By Claire Stegbauer
It was another strong weekend of NSWRL Junior Representatives football, with the regional Grand Finals delivering big moments and season-defining performances, while the metro competitions continue to take shape.
UNE SG Ball Cup
Sharks dominate early to defeat Panthers at St Marys
The Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks produced a clinical first-half performance to defeat the Penrith Panthers 26-10 in Round 8 of the UNE SG Ball Cup at St Marys Leagues Stadium.
It didn’t take long for Cronulla to stamp their authority on the contest, striking in the opening minutes with a well-worked set play. After marching downfield with a fast opening set, halfback Rakena shifted the ball left through fullback Oliver Lester before finding Thomas Beattie on the edge, who finished with a one-handed put-down in the corner. The conversion was missed, but the tone was set early.
The Sharks doubled their lead just minutes later. Hooker Liam Challenor delivered a sharp short ball from dummy half to Jamie Curran, who charged through the middle on a classic crash play to score. Callum Grantham converted to extend the lead to 10-0.
Momentum continued to build for the visitors, with Grantham soon adding his own try in the 16th minute. The playmaker backed himself, muscling his way through a scrambling Panthers defence to score just right of the posts before converting his own try.
Cronulla’s spine continued to shine as they added a fourth before halftime. Rakena and Lester combined once again, this time shifting the ball right to winger Nukutawhiti Gray, who crossed untouched to push the score out to 22-0 at the break.
Penrith showed signs of life early in the second half. Halfback Ellyjah Birve sparked the attack with a break through the middle, dummying and stepping before releasing Darcy Feltham in support. Feltham showed speed and footwork to reach the left corner and get the Panthers on the board. Owen Knowles converted to reduce the deficit.
However, any hopes of a comeback were quickly shut down by the Sharks. Continuing to play with confidence, Rakena once again orchestrated the attack, spotting space out wide and launching a long, lofted pass to Thomas Beattie. The winger finished for his second try of the afternoon, extending Cronulla’s lead further.
To their credit, the Panthers kept fighting and had the final say in the contest. Birve again created an opportunity, this time throwing a cut-out pass to Tyler Peken, who squeezed into the right corner to score. The conversion attempt was unsuccessful.
Despite the late efforts from the home side, the damage had already been done in the first half. Cronulla’s fast start, combined with the control and creativity of their spine, proved too much for Penrith to overcome as the Sharks secured a convincing Round 8 victory.
Andrew Johns Cup Grand Final
Tigers crowned champions after strong win over Knights
The Macarthur Wests Tigers have claimed the Andrew Johns Cup title with a 26-16 Grand Final victory over the Newcastle Maitland Region Knights at Port Macquarie Regional Stadium.
The defending premiers fired the first shot in emphatic fashion, wasting no time to open the scoring inside the opening minute. Koby Skuthorpe launched a towering bomb that was left to bounce by the Tigers’ fullback, allowing Izaac Barber to chase through, tap the ball back to Noah Blundell and then inside to Skuthorpe, who finished the movement under the posts. Harlem Blair converted to give the Knights an early 6-0 lead.
Despite both sides entering the decider as high-scoring outfits, the match quickly settled into a gritty arm wrestle, with defensive resolve dominating for much of the opening half.
It wasn’t until the 24th minute that the Tigers broke through. Off a scrum feed 20 metres out, they set up deep on the left edge where Zedric Vaiau stepped past the first defender before flicking the ball back inside to Adam El Masri, who linked again to find Lucas Bentham on the outside. Bentham crossed untouched, and Masen Mallia converted to level the scores and ignite the contest.
The Tigers struck again just before halftime to take control. Shifting left before driving back towards the middle, they executed a simple but effective crash play, with El Masri darting out of dummy half to score just right of the uprights. Mallia added the extras to give the Tigers a 12-6 lead at the break.
Macarthur carried that momentum straight into the second half, striking within the opening minute. Bryce Blatch finished off a sharp attacking movement to extend the lead, with Mallia continuing his perfect day with the boot.
With confidence building, the Tigers went further ahead soon after. Charging downfield on the back of quick play-the-balls, Alex Mau was held up just short before Hamish Butler powered onto a short ball to crash over. Mallia again converted, pushing the margin out to 26-6 and seemingly putting the result beyond doubt.
To their credit, the Knights refused to go away.
A late shift in momentum saw Newcastle strike back with two quick tries. With the Tigers momentarily disrupted by an injury in back play, the Knights shifted right where Tyrese Vaipulu cut back inside and powered over carrying momentum to give his side a glimmer of hope. Blair converted to close the gap.
Moments later, Barber produced a moment of brilliance. Chasing his own chip kick down the wing, he backed his speed, regathered the bouncing ball and finished in the corner in a superb individual effort. The conversion attempt was unsuccessful, leaving the Knights trailing by 10.
Despite the late surge, the Tigers held firm in the closing stages to secure the premiership.
Westpac Tarsha Gale Cup
Dragons power past Sea Eagles with second-half surge
The St George Dragons produced a clinical second-half performance to defeat the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 32-10 in Round 8 of the Westpac Tarsha Gale Cup, overcoming a competitive opening half to pull away at the Sydney Academy of Sport and Recreation.
It didn’t take long for the Dragons to strike first, with Izabel Williams sparking the opening play. Breaking down the right edge and cutting back into the middle, she was brought down just short, but quick support allowed the Dragons to shift left where Tahli Curtis crossed untouched to open the scoring. The conversion was missed, but the visitors had early control.
That control continued soon after. Off the back of a scrum 15 metres out, Pypah Ferguson powered her way over just left of the posts. Nearly held up, she showed great strength and awareness to twist and plant the ball down. Again, the conversion was waved away, but the Dragons extended their lead.
Relentless pressure kept Manly pinned in their own half, and it paid off once more. From a forced dropout, Millie Cunich attacked the short side, spotting a gap near the defensive centre and backing herself to burst through for another four-pointer. This time the conversion was successful, pushing the Dragons further ahead.
To their credit, the Sea Eagles found a response before the break. After sustained pressure on the Dragons’ line, they eventually shifted right, where winger Katie Andrews finished in the corner. The conversion was missed, but it gave Manly a foothold heading into halftime, trailing 14-4.
The Dragons came out firing in the second half, and while the opening set looked scrappy, they soon found rhythm through their spine. Halfback Emily Teplicanec steadied the attack before shifting right to Morgan Simon, who crossed to extend the lead.
Momentum continued to build almost immediately. Off the back of a penalty, the Dragons attacked straight up the middle, and on just the second tackle Josephine Zapantis charged over for her first of the afternoon, with the conversion extending the margin.
Zapantis wasn’t done there. Just minutes later, after a powerful 80-metre set, she again injected herself into the play. Initially held up after a dummy-half break, she backed up on the next tackle, taking an offload from Leilani Leuluaialii and burrowing over for her second, capping a dominant period for the visitors.
With the game slipping away, the Dragons continued to apply pressure, and it was fitting that Izabel Williams, who had been influential all game, crossed for a try of her own. A simple crash play highlighted her strength as she powered over to further extend the lead.
Manly managed a late consolation through Serenity Mila, who finished in the left corner, with the conversion successful, but the result was never in doubt.
