As we reach the halfway mark of the Under 19s UNE SG Ball Cup and Westpac Tarsha Gale Cup for the 2024 season, we look at where clubs sit heading into the back end of the regular season.
UNE SG Ball Cup
The opening five rounds has shown the competition is ‘anyone’s to win’ with the ladder currently tight between all 16 clubs.
With only four weeks remaining of the regular season, the ladder is closer than ever with the top-five teams only separated by two points.
The Sydney Roosters are top of the table on 10 points after a successful start to the season, scoring 151 points in five rounds and only conceding 86. The tricolours are currently undefeated and will be hoping to stay in the hot seat heading into finals.
St George Dragons, Newcastle Knights and Illawarra Steelers are not far behind - all sitting on eight points each. With each team currently 4-1 in the opening five rounds, only the points differential separates them.
The Knights are in third position but sit on the same for-and-against as the Dragons. However due to the fact they have conceded more points they drop below St George. The Steelers are in fourth.
The Magpies round out the top five, sitting on seven points. Coming off back-to-back wins the Magpies will be aiming for their third straight to ensure they stay in touch with the top five as they have the Warriors, Sharks and Eels nipping at their heels for a finals spot – all three clubs currently sitting on six points.
With the Roosters facing all three of the current top five during the final four weeks of the competition, the standings could change with any team dropping in or out from a place in the finals.
Westpac Tarsha Gale Cup
The Under 19s women’s competition has kicked off strongly with 13 clubs – but just three points separates the top six.
Last year’s runners up the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs are currently sitting in top spot on 10 points alongside the Illawarra Steelers with both teams winning all five games in the opening rounds.
Only two points separate the pair in for-and-against, making the final four rounds crucial for both teams.
The back-to-back premiers, the Sydney Roosters Indigenous Academy, sit in third after suffering their first defeat since 2021 going down 28-6 to the Steelers in round four.
Despite sitting just outside the top two, the Roosters have recorded the most points so far with 224 – scoring 58 points or more on three occasions in 2024.
Following closely behind the reigning premiers is the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles who sit on the same points as the tricolours. Having two wins and two draws to their name for the season along with a bye in the first round, they have turned their luck around from their disappointing 2023 which had them sit in 12th place.
The Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks and Newcastle Knights wrap up the top six, both sitting on seven points with the Panthers not far behind on six.
With all of the top five teams apart from the Sea Eagles due to have a bye in the final four rounds, the end of the regular season will be a tight finish heading into the finals series.
