NSWRL Junior Reps: 20 major talking points from round four Matts, Fiaola, Ball, Gale Cup action
From last ditch wins to teams finally getting the monkey off their backs, round four of the NSWRL Junior Reps had it all. Catch up on the weekend that was in our 20 talking points.
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Round four of the NSWRL Junior Reps delivered in a big way with memorable moments and season-defining plays.
Look back at the weekend that was with our 20 talking points from Harold Matthews, Lisa Fiaola, SG Ball and Tarsha Gale Cup action.
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HAROLD MATTHEWS
DEFENSIVE GRIT GUIDES TIGERS
If you need any more evidence about a shift in culture at Balmain, look at the second half defensive efforts of their U17s against North Sydney.
The Bears have been flying this year, but Balmain held them out at every turn, keeping them scoreless for the second 30 to make it back-to-back wins.
WARRIORS AT RIGHT ANGLES
Oliver Burton’s opening try for Illawarra was a nice showcase of his footwork. The fullback has talent.
The only issue is the play-the-ball in the lead-up to the try hasn’t been a legal play-the-ball since league was invented in 1908.
It took place at a right angle and was a poor miss from the officials.
SEA EAGLES SOAR
Manly hasn’t made the finals since winning the comp in 2021, but if their first half against Melbourne is anything to go by, they’ll like their chances of ending that drought.
They absolutely blitzed the home side with five tries and an unrelenting wave of attack the Storm had no answer for.
If they can end South Sydney’s winning run this weekend, they’ll dare to dream.
KNIGHTS SAVE SEASON
Down by eight with 13 minutes to go, the Knights were staring down the barrel of a 1-3 start on the road to Cronulla.
They stepped up in a big way, with a few nice plays from Chase Butler lifting them as they took the lead and then held out a late Sharks charge to prevail.
It was Cronulla’s first loss of the season and a win that can get the Knights on a roll.
RAIDERS FINALLY ON THE BOARD
They’ve suffered losses by two and four points this season, and the Raiders finally secured a long-overdue win to get their campaign underway.
In a strong showing, they put the Dragons away in an instant in a performance that can give their season the boost it desperately needed.
LISA FIAOLA
MAJOR MILESTONE
Canberra celebrated the club’s maiden Lisa Fiaola Cup victory in fine style, racing eight second half tries past St George on route to a massive 60-8 hiding.
The truth is, the win has been brewing across the opening rounds. A week earlier, they flew out of the blocks against Newcastle before running out of gas. Now with the major milestone in the rearview mirror, don’t be surprised if they make a late surge up the ladder.
WINGER’S REPRIEVE
His side edged out the Tigers by two points, and you can bet Newcastle coach Gary Jones’ fingernails copped a solid workout.
Down by two early in the second half, the Knights looked like hitting the lead until winger Breanna Rawlins lost control of the ball with the try-line wide open.
Thankfully, the Raymond Terrace junior’s heartache was short-lived. She breathed a sigh of relief a couple of minutes later when backrower Maddison-Renae Seumanutafa reached across to score.
STIRRING COVER DEFENCE
There’s never a shortage of slashing tries in junior reps, but some of the last-ditch defense is something you have to see to believe.
In round four, North Sydney five-eighth Indianna Carroll pulled off a miraculous covering tackle to deny Cronulla’s Sienna Best in the right corner. Seemingly home for the prize, the winger was rounded up and promptly stopped in her tracks just millimetres shy of the stripe.
TAKE-TWO
Not everything goes to plan on game day, but that didn’t stop Manly prop Paula Halaholo against Penrith.
First, the powerhouse No.10 inadvertently ran through teammate Zaira-Mia Tofilau Talau-Brown. But with the Penrith defence ruled offside, she then fired up from 10m out, ploughing through four defenders to score her side’s second try.
GIFT WRAPPED
There was a precious moment between two teammates in the Bears-Sharks clash that didn’t go unnoticed.
When Cronulla’s Kalahni Crews dashed 70m in the final minute, the centre looked like wrapping up the contest until she pulled up shy of the line to give Tahli Weigand the final honour.
It was a gift wrapped four-pointer, but without Weigand’s initial line break and offload, the try would never have happened.
SG BALL
MAGPIES ARE BACK
It took four rounds, but it was worth the wait when Wests finally clicked into gear against the Dragons.
Stacked with attacking talent, St George simply had no answer to the likes of Heamasi Makasini and Byronn Laupepa as the Magpies struck in waves during a 10-try rampage.
A better indication of their revival comes this weekend in Wollongong when they face the high-flying Steelers.
RIDE THE MOMENTUM
When the top sides face-off there’s never a good time to put the cue in the rack as Souths found out during their first loss of the season against Parramatta.
Untouchable from the outset, the Rabbitohs looked odds on to make it four straight when they crossed three times in an electric 14 minutes.
But with a shift in momentum it was lights out for Souths, as Parramatta stormed home with five unanswered tries.
MID-TABLE DANGER
As the only undefeated teams, Balmain, Canberra and Parramatta are the sides to catch after the opening month.
But don’t discount more than a handful of teams log-jammed in the middle of the table. The Rooster in seventh spot are a prime example.
Goal-kicking proved the difference in their loss to Canberra, and they shared the points in an epic contest with the Eels in round two, proving this year’s title race is as wide open as ever.
WARRIORS’ CLANGER
Illawarra struck late to sink the Warriors when Charles Heidke scored the winning try from a fumbled bomb, but it was a moment several tackles earlier that the New Zealanders would like to take back.
Up 26-22 with three to play, Kairus Booth lined up a penalty shot at goal from in front 20m out. The attempt struck the right upright, and with the rebound in hand the Steelers rucked the ball upfield for the winning play.
STORM BREWING
There’s lots to like about the Storm over the opening rounds.
Despite starting with two losses, Melbourne held their heads above water against strong Illawarra and South Sydney combinations.
Since then, they've turned heads with 17 tries in the past fortnight in big victories over Norths and Manly.
TARSHA GALE
DRAGONS GET JUST DESSERTS
The 727-day winless streak of the Dragons is over.
The scenes of jubilation after their third try were incredible, and with their form this year it was only a matter of time before the monkey was off their backs.
They’ve been competitive in every game this year, including against powerhouse teams Illawarra and St George, and it certainly won’t be their only success of 2025.
KNIGHTS STAKE TITLE CLAIMS
Newcastle is quietly going about its business and secured a big win over the previously undefeated Wests Tigers.
The youth of Maronay Smuts is combining well with the experience of Aylah McCullouch in the halves as a formidable pairing.
A road trip to Illawarra in a rematch of last year’s grand final now awaits them.
PANTHERS LIFT A GEAR
With back-to-back defeats and Manly cutting the deficit to 10 with 15 minutes to play, Penrith was entitled to get a bit nervous.
Instead they took their game to another level, swiftly sweeping Manly aside with four tries in the 10 minutes to close out the game.
They have a favourable run home and should be making the finals from here.
NO HALF MEASURES
Illawarra may have just settled on the halves pairing it hopes can take them back to another Tarsha Gale grand final.
Tahlia O’Brien and Alex Down have looked good together since round three, almost orchestrating a comeback against the Bulldogs and comfortably putting the Rabbitohs to the sword.
BENCH IMPACT TO THE FORE
The contest between Cronulla and Norths at Kenthurst was well and truly in the balance at 8-6 at the halftime break.
That was before bench forwards Genevieve Mafi and Felila Fakalelu took the game away from the Bears in combining for three tries.
That type of impact in the middle third of the game can pit the Sharks as serious contenders.
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Originally published as NSWRL Junior Reps: 20 major talking points from round four Matts, Fiaola, Ball, Gale Cup action
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