Recap | The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup - Round 21

Magpies hold out Bears in Friday night thriller

George Al-Akiki

Game summary

Despite a courageous, late comeback the Western Suburbs Magpies have held on to take an important 24-22 win against the North Sydney Bears in Round 21 of The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup, also taking out the Jason Taylor Cup.

The Magpies got to a hard and fast start with an early penalty putting them in prime position, capitalised on by hooker Joe Lovodua who burrowed his way to the line from dummy-half to open the scoring (6-0).

Pressure continued from the visitors as the Bears struggled to stay disciplined. Centre Solomona Faataape capitalised on a hole in the defence to drive towards the line before fullback Alex Lobb finished the move off to double the lead (12-0).

It was all the Magpies as the game continued, the next try coming through Charlie Murray who, as makeshift dummy-half, spotted a gap in the defence close to the line and went himself to score to go into the sheds 18-0 at half-time.

The Bears finally put something on the board in the second half after mounting some early pressure, with a crash play from Jayden Yates breaking the Magpies’ defence (18-6).

The home side quickly went back-to-back on a last-tackle play when halfback Jesse Marschke put in a deft grubber, grounded spectacularly by Riley Meyn just before the dead-ball line (18-12).

Moments later a no-look, looping pass from Jake Toby bypassed the Magpies’ defenders to find Siulagi Tuimalatu-Brown, who finished with an acrobatic try in the corner to bring the Bears within two points (18-16).

Despite 16 points in 24 minutes from Bears, the Magpies awoke soon after down the left-hand side as halfback Kurt Falls orchestrated an overlap with a floating pass for Luke Laulilii to find the corner (24-16). 

But the Bears refused to back down and after winning a short kick-off went back on the attack, with five-eighth Kieran Hayman picking up a loose ball and weaving through defenders to find the line and set up a grandstand finish (24-22).

Despite a valiant push in the dying stages including short kick-offs, one-on-one strips and courageous 40m runs, the Magpies held on to take the game and leapfrog the Bears on the ladder.

Talking points

- The Bears had a choppy first half, producing multiple errors that cost them the chance at points and put the Magpies into attacking situations. While resilient in the second half, their continued errors were the difference in the end.

- A bizarre moment occurred when Ofahiki Ogden lashed out and kicked Charlie Staines while the winger was trying to get up and play the ball. He was placed on report as a result.

- Magpies halfback Kurt Falls went off for a HIA in the first half, but was able to return to the action proving pivotal in their win.

- Alongside Falls, Charlie Murray was the glue in the middle that helped the Magpies stay tight and provided an edge in attack.

Key moment

The scores were almost spectacularly levelled with 20 minutes remaining as Nathaniel Roache fooled the Magpies from dummy-half, however lost the ball over the line, before Jake Toby’s high tackle on Laulilii gave the Magpies the extra shot on goal for two points which proved the difference.

What’s next?

Both sides return home in a pair of crucial clashes on the road to the finals, with the Magpies coming up against the Canberra Raiders while the Bears take on the Newcastle Knights.

Warriors v South Sydney Rabbitohs

Penrith Panthers v Manly Warringah Sea Eagles

Sea Eagles snap losing streak with thrilling upset over Panthers

Anthony Eltarraf

Game summary

The Manly Warringah Sea Eagles put on a gritty performance to secure a massive 40-34 upset victory over the Penrith Panthers at CommBank Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Looking to break a six-game losing streak, Manly started strong opening the scoring through Jacob Sykes, who pounced on a well-weighted Brandon Wakeham kick to plant the ball beneath the posts.

Penrith responded in dominant fashion with four unanswered tries. A pinpoint cut-out pass from Trent Toelau found Asu Kepaoa, who crossed untouched in the corner. Daine Laurie followed up in the next set, slicing through on the right edge to extend the lead.

Kepaoa then grabbed his second, finishing off a slick scrum play, before Zac Lipowicz scored one of the most bizarre tries of the season. Manly fullback Clayton Faulalo mishandled a 40/20 attempt, first batting the ball back, then tapping it forward to keep it alive – only for Lipowicz to dive on the loose ball and score. However, with just one successful conversion from four attempts by Jack Cole, the Panthers held a modest 18-6 lead.

Momentum shifted when Raymond Tuaimalo Vaega powered over in the corner, finishing a second-phase play to get Manly back in the contest. Just before half-time, Joey Walsh sent Tommy Talau crashing over between the posts, levelling the scores at 18-all at the break.

The second half began with both teams trading strong sets, but it was Manly who broke through first. A Penrith kick was allowed to bounce and scooped up by Hugo Hart, who sprinted 65 metres and fended off Laurie to score in the corner. Manly extended their lead shortly after through a brilliant piece of skill from Talau, who climbed high to collect a cross-field kick before flicking it to winger Semisi Kioa to make it 28-18.

The Panthers clawed one back through David Fale, who muscled his way over, but another missed conversion kept the gap at six. Luke Sommerton then delivered a dazzling solo try, stepping and breaking tackles before dummying and diving over. Jack Cole converted to level the game once more at 28-28.

Manly had a chance to take the lead with a penalty in front but opted to tap and go – a gutsy call that paid off. A clever grubber from Zaidas Muagututia found Aaron Schoupp, who grounded it just in time to regain the lead.

The Panthers threatened again with a two-on-one opportunity down the right, but Tuaimalo Vaega read it perfectly, intercepted the pass, and raced 80 metres to give Manly a commanding 12-point buffer.

Penrith refused to lie down, and a sharp show-and-go from Trent Toelau put the halfback over, but it was too little, too late. The Sea Eagles defended a final push from the home side to seal their first win since Round 14 in a thrilling contest.

Talking points

- Both sides finished with seven tries a piece, however the Panthers were let down by poor goal kicking which saw them fall in the end by six points.

- With less than 20 minutes to go and a penalty in front, Manly opted against a safe two points. Their attacking mindset was rewarded when Aaron Schoupp crossed moments later.

- It was a wild back-and-forth clash this afternoon, full of momentum swings and unconventional tries that made for an entertaining and unpredictable match.

Key moment

Manly's decision to back themselves, which saw them score a four-pointer through Aaron Schoupp, was remarkable. However it was Ray Tuaimalo Vaega's intercept try which proved the match-winning play. A brilliant read from the Sea Eagles winger saw him steal the ball and race away 80 metres to hand his side the victory.

What’s next?

The Panthers will head into a well-timed bye, while the Sea Eagles return to 4 Pines Park to host the Sydney Roosters in Round 22.

Newtown Jets v St George Illawarra Dragons

Alex Hrissis

Game summary

Newtown Jets have defeated St George Illawarra Dragons 40-16 in a statement win at Henson Park in Round 21 of The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup.

Newtown opened the scoring through Mawene Hiroti. The fullback threw a nice dummy at the Dragons’ defence and ran through to score with ease.

The Jets scored back-to-back tries to double their lead. Hooker Jayden Berrell threw a dummy and split through the defensive line to go on a run before finding Kyle Pickering inside. The back-rower scored underneath the sticks and Niwhai Puru converted for a 10-0 lead.

Newtown scored three in a row to assert their dominance when they were rewarded from some repeat pressure on the 10m line. Jordin Leiu found himself on the end of a short ball and bustled over for a try.

St George Illawarra finally got themselves onto the scoreboard. The Red V were scrambling on the last tackle as they threw the ball around down the right edge to find Cyrus Stanley-Trail, who offloaded to Lyric Craft-Te Moananui who scored in the corner.

The Dragons scored again as they looked to mount a comeback, this time through Nick Tsougranis. The move was started through fullback Cody Ramsey who found Tsougranis bursting through the line and the makeshift centre scored with ease. Glover converted the try to tighten the score to 16-10.

Jets bounced back in the second half and scored two tries within six minutes to push the score out to 26-10. The first coming from Kristian Dixon in the corner and the second from Michael Gabrael, who scooped up the ball from a Khaled Rajab grubber.

Newtown scored yet again as they looked to wrap things up. Moananui struggled to contain a bomb kick from Puru and dropped the ball which bounced perfectly for Berrell to score.

Dragons clawed another try back to attempt to salvage something from the contest. Jonah Glover played a tidy ball out to Moananui who passed inside for Nick Tsougranis. The up-and-coming centre busted through the line again to score. Glover converted to tighten the score to 30-16.

The comeback was left too late for the Dragons however, as Hiroti bagged himself two late tries in quick succession to secure his hat-trick and the two points for Newtown.

Key moment

Dragons went into half-time coming off back-to-back tries as they looked to turn the 16-10 deficit around, however a try from Kristian Dixon put the comeback to bed early as the Jets went on to win the match comfortably.

Talking points

- Mawene Hiroti was in fine form for the Jets as he scored himself a hat-trick.

- Nick Tsougranis was a shining light for the Dragons, with his tackle-busting on full display as well as scoring two of their three tries.

- Jayden Berrell had a solid game for the Jets, scoring a try and setting one up with his speed around the ruck crucial in Newtown’s win.

What’s next?

In Round 22 of The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup the Jets will play the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs at Belmore Sports Ground, while the Dragons will host the Warriors at WIN Stadium in a huge first v second clash.

Canberra Raiders v Newcastle Knights

Raiders raid Knights in Round 21 victory

Tahlie Gavin

Game summary

The Canberra Raiders have come out victorious in their Round 21 matchup against the Newcastle Knights in the midst of the cold Canberra winter.

The Knights looked strong coming out of the sheds, with a number of threatening attacking sets and an early try. But the Canberra Raiders soon found their feet at GIO Stadium producing three tries to answer back and lead 16-8 at half-time. In a second half that could have gone either way, the Raiders found a way to come out on top 28-16.

The Knights were first to cross the line with an intercept try in the 10th minute to winger Wilson De Courcey. Raiders fullback Chevy Stewart attempted a long cut-out pass to his wing, but De Courcey’s decision to fly out of the line saw him pluck the ball away and run his way to the try-line. Connor Votano added the extras to lead 6-0.

Shortly after, Raiders lock Myles Martin conceded a penalty in front of the posts. The Knights saw an opportunity to extend their lead as Votano converted the penalty goal (8-0).

Fresh legs onto the field saw the Raiders’ Mitchell Prest score the first points of the game for the home side. In just his second touch, Prest charged onto the ball and ducked low to find the try-line. Adam Cook converted the try taking the Raiders 8-6 behind.

Just minutes later, Raiders centre Manaia Waitere used his strength to fight Knights defenders to the try-line. Off the back of some gritty attack, Danny Levi shifted right as Waitere came up with the ball to put them into the lead. Cook failed to convert as the Raiders took a two-point lead.

The Raiders found themselves in again with their third try in seven minutes. Halfback Ethan Sanders stepped and skipped his way around Newcastle’s defensive line to find second-rower Joe Roddy out the back, with a clear run to the try-line. Cook added the extras taking the score to 16-8 heading into half-time.

The Knights found themselves opening the scoring in the second half, again through De Courcey. A kick to the right from Jake Arthur saw the ball tipped on. With play-on called, De Courcey beelined for the ball as he tapped it down over the line. Votano converted the try as Newcastle sat just two points behind.

A penalty for a hip drop on Knights fullback Connor Votano, saw the Knights level scores 16-all with a penalty goal from in front. Mitch Henderson successfully took over kicking duties while Votano got back to his feet.

An offside call against the Knights’ Mason Teague saw the Raiders earn a penalty right in front of the posts. Cook elected to take the two points to regain the lead at the 62nd minute mark (18-16).

Exploiting the 12-man defensive line after the sin-binning of Newcastle’s Jacob Davis, Canberra added another six points to their lead. Sanders took the line on himself and sliced his way through to score. Cook converted as the Raiders led 24-16.

With three minutes left on the clock, Adam Cook put up a kick on the last play as young centre Kain Anderson ran to contest James Schiller for the ball. Coming out successful, Anderson turned the ball back inside where Schiller batted the ball down. Raiders enforcer Trey Mooney came in from behind and grabbed the deciding try. Cook’s conversion was waved away, but the Raiders pulled off the 28-16 win.

Talking points

- Raiders hooker Danny Levi was placed on report for a hip from on Connor Votano.

- Jacob Davis was sent to the sin bin just 30 seconds into returning to the field. Repeat infringements from the Knights saw Davis penalised.

- Knights winger Wilson De Courcey scored his 14th try in 13 appearances this season.

Key moment

After an enormous game for the Raiders, late inclusion Trey Mooney was rewarded with the match-winning try. Always looking for opportunities, Mooney never gave up on the play after the last kick of the set, as he followed the ball to the line and came up successful after James Schiller batted the ball away. In a back-and-forth second half, Mooney’s try cemented the game for the Raiders.

What’s next?

The Raiders head to Lidcombe Oval to take on the Western Suburbs Magpies on Saturday in Round 22, while the Knights face off against the North Sydney Bears on Sunday.

Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs v Sydney Roosters

Bulldogs bounce back at Belmore

Mason Cernoy

Game summary

Finding themselves down 22-6 early into the second half against the Sydney Roosters, Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs halves Toby Sexton and Mitch Woods orchestrated a comeback to get their side home 26-24 in a Sunday afternoon special.

After surviving an early chance for the Bulldogs, the Roosters were off to a flying start posting two early tries. Reece Foley made a line-break that got the tricolours into the 20, before Ben Johnson completed a nice shift down the right-hand side with a great flick pass for Trey Peni to touch down in the corner. After receiving a few penalties on the set that followed, Benaiah Ioelu sent Max McCathie crashing over with a short ball to give them a 12-0 lead after just 11 minutes of play.

The Roosters lost their ascendancy shortly after. After 20 minutes of tightly contested footy, it took a special play from Jonathan Sua to get his side on the board. The Roosters read the shift well and there were four defenders there to greet Sua at the line, but despite that he powered his way over.

After their hot start to the match, the Roosters would’ve been disappointed with the 12-6 score-line that didn’t really reflect their dominance in the first half. After receiving a penalty with two minutes to play however, they extended their lead heading into the break when Reece Foley threw a classy cut-out ball to Tom Rodwell who dived over in the corner.

At 16-6, the Roosters came out of the sheds in control of the match and were quick to assert their dominance in the second stanza. In their first set of the half, the Rodwell brothers combined for a stellar try when Toby sliced through the line and found Tom outside him, who showed a clean pair of heels and raced 50m to score under the posts and extend their lead by six.

Just as they were looking to apply the blowtorch to Canterbury-Bankstown, the momentum was flipped on its head. Aston Warwick was sent to the sin bin after conceding back-to-back penalties, the latter being a late shot on Joseph O’Neill. The Bulldogs had to capitalise on the extra-man advantage and did just that. In the 10 minutes that followed, Mitch Woods and Toby Sexton both put Logan Spinks through gaping holes to tighten the margin.

Running down the sin bin clock, Toby Rodwell kicked a penalty goal to push the Roosters’ lead back out to 24-18.

When Warwick returned to the field, the scores remained the same for the next 20 minutes as the two sides continued to battle. But after Tom Rodwell came up with an error in his own 20, Sexton capitalised, and his ball-playing once again came to the fore. He created space for Jack Todd, who did extremely well to drive forward and reach out to level the scores with five minutes to play.

After the Bulldogs worked their way towards the posts, it was Sexton’s chance to finish off the match with a field-goal attempt. Tyler Moriarty flew off the line to get right in front of Sexton, charging down his shot and collecting it on the full. Unfortunately, Moriarty was too eager and left his mark too early, resulting in a penalty right in front of the posts. As the siren sounded, Sexton slotted the penalty goal with ease for the 26-24 win.

Talking points

- After a quiet first half the Bulldogs’ halves stood up. Mitch Woods’ kicking game and the try he laid on for Logan Spinks was instrumental in their comeback, while Sexton closed out the game well to set up the last two tries for his side and slot the winning penalty goal.

- Xavier Va’a was a shining light in a losing side. He consistently found post-contact metres with his hit-ups, and his impact off the bench was a cut above several others.

- The Rodwell brothers asked questions all day, with Toby’s deceptive playmaking and Tom’s speed and elusiveness. The pair combined for the most impressive try of the day and were always heavily involved when the tricolours were in attacking territory.

Key moment

Aston Warwick’s sin-binning invited the Bulldogs right back into the game. Prior to this they hadn’t really looked like a chance of winning the game at any stage. But after Mitch Woods and Toby Sexton took advantage of the situation and laid on two quick tries, the game opened right back up for the Bulldogs.

What’s next?

The Bulldogs will be back at Belmore next week to take on the fourth-placed Newtown Jets, and the Roosters are off to 4 Pines Park where they’ll face the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles.