By Claire Stegbauer
This week’s Around the Grounds highlights some intense action across NSWRL's Junior Representatives competitions, with fierce battles in the Westpac Tarsha Gale Cup, UNE Harold Matthews Cup, and SLE Laurie Daley Cup.
Westpac Tarsha Gale Cup
Raiders withstand comeback from Roosters Indigenous Academy
The Canberra Raiders edged out the Sydney Roosters Indigenous Academy in a thrilling encounter at Woy Woy Oval, securing a 22-18 victory after withstanding a late comeback.
The Indigenous Academy made a blistering start, with Ellie Brander and Tyra Ekepati crossing early to establish an 8-0 lead. The Raiders responded swiftly, with Gabriella Savage bagging a double and Summer Luamanu adding another to turn the tide. Elise Simpson’s conversion extended their advantage to 16-8 at halftime.
A second-half try from Grace Dabin kept the contest tight. Still, the Raiders hit back with Summer Luamanu’s second try, capitalising off the consistent support of her centre, Holly Williams, who also had a standout game. Another Simpson conversion pushed the lead to 22-12.
Refusing to go down without a fight, Mahlie Cashin gave the Indigenous Academy hope, with Logan Fletcher’s conversion narrowing the gap to just four points. Despite a frantic finish, the Raiders held firm to seal the win in a high-intensity battle.
Sea Eagles fall agonisingly short of victory in draw with Bears
The Manly Warringah Sea Eagles came within inches of a last-minute victory but ultimately settled for a 14-14 draw against the North Sydney Bears at Aubrey Keech Reserve.
Manly struck first through Kassidy Kahotea, but the Bears quickly responded with a Lilly Wilson try. A full field sprint off a scrum penalty showed her speed as she dove under the posts with a Taya Floyd conversion to take a 6-4 lead. The Sea Eagles regained control just before halftime as Katie O’Mara crashed over, with Ruby Jeffries' conversion giving them a 10-6 advantage at the break.
The Bears mounted a second-half surge, levelling the score through Ava Vaefaga before Bridget Shearer put them ahead 14-10. A sin-bin to Dena-Leigh Broughton threatened to derail the Sea Eagles, but they showed resilience with Jaydanaye Anguna snatching four points off Ruby Jeffries' boot.
With just over a minute remaining, Jeffries stepped up for the potential match-winning conversion but narrowly missed, leaving both sides locked at 14-all in a thrilling contest.
UNE Harold Matthews Cup
Sharks show fight but Roosters prove too strong
The Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks put up a strong challenge but couldn’t overcome the Sydney Roosters, going down 24-12 in Round Six of the UNE Harold Matthews Cup at Cronulla High School.
It was the Roosters who made the stronger start, opening the scoring through Bastion Armstrong before extending their lead to 12-6 by halftime with tries from Kobi Siltala and Lachlan Metcalfe. The Sharks stayed in the fight with Sidney Truong leading the charge, bagging a double to keep his side within reach.
At 12-18 heading into the final minutes, the Sharks had hope of a late surge, but the Roosters shut the door with a last-minute try from Ravai Tulevu, followed by Metcalfe’s fourth successful conversion to seal the result.
While the Sharks couldn’t come away with the win, their fight until the final whistle was on full display, with Truong and Liam Challenor among the standout performers.
Polley double not enough as Eels fall short to Raiders
The Parramatta Eels were just moments away from victory but fell heartbreakingly short against the Canberra Raiders, going down 20-18 in a nail-biting Round Six clash at Eric Tweedale Stadium.
The Raiders struck first through Geordan Amaiu in the first minute, but the Eels responded with a double from Samuel Polley, giving them a 12-10 lead at halftime. The second half saw momentum swing back and forth, with Bailey Logue putting the Raiders ahead before Kasinga Noa hit back to level the scores. Zain Alameddine’s conversion nudged the Eels in front 18-16.
But with just minutes remaining, the Raiders delivered the final blow, as Joaz Ayamiseba crashed over to reclaim the lead. A missed conversion attempt left the Eels with a glimmer of hope, but they couldn’t find a way back before the final siren.
This week, the SLE Laurie Daley Cup showcases another round of intense action as the competition heats up.
SLE Laurie Daley Cup
Thriller ends in stalemate as Bulls and Rams battle
A thrilling contest at Paramore Park on Sunday saw the Riverina Bulls and Western Rams play out a captivating 24-all draw in Round Five of the SLE Laurie Daley Cup.
Brayden McGarry opened the game, breaking through early to score in the sixth minute, and Jayden Innes added the extras to put the visitors ahead 6-0. The Bulls were quick to respond with Preston Schultz and Nate Broekman finding the try-line, and Broekman successfully converting both to give the Bulls a solid 12-6 lead.
Not to be outdone, the Bulls continued their strong play with Diezel Watson and Jack Walsh adding further tries, extending the home team's lead to 24-6 heading into the second half. But the Rams were far from finished.
In the second half, the Rams started to claw their way back, with Noah Sutcliffe, Chayse King, and Jace Baker all crossing the line. The Rams' fightback was capped off by a Baker conversion, leveling the scores at 24-all as time ran out.
Click here for results from the UNE Harold Matthews Cup.
Click here for results from the Westpac Lisa Fiaola Cup.
Click here for results from the UNE SG Ball Cup.
Click here for results form the Westpac Tarsha Gale Cup.
Click here for results from the SLE Andrew Johns Cup.
Click here for results from the SLE Laurie Daley Cup.
Please be advised, due to severe weather conditions, Round Five fixtures featuring Northern Rivers Titans and North Coast Bulldogs in the Westpac Regional Lisa Fiaola Cup, SLE Andrew Johns Cup and SLE Laurie Daley Cup were postponed.
