Recap | The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup - Round 16

Match Summary 

Putoko impresses on debut

Richard Becht & photosport.nz 

Debutant centre Caelys Putoko and seasoned winger Edward Kosi nabbed doubles as the One New Zealand Warriors beat Penrith 32-12 to secure their 10th consecutive win in Saturday’s round 16 New South Wales Cup at Go Media Stadium.

In an exceptional run since their only loss to Newtown on April 12, the Warriors have now dismissed the Dragons (40-12), Knights (30-18), Bears (56-18), Raiders (46-30), Roosters (24-14), Bulldogs (40-24), Rabbitohs (24-6), Jets (22-16), Eels (46-22) and now the Panthers.

In doing so they’ve racked up 360 points while conceding 172, converting to an average winning score of 36-17.

With four consecutive wins to open the season, they now have a 14-1 record to sit on 30 points (509 points for, 264 against), still three clear of the Dragons who stayed in contact three points behind with victory over the Magpies yesterday.

The Warriors made a textbook start against the Panthers on Saturday with Kosi smashing his way over twice in the opening 15 minutes to open up a 10-0 lead.

Halves Tanah Boyd and Luke Hanson were in perfect harmony going left in the fifth minute, Hanson with a long ball to create space for Kosi to rumble over despite the attention of three defenders.

Just ten minutes later the Warriors went back to the well from an almost identical position, this time Kalani Going at first receiver, then Boyd out the back to Hanson linking with Putoko who gave Kosi a second shot against a scattered defensive line. Holding the ball out in front in his left hand he took a defender with to slam it down again.

The Warriors’ ruck defence near their line was exposed when Penrith scored in the 33rd minute to leave the score 10-6 at halftime but the home side set about putting its stamp on the contest with two strikes in the opening phase of the second half.

With the Panthers on attack in the 44th minute, a pass went loose, second rower Eddie Ieremia-Toeava swooping on his own 10-metre line and breaking 30 metres before off loading to fullback Geronimo Doyle who blasted 60 metres down the left touchline for a stunner.

Four minutes later a long right-to-left shift saw Boyd and Hanson in synch again for Putoko to charge through two defenders for a smart try on debut.   

Having put their mark on the match, the Warriors then went through a stage when they strayed from their script as the Panthers pulled it back to 22-12 with 27 minutes still to play.

There were more anxious moments to follow but it was Boyd who settled his side down. From 40 metres out he dummied and created an opening off a Going pass to score wide out for a 26-12 lead with 15 minutes to play.

With six minutes left the Warriors struck from range again, heading to their productive left through Freddy Lussick, Going, Boyd and Hanson before Putoko, reaching behind to gather the pass 33 metres out, flung off one defender, burst through two more, feinted to off load to Kosi and then went all the way to score a beauty wide out.

As well as his two tries Putoko finished with 12 runs for 143 metres, two line breaks, a line break assist, a try assist, five tackle breaks and nine tackles without a miss.

Also making his New South Wales Cup debut as a late replacement was right winger Garry Tuilekutu, a Naenae College product with a rugby union background. He scored eight tries in 18 matches for the club’s Jersey Flegg Cup (under-21) side last season.

The Warriors hit the road again next week when they meet the Sea Eagles at 4 Pines Park seeking to extend their winning streak to 11.

St George Illawarra Dragons v Western Suburbs Magpies 

Match Summary

Dragons extend winning streak to 8 over Magpies

Bailey Whitton

The St George Illawarra Dragons have made it eight wins in a row defeating the Western Suburbs Magpies 38-18 today. 

With the Dragons first grade side having a bye this weekend, saw a wave of players who have been in first grade bolster their cup side, including Luciano Leilua and Tyrell Sloan, along with the return of Raymond Faitala-Mariner.

The Magpies gave away a set restart early in the half, followed by a penalty for a high tackle towards the end of their set, which allowed the Dragons to create pressure on the away sides defensive line. 

The Dragons capitalised with a series of passes finding it’s way down the left side from Jonah Glover, looking ready to skip over anyone should a hole arise. None did, but Sione Finau didn’t need one, stepping back inside his opposing winger and pushing through the rushing defence for the first try of the game just five minutes in.

The next set the Dragons powered through the middle, catching the Magpies rushing back after being forced to make multi man tackles and didn’t hesitate to take advantage, getting the ball along the wing to Sloan who raced down the right edge to score. 

Blake Lawrie threatened to score, being held up by swarming defenders, and Lachlan Ilias took advantage, throwing a cut out ball to Nathan Lawson, catching the Magpies out of position and taking the scoreboard to 16-0.

After a 10 minute period of set-for-set football, where the Magpies seemed to be solidifying defensively, Glover teased the defensive line and slipped Ramsey through for a run at the goal. The Magpies put enough pressure on to cause him to fall fending them off, but an expert flick pass as he fell went directly to Tyrell Sloan who crossed for the fourth Dragons try of the game. 

The Dragons made matters worse for themselves, rushing up early off the scrum, giving the Magpies a perfect opportunity to get on the scoreboard.

The Magpies swung to the left and were pulled into touch but a retroactive offside penalty was awarded, frustrating the Dragons further. With a minute on the clock, Tristan Hope took a quick tap before dummying a pass and launching himself over the line, finally breaking the Dragons defence and giving the Magpies a hope going into the second half, 20-6.

The second half saw both sides wrestling for control of the game but neither being able to come away with it. As time ticked away, the next try became more and more crucial for how this game was going to go for the rest of the afternoon.

50 minutes in and a crucial Dragons error, knocking on a kick on last, gave the Magpies the opportunity to bust the game wide open. The Magpies outnumbered the Dragons as they went left, giving Izaac Tu’itupou a try and making it a two try game at 20-12.

The Magpies found themselves back in Dragons territory and it didn't take them long to capitalise - Tony Sukkar ran a good line and crashed over to make it a two point game. 

Unfortunately for the Magpies that hard work to get back into the game was about to come undone. The Magpies lost the ball off the kick off, with Connor Muhleisen scooping up the loose ball for an immediate try to the approving roars of the Collegians crowd. 26-18

That was all the Dragons needed to get themselves back on top and the final 15 minutes saw them resume their dominance from the beginning of the first half.

They got themselves back in striking distance after an illegal strip from the Magpies, and Emre Guler dodged past a tackle only to power over the line for a try but they weren’t done.

They sent the game home in style with a classy cut out ball seeing Nathan Lawson close out the game with a double, beating the Magpies 38-18.

Talking Points

• Dragons defence held firm under substantial pressure. The Magpies were on their line for a substantial time before they could get through their wall and that repeated for each of their tries.
• Magpies ability to bounce back was shown off in full force. The Dragons dominated the first half, but the Magpies stayed in the fight, slowly  grinding themselves back into the game and it paid off beautifully, getting them from 20-0 to within two at one point of the game.

Key Moment

Before half-time, the Magpies found themselves camped on the Dragons try line, with the Dragons giving them consistent opportunities through set restarts and errors, but they had not been able to capitalise.

It had been all Dragons at this point and with about a minute left on the clock, they needed something to take into the second half. Tristan Hope provided it with the quick tap and dummy, before launching himself over the tryline for the first of the Magpies tries, getting them back in the game.

What’s next?

Next week the Dragons look to go nine straight as they host Parramatta at WIN Stadium.

Meanwhile the Magpies head to Lidcombe Oval to host the Roosters.

Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs v Canberra Raiders 

Match Summary

Canterbury snap losing streak in strong performance against Canberra

George Al-Akiki

The Bulldogs have nabbed their first win in six weeks coming out 30-18 winners over the Canberra Raiders in Round 16 of The Knock On Effect NSW Cup.

Canterbury opened the scoring after unleashing Jonathan Sua down the left hand side from his own half, before a quick shift back to the right put Enari Tuala through for his second try in as many games (6-0).

Canterbury’s growing ill discipline finally caught up to them on their line after a series of penalties saw the try scorer sent to the sin bin. 

Canberra capitalised two tackles later as halfback Ethan Sanders went short at the line putting second rower Noah Martin through a hole to level the score back up (6-6).

But the home side looked the more threatening in the next period even with 12 men, making it count when a timely offload from second rower Luke Spinks put fullback Blake Taafe through to regain the lead (12-6).

The Raiders retaliated once more, running 80 metres as centre Kain Anderson scooped up a knock on and passed it on to his winger Jensen Taumoepeau, but a late penalty goal saw the Bulldogs head into the sheds with a narrow 14-12 lead.

Canterbury also struck first in the second half as five-eighth Cassius Tia spotted a small gap in the Canberra defence and put himself through with slick dummy and run to help extend the lead by eight (20-12).

Canberra continued to bang on the door and after 23 minutes into the second half they finally broke it down. Halfback Ethan Sanders noticed Taafe briefly out of position and crafted a deft grubber through the line to find his halves partner Adam Cook under the sticks (20-18).

But it was the Bulldogs who made sure they ran out victors. With minutes remaining, Tia found a charging Spinks who rolled over the line putting the game to bed before the side added another through centre Luke Smith in the dying moments, Canterbury finishing 30-18 victors.

Talking points

• Cassius Tia returned to the NSW Cup in excellent form. Aside from his four pointer, the five-eight crucially controlled the game with the boot, gaining his team great field position for much of the match.
• Canterbury’s discipline cost them at times. They twice failed to complete their sets after points which both times began periods of dominance from Canberra in the game.
• Ethan Sanders tried his best to steer his side with some smart plays and two try assists, but it wasn’t enough as Canberra slumped to their fifth consecutive loss.
• Fullback Blake Taafe put in a dominant performance with tough yardage carries and threatening runs at the Canberra defensive line. He finished with a try, an assist and 5/6 goals.

Key moment

With seven minutes to go and up by two, points were coming at a premium in the second half. Canterbury had two opportunities to take a shot on goal and defend a more comfortable four points, but the side backed their ability and their attack was rewarded with two tries to comfortably seal the match.  

What’s next?

Both teams head back to the field next Friday when the Bulldogs head further west to face a Panthers side looking to break a two game losing streak, while Canberra are keen to snap their own as their road trip continues with a visit to the Hunter taking on the Knights.

South Sydney Rabbitohs v Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 

Match Summary

Rabbitohs Hold On at Homebush Despite Valiant Manly Comeback

Ellery Behan

The South Sydney Rabbitohs triumphed 24-22 over the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in a thrilling clash at Accor Stadium on Saturday evening, somehow managing to hold on as the visitors barraged their way to the finish line.

Early in the contest, Souths turned possession over deep in their own half which handed Manly a golden opportunity to open the scoring. A sharp right-side shift saw Joey Walsh find a determined Michael Chee Kam with a cut-out ball, sending the experienced centre over the line against his former club.

Fighting their way back through the middle, Souths eventually found points off a crafty piece of work from Ashton Ward, who poked a grubber kick in behind the Sea Eagles’ defensive line which deflected off the right upright, sitting up for Daniel O’Donnell to storm through and plant it down. Ward converted from in front to put South Sydney ahead by two.

In the resuming set after kick-off, O’Donnell came up trumps once more as he bolted through a gap behind the ruck and broke into the backfield, drawing in the fullback and finding Ammaron Gudgeon who set sail for the try line. Ward added the extras from in front for a 12-4 advantage.

Manly hit back before the break with an impressive 70-metre effort, as a double pump from Jake Arthur opened space up on the right edge for Michael Chee Kam to slice through the defence and explode into the backfield. He drew in the Rabbitohs’ fullback and found Jason Saab on his outside who was never in danger of being caught on his way to the try line. Wakeham nailed the conversion to bring it back to a two-point contest.

The home side came bouncing out of the sheds, crossing the line twice in the first seven minutes as a Lewis Dodd chip kick was fielded by Carson Kaho and Tim Johannssen burrowed his way to the line just minutes later. Ward converted both tries with ease, establishing a 24-10 box seat for South Sydney.

After looking likely a handful of times but being turned away by Souths’ heroic defence, Manly eventually crossed for their first four-pointer of the second half. Shifting the ball to their left edge, Walsh sent Raymond Vaega over in the corner to make it a 10-point contest.

The Sea Eagles weren’t finished there, crossing twice more in quick succession with Jason Saab flying down the western touchline and standing up the fullback followed by a scrum play that saw Aaron Schoupp deliver a masterful tap-on to Vaega who steamrolled his way to the corner for his 13th try in as many appearances this season. Both conversions were unsuccessful, leaving the Rabbitohs with a two-point lead heading into the final five minutes.

Despite momentum being heavily in their favour, the Sea Eagles were unable to complete the comeback, leaving South Sydney with a 24-22 victory.

Talking Points

• Goal kicking was a major floor for the Sea Eagles, with Wakeham converting just one of their five tries whilst Ward added the extras on all four of South Sydney’s tries.
• Jason Saab was satisfactory in his first NSW Cup appearance since 2020, missing his assignment on a few occasions but proving to be an excellent attacking threat on the right wing with an excellent showcase of speed.
• South Sydney seems to have conjured up some momentum in their 2025 campaign, stringing together three consecutive victories after a horror opening to the season.
• Teenage sensation Joey Walsh was outstanding once again, spearheading Manly’s comeback and assisting two tries to bring his season tallies up to an astonishing three tries and eight assists in just six games for the young half.

Key Moment

Trailing by two with only a few minutes remaining and a boatload of momentum on their side, the Sea Eagles looked certain to storm home and snatch a courageous road victory. Jason Saab found ample space down the sideline, striding away from desperate chasers and finding Corey Waddell on his inside with no one in front of him. However, much to the delight of the South Sydney faithful, Waddell couldn’t hang on to the pass and South Sydney went on to win the match.

What’s Next?

The Rabbitohs will look to extend their winning streak to four as they host the Newtown Jets next week at Redfern Oval, whilst the Sea Eagles will aim to bounce back at 4 Pines Park against the table-topping New Zealand Warriors.

North Sydney Bears v Newtown Jets 

Match Summary

Jets bounce back into the winners' circle in Grand Final rematch 

Alex Hrissis

Newtown Jets defeated North Sydney Bears 24-12 at North Sydney Oval in Round 16 of the Knock On Effect NSW Cup.. The win snaps a two game losing streak for Newtown as they look to move into the top four as we approach the business end of the regular season.

Newtown Jets struck first in this Grand Final rematch between the two foundation clubs to take an early lead. Eli Clark found himself with the ball down the left wing and barged through the Bears’ defence with some strong carries and crashed over for a try.

Newtown made it double with another try down the left edge when fullback Taj Ford played a tidy cutout ball to Eparama Navale who scored in the corner. Niwhai Puru nailed the conversion from the sideline to give the Jets a 10-0 lead.

North Sydney bounced back midway through the first half as a bit of luck fell their way. Fullback Jake Toby was falling away from the ball as he managed to get the pill onto his boot and it bounced past the try line perfectly for Jesse Marschke to pounce on the ball for a try. Trey Brown converted with ease.

A brief scuffle between the two teams occurred just before halftime with Newtown’s Chris Vea’ila sent to the sin bin. North Sydney capitalised on the extra man advantage with two minutes left in the first half when a short ball was played to Coby Thomas and the forward crashed over for a four pointer. Brown converted just wide of the left post to send the Bears into the sheds with a 12-10 lead.

Newtown bounced back in the second half following some repeated pressure on the Bears’ ten metre line. A short ball was played to Jets’ forward Sam McCulloch who crashed underneath the sticks for a try. Puru converted the try to put the away side ahead 12-16.

Jets scored back to back tries to extend their lead over the Bears through a tidy finish from Kristian Dixon. Jets were advancing down that dangerous left edge when Puru put in a tidy grubber for Dixon who dived on the loose ball to claim a try and push the lead out to 20-12.

Newtown put the final nail in the coffin and all but confirmed the victory when fullback Taj Ford zipped past several Bears defenders to score a tidy solo try. The kick was waved away to make the final score 24-12.

Talking Points

• Jesse Marschke had an impressive day out for the Bears, with the halfback’s long kicking on full display plus scoring himself a try
• Newtown’s left edge was on full display with three out of five tries coming from that side
• The win for Newtown pushes them into the top four as they look to solidify a finals spot

What’s Next?

In Round 17 of The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup the Newtown Jets will play South Sydney Rabbitohs while the North Sydney Bears will enjoy a week off with the bye

Parramatta Eels v Newcastle Knights 

Match Summary

Eels outlast Knights in thrilling comeback at CommBank

Claire Stegbauer

The Parramatta Eels have pulled off a gutsy second-half comeback to down the Newcastle Knights 28-24 in a seesawing contest at CommBank Stadium on Sunday afternoon. 

Despite trailing 16-6 at half-time, the Eels piled on four second-half tries to steal the win late, with five-eighth Matthew Hunter and fullback Te Hurinui Twidle starring in the resurgence.

A strong defensive set led to a scrum feed deep in Eels territory. On the back of that, the Knights executed a slick shift to the right, catching the Eels short and giving Wilson De Courcey the space to slide over untouched in the sixth minute. The conversion attempt was waved away, but it was an encouraging start for the visitors.

Parramatta fought hard to reclaim momentum, dominating possession over the next five minutes. They challenged the Knights on the outside, but Newcastle’s left-edge defence held strong, dragging the Eels winger into touch.

In the 15th minute, Newcastle extended their lead with a well-executed short-side raid off a scrum just 10 metres out. Tyrone Thompson laid the platform with a bruising carry, and Tyson Gamble followed with a sharp short ball to Jack Hetherington, who crashed over just left of the uprights. Taj Annan converted for a 10-0 lead.

A mistake from the Knights shortly after opened the door for Parramatta. Led by the lively Matthew Hunter, the Eels surged 20 metres out from the line. But repeated red-zone pressure didn’t translate into points, until the 28th minute.

Hunter took control again, throwing a dummy before sliding a short ball to captain Dan Keir, who split the line and ran 30 metres before linking back with Hunter in support. The five-eighth scored under the posts, and Twidle converted to reduce the margin to 10-6.

Newcastle hit back just before the break. Gamble launched a towering bomb to the right corner where a bubbling contest between Eels winger Scolari and Knights centre Kyle McCarthy saw McCarthy come down with the ball. In the chaos, De Courcey scooped up the loose footy, fending off defenders and diving over for his second in the 39th minute. Annan added the extras to give the Knights a 16-6 half-time lead.

The Eels forward pack came out of the sheds with renewed energy, winning the yardage battle early and laying a strong platform. Newcastle, however, remained composed, continuing to win the ruck and forcing errors on the edges.

But a strong individual effort from Beau Newlands sparked momentum. After forcing a dropout with a clever grubber, Parramatta struck first in the second half.

In the 47th minute, Dan Keir took a tough carry off the dropout to put the Eels back in the red zone. With the line in sight, Matthew Hunter found a short ball for Hunter again, this time diving over for his second try of the match. Twidle’s conversion was waved away, but the scoreline tightened to 16-10.

Just minutes later, the Eels capitalised again. A Knights error gave Parramatta a fresh set near the line. Halves Ronald Volkman and Hunter combined, with Volkman stepping past defenders and surging into the 10. Hunter then held up the defence and threaded a perfectly timed pass to William Lewis, who muscled his way through to score in the 52nd minute. This time, Twidle slotted the conversion to lock it up at 16-all.

The Eels were suddenly on fire. Off the next attacking set, Volkman exploded through the line again, burning defenders and drawing in the fullback before linking with Twidle, who dashed over to score Parramatta’s third try in just seven minutes. The fullback added the extras again, putting the Eels ahead 22-16.

With the momentum flipped, the Knights tried to wrestle back control. Forward Kyle McCarthy stood tall, charging into the line and keeping Newcastle on the front foot. In the 66th minute, Gamble again hoisted a towering bomb into the in-goal, and the bounce favoured De Courcey, who collected and ran it close to the uprights for his third try of the match. A crucial conversion was missed by Bailey Hartwig, keeping Parramatta in front 22-20.

The Knights lifted, finishing sets deep in Parramatta’s half. Their spine clicked into gear, keeping the Eels pinned. But with time winding down, a huge moment turned the match.

In the 73rd minute, Hetherington, who had been strong throughout, lost control of the ball in a carry. Beau Newlands pounced on the loose ball and sprinted away 50 metres to score what would be the match-winner. Twidle calmly added the extras to give the Eels breathing room at 28-20.

But Newcastle weren’t done yet. In the 79th minute, Gamble once again looked to the skies. His bomb found its way, once more, to De Courcey, who beat the contest and planted it down for an incredible fourth try of the match. However, with Hartwig’s conversion sailing wide again, the Eels clung to a 28-24 lead.

In the dying seconds, Gamble threw a hopeful miracle ball looking for the match-winner, but Matthew hunter read it perfectly, shutting down the play and sealing a thrilling win for the Eels.

Talking points

• Wilson De Courcey’s incredible four-try performance kept the Knights in the contest right until the end. The winger was everywhere, capitalising off kicks and broken play to almost single-handedly carry the Knights’ scoreboard.
• The difference in goal kicking proved crucial. Te Hurinui Twidle’s accuracy off the tee (4 from 5) contrasted with Newcastle’s missed conversions, which ultimately cost them the match despite scoring the same number of tries.
• Matthew Hunter’s all-around impact stood out. With two tries, a try assist, and calm direction in attack, the Eels’ No.6 was at the heart of their comeback and was the link between the forwards and the playmakers.

Key moments 

With the match locked at 16-all and momentum swinging heavily in Parramatta’s favour, Ronald Volkman sliced through the Knights’ middle and linked up with Te Hurinui Twidle in the 54th minute for a brilliant go-ahead try.

It capped off a remarkable burst where the Eels had scored three tries in just over seven minutes, completely flipping the game on its head. Twidle converted his own try to give the Eels a 22-16 lead—the first time they had been in front all game. From there, they never looked back.

What’s Next?

The Eels head to WIN Stadium to face the Dragons in a tough road clash. Meanwhile, the Knights return home in hopes for a win against the Raiders