Written by Claire Stegbauer
As teams settle into the season, this weekend’s Junior Representative matches showed clear progress across the board. Sharp attacking play and calm finishes under pressure highlighted the growing confidence throughout the NSWRL competitions.
UNE SG Ball Cup
Storm Outlast Knights in High-Scoring Raymond Terrace Clash
The Melbourne Storm held off a determined Newcastle Knights outfit 28-24 in a fast-paced Round three UNE SG Ball Cup contest at Lakeside Sporting Complex on Saturday.
Melbourne exploded out of the blocks, regaining possession straight from the kick-off and capitalising immediately. In the opening set, Kobi Floro crashed over left of the posts to give the Storm a lightning-fast lead, with Riley Brannock converting.
The Storm doubled their advantage soon after, laying a strong platform through their forward pack. Captain Lockyer-Azile Foliola backed himself out of dummy half, dummying one way and stepping the other before planting the ball down under the posts. The conversion pushed Melbourne ahead 12-0 inside the opening stages.
Newcastle responded with slick outside-ball movement. Great hands through the backline shifted play left to Fletcher Sommerville, who crossed untouched in the 12th minute. Chase Butler converted to narrow the margin.
Momentum swung further in the Knights’ favour moments later. From a simple scrum feed, fullback Toby Winter danced through the Storm defence, dodging and weaving his way to the line to level the score. The conversion attempt was unsuccessful, but the contest had tightened considerably.
With both sides finding rhythm, the game settled into an arm wrestle before Melbourne struck again. After a heavy forward-led set, Hayden Watson fired a long cut-out ball to Joseph Litidamu, who flicked it on to Matthew Kereti to score in the right-hand corner in the 27th minute. The conversion was missed, giving the Storm a 16-10 half-time lead.
The Knights hit back early in the second half. Quick ruck speed created opportunity, with Cooper Townsend sending a short ball to Riley Wells, who powered his way over. Butler converted to level the scores at 16-all.
Newcastle edged ahead in the 53rd minute via a Butler penalty goal, setting up a tense final quarter.
Ten metres out, prop Kobi Floro charged into the line to lay the foundation once more. From the ensuing play, Foliola again backed himself out of dummy half, digging through defenders to reclaim the lead for the Storm. The conversion extended the margin.
What followed was one of the defining moments of the match. The Knights looked certain to score after spreading the ball right, only for Ben Stringer to produce a crucial interception. Stringer sprinted clear before being ankle-tapped, but Alize Clarke backed up perfectly to receive the offload and dive over. The conversion pushed Melbourne further in front at 28-18.
Newcastle refused to go quietly. With time winding down, William Manning identified an overlap on the right edge and shifted the ball to Melchizedek Nonu, who squeezed into the corner in the 64th minute. Butler converted to reduce the deficit to four points.
Despite late pressure, the Storm held firm in the closing stages to secure a hard-fought 28-24 victory in an entertaining Round three encounter.
Westpac Tarsha Gale Cup
Indigenous Academy Extends Ladder Lead with Statement Win
The ladder-leading Sydney Roosters Indigenous Academy delivered another commanding performance in Round three of the Westpac Tarsha Gale Cup, overpowering the St. George Dragons 52-6 at Woy Woy Oval to remain clear at the top of the competition standings.
The Indigenous Academy wasted no time setting the tone. Quick service from dummy half by Mahlie Cashin created early momentum, putting Anastasia Leatupue into space with 40 metres to cover. Leatupue dummied past the final defender and crossed in the opening minute to give the hosts a flying start. Meg McPhail converted to make it 6-0.
McPhail quickly began stamping her authority on the contest. A clever grubber on the Dragons’ line forced a scramble for possession, but Jayda Durham won the race to ground the ball in the ninth minute. McPhail’s second conversion extended the lead.
The Roosters’ ruck speed and composure continued to trouble the visitors. Again it was Cashin creating the opportunity, darting from dummy half to draw defenders before spiralling a long cut-out ball to Liesl Hopoate, who finished in the corner in the 13th minute. Hopoate struck again just minutes later, capitalising on quick hands and space on the edge to complete a rapid double and push the score further out of reach.
Makenna Hammond added her name to the scoresheet in the 23rd minute with a simple yet powerful crash play close to the line, before McPhail produced a highlight of her own in the 26th. Spotting space in the defensive line, the halfback stepped her way through traffic to score under the posts, capping an impressive personal first half. Her boot was flawless once again, as she continued to convert consistently and stretch the margin to 34-0 at the break.
There was no easing after half-time. Leatupue secured her second try in the 40th minute, finishing another sharp attacking shift. Soon after, Talea Tonga split the Dragons’ line with a strong run before delivering a long ball back inside to Tyra Dymock, who ran it under the uprights in the 46th minute. McPhail added the extras, maintaining her outstanding accuracy from the tee.
Hammond completed her double in the 49th minute, crashing over to bring up the half-century, with McPhail’s conversion taking her tally to eight successful kicks from nine attempts, a clinical display that proved just as influential as the attacking execution.
To their credit, the Dragons fought until the end and were rewarded in the 54th minute. Morgan Simon placed a beautifully weighted grubber into the in-goal, with Pypah Ferguson gathering cleanly to score. The conversion was successful, narrowing the final margin to 52-6.
With three convincing wins to open the season, the ladder leaders have reinforced their status as the benchmark side in the early stages of the Tarsha Gale Cup.
Laurie Daley Cup
Rams Overpower Bulls in High-Scoring Showdown
The Western Rams produced a dominant attacking display to defeat the Riverina Bulls 52-28 in Round Four of the Laurie Daley Cup at Jock Colley Oval, Parkes.
An early penalty handed the Rams prime field position, and they wasted no time capitalising. A simple shift to the left edge created space for Bailee Toomey, who crossed in the third minute to open the scoring and set the tone for the afternoon.
Toomey struck again in the sixth minute as Western continued to control possession and territory, before Charlie Fischbeck added a third in the 10th to push the hosts ahead early.
Riverina responded through Nate Broekman in the 15th minute, but the Rams’ momentum was relentless. Riley Durrant crossed in the 19th minute, and after another strong attacking set, hooker Bryson Read fired a sharp short ball to Durrant, who dived over in the 30th minute for his second, a crucial momentum-swinging try that stretched the margin.
Toomey completed his first-half hat-trick in the 22nd minute, finishing off sustained pressure to further assert the Rams’ dominance. A penalty goal from Fischbeck and further tries to Bailey Crawford and Jett Rudd sent Western into half-time with a commanding 36-4 lead.
The Bulls refused to fold. After Caius Mescia struck early in the second half, the Rams responded immediately in the 51st minute. Riley Durrant was denied just short of the line, but Ryan George reacted quickest on the next phase, juggling the ball before regathering and grounding it to restore control at a critical moment.
Riverina then produced their most impressive period of the contest, crossing three times between the 59th and 66th minutes to inject life into the scoreboard.
First, Ashton Harris burst through three defenders in a powerful solo effort, burrowing his way to the line in a display of strength and determination. Moments later, a high tackle on Joseph Graham handed the Bulls a much-needed penalty. From the ensuing set, Kai Stanmore, who had been outstanding all afternoon with his relentless carries and defensive work, charged onto the ball near the posts. Using the upright almost as a shield, Stanmore spun his way through contact and stretched out to score in a remarkable individual effort.
Riverina’s third came through smart playmaking. Spotting space on the left, Mescia launched a perfectly weighted kick that landed on the chest of Nate Broekman, who gathered cleanly and raced under the posts to close the gap further.
Despite the late surge, the Rams delivered the final blow. In the 69th minute, Bailey Crawford crossed to cap off the performance, with Fischbeck adding the conversion to seal a comprehensive 52-28 victory.
While the Rams’ attacking firepower proved decisive, Stanmore’s tireless hit-ups and unwavering attitude stood out for the Bulls in a performance that never wavered despite the scoreboard pressure.
Click here for more results from the Westpac Lisa Fiaola Cup.
Click here for more results from the UNE Harold Matthews Cup.
Click here for more results from the UNE SG Ball Cup.
Click here for more results from the Westpac Tarsha Gale Cup.
Click here for more results from the Andrew Johns Cup.
Click here for more results from the Westpac Regional Lisa Fiaola Cup.
Click here for more results from the Laurie Daley Cup.
