By Claire Stegbauer
Week one of the NSWRL Junior Representatives finals delivered some fast starts, momentum swings and games decided in the dying moments. Across the UNE SG Ball Cup, UNE Harold Matthews Cup, Westpac Tarsha Gale Cup and Westpac Lisa Fiaola Cup, sides were pushed to the brink as comebacks, clutch plays defined the weekend.
UNE SG Ball Cup
Sea Eagles hold off Rabbitohs fightback in finals thriller at HE Laybutt
The Manly Warringah Sea Eagles have held off a fast-finishing South Sydney Rabbitohs to secure a 36-30 victory in a thrilling UNE SG Ball Cup Qualifying Final at HE Laybutt Field.
It was Manly who struck first when Max Davies crossed inside the opening three minutes before Matthew Payne backed it up soon after, with Oscar Crotty nailing both conversions to give the Sea Eagles an early 12-0 advantage.
South Sydney responded strongly through Dwayne Lyons in the 18th minute, shifting momentum back their way. Maddax Fui followed soon after, crashing over to level the scores at 12-all as Dayne Jennings converted both tries.
The Sea Eagles wrestled back control late in the first half with Taj Thompson regaining the lead, before Henry Troy struck to give Manly an 18-12 edge at the break.
Manly wasted no time extending their lead after the restart. Right from the kick-off, the Sea Eagles capitalised in stunning fashion. With a sweeping play from edge-to-edge, the initial kick was drilled deep into the left corner before Manly quickly shifted right. Beau Alexander burst down the right sideline, drawing defenders, before delivering the final pass to Henry Troy who finished it off to grab his first of the afternoon and push the lead further.
That momentum continued to build as Troy later added his second try before the Sea Eagles blew the game open midway through the second half.
From a scrum feed on the left, Manly set up deep in attacking territory. Alexander again played a key role throwing a short ball to Andes Johansson who pierced through the defensive line. Spotting support, Johansson produced a sharp offload to Onitoni Large, who charged onto the ball and powered over to extend the lead to 36-12. At that point the game looked all but over, but South Sydney had other ideas.
Dean Tauaa sparked a late revival in the 63rd minute, before Isaac Fotu-Moala and Fui added further tries in quick succession. Jennings remained perfect from the tee, finishing with five conversions as the Rabbitohs surged back to within six points in the dying moments.
Despite the late pressure, Manly held firm to secure the win and advance straight to the Preliminary Final, with their early dominance and ability to strike at key moments proving the difference.
South Sydney’s late comeback showed plenty of character, but ultimately their slow start proved too much to overcome in a high-quality finals encounter.
UNE Harold Matthews Cup
Eels storm home to stun Raiders in classic comeback
The Parramatta Eels have produced a stunning late comeback to defeat the Canberra Raiders 30-28 in their UNE Harold Matthews Cup Elimination Final clash at Ringrose Park on Saturday.
Canberra burst out of the blocks in perfect fashion, capitalising on an early Eels error straight from the kick-off. After an unfortunate dropped ball, the Raiders packed a scrum just 10 metres out and wasted no time striking as halfback Rafferty Gordon delivered a short ball to captain Sonny Lauvao, who cut back in and powered over just left of the posts to score inside the first minute.
The Raiders doubled their advantage soon after through Bailey Logue, but Parramatta began to settle into the contest. Elijah Alhazim got the Eels on the board in the eighth minute before William Memea Epe crossed midway through the half to keep his side within reach.
Canberra continued to apply pressure with Altas Atilua extending the lead, but Parramatta responded again late in the half. Leonard Salter levelled the scores at 16-all before Campbell Lloyd ensured the Raiders took a 20-16 lead into half-time.
The Raiders had control early in the second half when Logue grabbed his second try to push the margin out to 28-16, putting Parramatta on the back foot.
But the momentum swung moments later, with Canberra attacking deep in Eels territory and shifting left with numbers. A try looked certain, but instead William Memea Epe read the play perfectly to pluck an intercept out of the air. With open space ahead, he sprinted the length of the field to score and ignite the Parramatta comeback.
The Eels continued to build pressure, and with time running out they found another breakthrough.
When hooker Flynn Manu’a went close only to be held up over the line, the Eels stayed composed. On the very next play they shifted left where Tyler Lama found space and went over untouched to level the scores at 28-all.
With the game hanging in the balance, Liam Martin stepped up in the 59th minute and calmly slotted a penalty goal to secure the win in clutch fashion.
After trailing early and facing a 12-point deficit in the second half, Parramatta’s resilience and ability to capitalise proved decisive in one of the most dramatic contests of the weekend.
Westpac Lisa Fiaola Cup
Heartbreak for Sharks as Storm snatch one-point win
The Melbourne Storm pulled off a stunning late escape to defeat Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 27-26 in a thrilling sudden-death Westpac Lisa Fiaola Cup clash at Leichhardt Oval.
Melbourne opened the scoring early through Harmony Taupau, but the Sharks responded with authority.
Rhianna Karika struck first before Tahli Weigand took control, scoring and converting her own try. Ruby Seitula added another as Cronulla-Sutherland surged to a 16-6 lead with a dominant opening period.
The Storm began to claw their way back through Siulepa Peteru, but Cronulla-Sutherland maintained their edge with Karika crossing again to push the score out to 20-12.
Just when the Sharks looked in control, Melbourne produced a crucial moment before the break. Denied earlier in the match, Halo Matthews made sure to score this time, stepping and weaving through the defensive line and finding a gap to bring the Storm back within reach heading into half-time.
Cronulla-Sutherland responded again early in the second half with Weigand grabbing her second to extend the lead to 26-18, putting the Sharks in a strong position.
But the Storm weren’t done when Siulepa Peteru charged into the defensive line with a monstrous run, brushing off multiple defenders. On the next play, Makerita Seinafolava spotted space on the left edge, beat the last defender and stretched out to plant the ball down, cutting the margin and setting up a grandstand finish.
Then came the defining sequence of the match. Cronulla looked to have the game in their control after earning a penalty, with their fullback taking a quick tap and slicing through the Storm defence.
But in a moment that turned the game Harmony Taupau produced a one-on-one steal to wrestle back possession. Regaining the lost metres almost immediately, Melbourne shifted left on the following play finding winger Heather Nasilai, who broke away down the sideline and scored untouched to level the contest at 26-all.
With time ticking away, Melbourne’s Ocean Kaiwai-Rangikauhata stepped up and calmly slotted a field goal in the 56th minute, giving the Storm a one-point lead they would not surrender.
The Sharks pressed late but couldn’t find a response, as the Storm held firm to secure a dramatic one-point victory and advance to next week’s Semi-finals.
Westpac Tarsha Gale Cup
Sharks hold firm to deny Roosters in finals nail-biter
The Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks have held on for a hard-fought 20-18 victory over Sydney Roosters Indigenous Academy in a gripping Qualifying Final clash at Leichhardt Oval.
Cronulla-Sutherland made the early statement striking first through Ayva Papalii in the 10th minute, before Koffi Brookfield backed it up soon after to give the Sharks a 10-0 lead.
The Sharks’ fast start put the Roosters under immediate pressure in the opening stages, but they hit back with intent. Meg McPhail produced a key moment, launching a high bomb from just inside her own half that was left to bounce by the Sharks’ defence. Logan Fletcher was in hot pursuit, getting to the ball just before bouncing dead in-goal to level the scores at 10-all.
Tegan Boyce restored Cronulla-Sutherland’s lead midway through the half, but Jayda Durham responded for the Indigenous Academy to lock things up again at 14-all heading into the break.
The arm-wrestle continued in the second half with Talea Tonga giving the Indigenous Academy the upper hand in the 47th minute, crossing to make it 18-14.
But the Sharks had one more response left. After building pressure on the Roosters’ defensive line, Ella Ropata poked her head through to earn a full set deep in attacking territory. Manawanui James swept from the right side of the ruck, charged onto a short ball and crashed over to level the scores at 18-all in a defining moment for the match.
Ropata then stepped up to slot the conversion, handing the Sharks a two-point lead with just minutes remaining.
The Indigenous Academy threw plenty at the Sharks late, but their defence stayed strong under pressure to secure the 20-18 victory and book their place in the Preliminary Final in a fortnight’s time.
Click here for results from the Westpac Lisa Fiaola Cup.
Click here for results from the UNE Harold Matthews Cup.
Click here for results from the Westpac Tarsha Gale Cup.
Click here for results from the UNE SG Ball Cup.
