Recap | The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup - Round 13

Dragons survive Knights comeback to snatch late victory

Anthony Eltarraf

Game summary

The St George Illawarra Dragons secured a nail-biting 28-24 victory over the Newcastle Knights at Jubilee Stadium this evening.

The Dragons opened the scoring with a strong start, as winger Ben Rumble crossed in the right corner following Jonah Glover’s perfectly placed kick behind the defensive line. Glover then added the extras to give his side an early 6-0 lead.

Hooker Connor Muhleisen then doubled the home side's lead, exploiting some sloppy ruck defence to dive over from dummy-half.

In a dominant first-half display, the Red V scored a further two tries to extend their lead to 22-0 through Raymond Faitala-Mariner who burst through a gap off of a brilliant short ball by Lachlan Ilias, and a second try for Rumble in the corner off a set play from the scrum.

On the stroke of half-time, the Knights got themselves on the scoreboard through a much-needed try set up perfectly by Jackson Hastings, who put Francis Manuleleua through a hole to barge over. Connor Votano converted to ensure the Knights finished the half on a positive note, cutting the deficit to 22-6 at the break.

Newcastle managed to score first in the second half against the run of play, scoring early through Wilson De Courcey who managed a brilliant intercept before racing away 90 metres to score.

The Knights put on a hard-fought display to bring the game back within four points when Harley Walker scored his first try in The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup following a right-side set play.

In an incredible display, the visitors scored again in the 74th minute to level the score through Sosaia Latu who dived over untouched in the left corner, after receiving a bullet-like cut-out pass from second-rower Manuleleua. Connor Votano was perfect from the boot, converting four from four to put Newcastle in front for the first time in the game.

With just minutes remaining, the Dragons threw everything at the Knights, and a brilliant line-break from Nick Tsougranis set up Ben Rumble for his third try, sealing a thrilling 28-24 victory.

Talking points

• The Dragons’ first half display was near perfect, with both Ilias and Glover combining well to lead their side around the pitch and put on a brilliant attacking display.
• St George Illawarra looked certain to score early in the second half despite conceding on the stroke of half-time, however a perfectly read play by Wilson De Courcey saw him intercept Glover’s pass to race away 90 metres to score and inspire a comeback from his side.
• Jackson Hastings took control in the second half, constantly threatening the defence and nearly orchestrating a comeback for his side.

Key moment

After the Knights produced an incredible comeback from 22-0 down to lead 24-22 with just minutes remaining, the Dragons' final try in the 78th minute proved decisive. Nick Tsougranis broke through a tackle before slicing through the line and offloading to winger Ben Rumble, who secured his hat-trick and sealed a dramatic victory for the Red V.

What’s next?

The Dragons take the two points into the bye next week, while the Knights return home to host the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles at McDonald Jones Stadium.

South Sydney Rabbitohs v Warriors

Warriors keep climbing: Warriors too slick for Rabbitohs at Redfern

Claire Stegbauer

Match summary

The ladder-leading New Zealand Warriors have continued their strong run of form, powering past the South Sydney Rabbitohs 24-6 in their Round 13 ]clash at Redfern Oval on Saturday afternoon. 

It was the perfect start for the Warriors. After an early break down the left edge from Moala Graham-Taufa, the visitors struck just three minutes into the match. Halfback Tanah Boyd starting his fantastic match by sending a pin point kick across the field where Daeon Amituanai claimed it and opened the scoring. Boyd nailed the conversion for a 6-0 lead.  

The Warriors didn’t take long to double their advantage. Off the back of a ruck infringement, hooker Samuel Healey took on the Rabbitohs’ middle defence, busting through before linking with fullback Taine Tuaupiki, who glided over untouched in the ninth minute. Boyd again added the extras, extending the lead to 12-0. 

The remainder of the first half settled into a grind, with South Sydney dominating field position. Daeon Amituanai proved enormous defensively for the Warriors, pulling off multiple try-saving efforts on Souths' left edge as the Rabbitohs applied repeat pressure.

Forward Tim Johannssen went close for the home side but was denied at the line, while Haizyn Mellars impressed under several towering kicks to hold his nerve at the back. 

Despite their dominance in possession, the Rabbitohs couldn't find the try line, and the Warriors headed to the sheds with a 12-0 half-time lead. 

South Sydney came out firing early in the second half. Thomas Fletcher broke through close to the line before offloading to Haizyn Mellars, who looked to have scored before the play was pulled back for a forward pass. 

The Warriors then capitalised on South Sydney’s missed opportunity. In the 48th minute, they shifted right once again. Tanah Boyd put up another dangerous attacking kick which was gathered by Eddie Ieremia-Toeava, who crossed to extend the lead to 16-0. The conversion was unsuccessful. 

The Warriors continued to control the game, with Morgan Harper producing a barnstorming run up the right edge. Moments later, a short dropout error from South Sydney gifted the visitors repeat sets.

Following back-to-back penalties, the Warriors once again punished the Rabbitohs' left edge, with Daeon Amituanai showing great skill scoring his second try in the 59th minute off the back of a clean flick pass from Luke Hanson. Boyd slotted the conversion, pushing the score to 22-0. 

After weathering a long defensive grind, South Sydney finally found reward with 12 minutes remaining. A penalty on the Warriors' line gave them momentum, and after three strong carries, Leonard Skelton forced his way over just right of the posts. Fletcher Myers converted, narrowing the gap to 22-6. 

The Rabbitohs pushed hard in the closing stages, throwing adventurous passes in search of late points, but the Warriors’ defence held firm. Fittingly, Tanah Boyd iced the match with a penalty goal in the 79th minute, icing an impressive 24-6 win for the visitors. 

Talking points 

• The Warriors' early dominance set the tone, crossing twice in the opening 10 minutes and forcing South Sydney to play catch-up from the outset.
• Daeon Amituanai was outstanding at both ends of the field, scoring a double and producing several crucial defensive efforts to deny South Sydney on the left edge.
• Despite dominating field position in the first half, the Rabbitohs couldn’t convert their opportunities into points, failing to capitalise on multiple sets inside the Warriors' 20.
• Tanah Boyd controlled the game beautifully, contributing with his kicking game, try assists, and four successful goals to guide the Warriors around the park. 

Key moment 

The key moment came in the 59th minute when the Warriors, capitalising on back-to-back penalties and field position, shifted left to Daeon Amituanai, who produced a try off the back of a classy flick pass. The strike pushed the margin beyond three converted tries and effectively shut the door on any Rabbitohs comeback. 

Whats next? 

The Rabbitohs will travel to GIO Stadium next week to face the Raiders, looking to snap their losing streak and find much-needed momentum at the bottom of the ladder, while the Raiders aim to consolidate their top eight position and strengthen their finals push.

Meanwhile, the Warriors head to Henson Park for a heavyweight clash against the Jets, as the ladder-leaders look to extend their dominant winning run, while Newtown seek a statement win to close the gap on the competition’s top spot.

Newtown Jets v Western Suburbs Magpies

Magpies fight off late Jets rally to claim victory

Anthony Eltarraf

Match summary

The Western Suburbs Magpies withstood a late surge from the Newtown Jets to claim a thrilling 32-22 victory at Henson Park this afternoon. 

The Magpies started with intent, dominating early possession and making it count when a slick left-edge play sent Izaac Tu'itupou diving over in the corner.

Their momentum continued with some enterprising footy, as Luke Laulilii broke through the line and offloaded to Tallyn Da Silva, who stepped past the fullback to double the lead to 12-0.

The Jets hit back with seven minutes left in the half, when Jayden Berrell threaded a clever grubber in behind the defence for Eparama Navale to pounce on and get the hosts on the board.

But the Magpies weren’t done yet. A penalty goal pushed the margin to eight, before Solomona Faataape powered over for a late try. With Kurt Falls adding the extras, the visitors took a commanding 20-6 lead into the sheds.

Western Suburbs carried their momentum into the second half, striking early when Tallyn Da Silva darted out of dummy half and linked up with fullback Luke Laulilii, who cruised around the last defender to score out wide and push the lead out to 26-6.

The Magpies’ attacking flair was on full display again when Reuben Porter sliced through a gap and surged 25 metres upfield before offloading to Krystian Mapapalangi, who finished the job to extend the visitors’ lead further.

Newtown looked down and out, but a gutsy short kick-off gave them a lifeline as they regained possession and struck almost immediately. Dylan Coutts charged into the line and offloaded to fullback Taj Ford, who crossed to bring the deficit back to 20.

The Jets kept the momentum rolling in the very next set, executing a slick outside-in play with Ford turning provider, looping a pass back inside to Niwhai Puru who scored under the posts. The Jets were on a roll, and a brilliant kick-return combination between Puru and Ford once again put them deep into attacking territory. Moments later, Blake Hosking powered his way over, incredibly cutting the deficit to just 10-points and breathing new life into the contest.

The Jets continued to press in the closing stages, creating several chances to cut the margin to a single try and set up a dramatic finish. But execution let them down at key moments, and the Magpies held firm to claim a hard-fought 32-22 victory at Henson Park.

Talking points

• The Magpies looked like a revitalised side in the opening 60 minutes, combining strong defensive resolve with an attacking flair that’s been largely missing this season.
• Tallyn Da Silva was instrumental in the Magpies’ win, constantly threatening with ball in hand, scoring and setting up tries, and making a strong case for a return to first grade.

Key moment

Krystian Mapapalangi’s try—Western Suburbs’ final of the match—proved crucial in sealing the win, ultimately pulling the game just out of reach for a fast-finishing Newtown side. The try came off the back of another dazzling attacking sequence from the Magpies, as Reuben Porter burst through a gap in the Jets’ defensive line and surged 25 metres upfield before drawing in the fullback and linking with Mapapalangi, who finished the movement to extend the lead.

What’s next?

The Jets welcome the New Zealand Warriors to Henson Park next week as they look to bounce back from a disappointing loss, while the Magpies seek back-to-back wins as they travel to Accor Stadium to face the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.

Manly Warringah Sea Eagles v North Sydney Bears

Brave Bears Seal Courageous Comeback Victory

Ellery Behan

Match summary

The North Sydney Bears impressively clawed back an 18-4 half-time deficit to topple the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles at Four Pines Park on Saturday evening, sealing a 24-20 triumph.

Both sides completed their first few sets with plenty of energy, showcasing their discipline as no errors were made in the fast, end-to-end opening phase of the evening. But the home side struck first through Toafofoa Sipley, who crashed over one-out from dummy half in his first game back from suspension to put Manly ahead 6-0.

The Bears took full advantage of some much-needed possession after turning away multiple sets on their line, with hooker Jayden Yates spotting some space in behind the ruck and accelerating into it before offloading to Jesse Marschke on his outside who outmuscled Charlie Thompson and found his way to the corner, closing the deficit to two points.

The pendulum of momentum swung back in favour of the Sea Eagles, as an error from Riley Meyn gave Manly the territory they needed to strike once more. They did exactly that with a moment of brilliance from Wakeham, who floated a chip kick in behind the defensive line which was fielded by Michael Chee Kam, planting the ball down in his first start in the centres this season to give his side a 12-4 lead.

The experienced five-eighth showcased his playmaking mastery once more as he sent teenage halfback Joey Walsh through a gaping hole in the defensive line, strolling over for his second try of the season. Wakeham slotted the conversion from out wide to establish an 18-4 upper hand for the home side at the break.

The visitors exploded out of the sheds, rolling through the middle of the park and setting themselves up to chip away at the deficit as NSW Cup veteran Jesse Marschke held the ball up for just long enough to create a gap in Manly’s line that makeshift fullback Coby Thomas stormed through to score.

North Sydney spectacularly travelled 100 metres on the resuming set to score, shifting the ball around before Israel Ogden made a break down the eastern touchline and found Tuipulotu Katoa on the wing to dive over and claw the game back to 18-12.

Manly left the door ajar to an undermanned Bears side, as a knock-on from Thompson coming out of his own end was pounced on by Israel Ogden who set sail for the try line to make it a two-point contest in the home side’s favour.

The Bears continued chipping away through the middle before finally taking their first lead of the match as Yates sold a spectacular dummy and split the defence straight through the middle, diving over under the sticks to put North Sydney up 24-20 with seven minutes on the clock. Yates’ moment of magic was enough to see the visitors through to full time, sealing their fifth win of the campaign.

Talking points

• Manly’s 19-year-old halfback Joey Walsh had an outstanding performance, confidently running the football as he probed away at the defence with cut-out balls and offloads, scoring a try off the back of a strong run as a reward.
• Sea Eagles lock forward Caleb Navale was fierce through the middle, winning every ruck he was a part of off the back of his leg speed, footwork and strength.
• The North Sydney Bears’ try scoring woes seemed to continue as they backed up last week’s zero-try effort with a single four-pointer in the first half. But the tides turned as they began to hit their straps in the second stanza, piling on four tries in the dramatic victory.
• The Bears lost their fullback after just nine minutes of play, forcing lock forward Coby Thomas to stand in at the back. Thomas was exceptional playing out of position, proving safe under the high ball and scoring a try as his side were searching for a way back into the contest.

Key moment

Valiantly battling their way back into the contest after trailing 18-4 at the break, the Bears stormed home to ice a memorable victory at Four Pines Park. Having already outscored Manly in the second half 14-2, they scored their fifth try of the evening through a moment of brilliance from hooker Jayden Yates, who fooled the Sea Eagles’ forward pack with a devious dummy and sliced through to give his side the box seat and win the match.

What’s next?

The Bears will look to string two victories together next week as they host the Panthers at the iconic North Sydney Oval on Sunday, and Manly will be tasked with bouncing back from defeat as they lock horns with the Knights on Thursday evening at McDonald Jones Stadium.

Penrith Panthers v Parramatta Eels

Panthers hold off late Eels surge to return to winner’s circle

Stewart Moses

Match summary

Penrith Panthers have moved back into fourth place on The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup ladder after withstanding a fierce Parramatta Eels fightback to run out 42-28 winners at CommBank Stadium this afternoon.

The Panthers looked to be doing it comfortably when they led 30-4 at the main break and 36-10 early in the second half, before a three try blitz from the Eels midway through the second half gave the visitors considerable hope trailing 36-28 with plenty of time remaining.

But Trent Toelau's third try assist for the afternoon finally put the game to bed for the Panthers with just two minutes remaining in this Battle of the West classic.

The visitors got off to the perfect start, scoring after just six minutes when winger Jake Tago crossed out wide to give the Eels a 4-0 lead.

Penrith soon hit back with a try to Billy Phillips after Parramatta were unable to handle a Trent Toelau cross-field kick, with the lock forward on hand to pounce on the loose ball for his first NSW Cup try to lead 6-4 after 12 minutes.

Penrith extended their lead when another Toelau cross-field kick was collected by centre Sam Lane, who broke through the line before finding fullback Jack Attard in support to score behind the posts on debut, and with Paul Alamoti's conversion the Panthers led 12-4 midway through the opening half.

An Alamoti line-break followed by a quick play-the-ball enabled Toelau to stroll through a yawning gap from 20m out to score behind the posts to extend the Panthers’ lead out to 18-4 after 31 minutes.

The Panthers went back-to-back tries from the ensuing set when winger David Fale made the long break down the eastern touchline before kicking back inside for fullback Attard to score his second try on debut. With Alamoti again successful with his conversion, the Panthers suddenly had a commanding 24-4 lead approaching the main break.

But perhaps the defining moment of the game arrived with the last play before half-time when Toelau's attempted 40/20 instead took a wicked bounce straight back into the hands of the Panthers, with interchange forward Riley Price reaching out to score next to the posts to give the home side an imposing 30-4 lead at the break.

Parramatta as they did in the first half, were quick out of the blocks to score the opening points of the second half when interchange hooker Joey Lussick forced his way over from dummy-half to score underneath the posts, converted by Ronald Volkman to trail by 20 after 47 minutes.

Penrith quickly responded in fine style when Trent Toelau again broke through the middle of Parramatta's defensive line to give winger David Fale a saloon passage to the try-line and re-establish the Panthers' 26-point lead with still 26 minutes remaining.

Parramatta refused to concede and were next to score when back-rower Will Latu broke the line from halfway before finding hooker Brendan Hands backing up in support to score out wide, and with Volkman's conversion successful the Eels had a glimmer of hope trailing 36-16 with 18 minutes remaining.

The Eels scored again soon after through Matt Doorey, with the lock forward crashing over from close range to narrow the gap to 36-22 with 14 minutes still left in the game. When a quick shift left caught the Panthers napping, allowing centre Araz Nanva to reach out and score with 11 minutes remaining, the visitors were suddenly within striking distance trailing 36-28.

But having survived several attacking raids on their own line Penrith finally put the result beyond doubt, when a cross-field kick from Toelau was battered back for replacement forward Lufusi Tapaatoutai to score his maiden try in the NSW Cup and with Alamoti having a perfect afternoon with the boot, kicking his seventh goal from as many attempts, the Panthers sealed an important 42-28 win over their Western Sydney rivals.

Talking points

• Both teams came into the clash inside the NSW Cup top five - Parramatta third and Penrith in fifth. But the win today by the Panthers saw them move into fourth position at the expense of the defending premiers, Newtown Jets.
• Daine Laurie was a late withdrawal for today's clash allowing Jack Attard to make his NSW Cup debut at fullback and he didn't disappoint scoring two tries before being replaced late.
• Parramatta prop Wiremu Greig was placed on report for a high tackle during the first half, that saw Panthers prop Preston Riki ruled out for the rest of the game. 
• Paul Alamoti was a handy inclusion for the Panthers with the centre kicking seven goals from as many attempts in a strong performance.

Key moment

Penrith looked to be heading into half-time with a decent 24-4 lead, but they were gifted a bonus converted try that proved pivotal in the final proceedings, when a 40/20 attempt was allowed to bounce back into Panther hands, ending with interchange forward Riley Price scoring next to the posts to give the home side a 30-4 lead that proved too much for the Eels to overcome.

What’s next?

The Panthers will be looking to avenge their Round Five loss when they take on the Bears next Sunday at North Sydney Oval. Also, next Sunday will see the Eels looking to bounce back from this week’s loss when they host the Sydney Roosters at Kellyville Oval.

Sydney Roosters v Canberra Raiders

Roosters edge out travelling Raiders in high-scoring thriller

George Alakiki

Match summary

With both teams coming into Round 13 of The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup with five wins, the Sydney Roosters staved off a late comeback from the Canberra Raiders to emerge 48-24 victors.

A short ball to Sydney Roosters’ Aston Warwick gave the second-rower plenty of options and he picked out winger Tom Rodwell with a looping overhead pass to open the scoring (6-0).

The tricolours went back-to-back the following set exposing some space on the right-hand side as they ran the ball on the last tackle, which allowed centre Ben Johnson to find his neighbouring winger Trey Peni with a deft grubber (12-0).

After absorbing all the early pressure, the Raiders finally got their first points thanks to Jalen Afamasaga who found himself in some space in his own half before laying off to Joe Roddy to score under the posts (12-6).

The Roosters continued to expose Canberra’s left-edge defence finding an overlap to put Johnson over, before changing back to the left for a tackle-busting Ethan King to find Owen Flaherty for his first NSW Cup try (22-6).

The horror show continued for Canberra as hooker Zach Dockar-Clay attracted two defenders in the middle to put substitute De La Salle Va’a through a hole, who sent captain Jake Elliott over to make it 28-6 at the break.

It took 15 minutes into the second half, but the Chooks continued where they left off through hooker Tyler Moriarty, who backed himself with a dive to the line from dummy-half to extend his side’s lead (32-6).

Nearly 42 minutes after their first points, Canberra found their next through Roddy. Captain and five-eighth Adam Cook took charge and attacked the Roosters’ line before slotting a grubber for his second-rower (32-12).

It wasn’t over yet as Roddy completed his hat-trick off yet another Cook kick, before the Green Machine ran 100m off the kick-off to put Ethan Alaia away and bring his side miraculously to within eight (32-24)

But with the Raiders on the attack, Rodwell shifted momentum back with the Roosters. The winger flew through the air to make a magnificent catch then ran 70m before finishing off two more left-side plays, completing a second-half hat-trick and the Roosters’ 48-24 win.

Talking points

• The Raiders were the most ill-disciplined team in the competition coming into the round with 88 penalties conceded so far in 2025. That trend continued and helped the Roosters open the scoring today.
• The right-side combination between Chad Townsend and Ben Johnson unravelled the Raiders’ left-edge defence in the first half, before Tom Rodwell and Jake Elliott did the same in the second. 
• The Raiders tried to go through the middle on multiple occasions in the second half, but enforcer De La Salle Va’a had an enormous performance for the Roosters and denied Canberra on multiple occasions, as well as notched an assist.
• Adam Cook tried to rally his side in the second half. He was involved in everything for Canberra but fell just short.

Key moment

With seven minutes to play and the Raiders threatening to knock down the Roosters’ door, last week’s NRL debut star Xavier Va’a came up with a momentous tackle to rattle Myles Martin and loosen the ball, dispelling any late chance of a comeback.

What’s next?

The Roosters will travel to Kellyville to face the Parramatta Eels for the first time this season, while the Raiders return home to face the travelling South Sydney Rabbitohs.