulldogs centre Jeral Skelton took his side further out front on the scoreboard after scoring a brilliant try from an attacking play that once again shifted towards the eastern touchline well inside the Rabbitohs half.

The Rabbitohs hit back with a try to fullback Jacob Gagai who scored from a play set up toward the western touchline. The kick at goal by Blake Taaffe managed to reduce the deficit to four points but the visitors trailed at 10-6.

Gagai's try swung the momentum in Souths favour and combined with Dean Hawkins kicking game, the bunnies soon found their rhythm.

South Sydney brought scores level when back-rower Ben Lovett pounced on a brilliant grubber kick by Hawkins just outside the Bulldogs 10-meter line. Taaffe's conversion was unsuccessful although the Bunnies did well to head into the sheds at halftime with the scores locked up after Canterbury led 10-nil after just 10 minutes of play.

The home side went up 14-10 just moments into the second half after Matt Dufty showed some impressive footwork to stay in the field of play and race down the sideline to score.

Souths remained persistent but were unable to construct many attacking plays outside of their own half as the Dogs continued to press forward and establish field position of the back of some strong carries from their forwards.

Dufty picked up his second try with just over 10 minutes to play to help take the score to 20-10 and seal the win after Wakeham landed the kick at goal.

The win puts the Bulldogs back in third place on The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup ladder whilst Souths stay put in seventh spot and are tied with the Bears.

Talking Points

While they didn't get the two points, Souths welcomed back centre Richard Kennar and Shaqui Mitchell from NRL duties as they continue their run into the back end of the season.

Matt Dufty produced another strong performance, putting pressure on Jake Averillo to keep his spot in first grade. Dufty notched up two tries and consistently troubled the Rabbitohs right edge defence with his speed and footwork.

Key Moment

With Souths trailing by two, a forward pass from Blake Taaffe took the wind out of the Rabbitohs sails as winger Cody Hodge was denied a try.

What’s next?

The Bulldogs will head down to Canberra next week to take on the Raiders on Saturday afternoon while the Rabbitohs will play Mounties at Accor Stadium.