NSWRL Junior Reps: 20 major talking points from round three Matts, Fiaola, Ball, Gale Cup action
From incredible match winning efforts to bizarre send offs, round three of the NSWRL Junior Reps had it all. Catch up on the 20 major talking points from the weekend that was.
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Three rounds are down in the NSWRL Junior Reps competitions with another exciting weekend in the books.
Here are the 20 major talking points across Harold Matthews, Lisa Fiaola, SG Ball and Tarsha Gale Cup competitions:
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HAROLD MATTHEWS
SEND OFF OVERSHADOWS WIN
The Rabbitohs claimed their biggest Harold Matts win of the season to knock off the Magpies in Camden.
But it was a moment in the final 10 minutes that left spectators and Brock Achurch scratching their heads.
What seemed a regulation tackle resulted in a touch judge report and Achurch being sent from the field, much to the dismay of the hooker.
STEPPING UP BIG TIME
As Balmain chased its first win of the season, a late comeback saw them tie up the scores against Canterbury.
It left winger Benjamin Lawrence with something every goalkicker dreams of, the chance to win the game with a sideline conversion.
He calmly stepped up and slotted it from the paint, with wild scenes ensuing after the full-time whistle was blown.
BEARS DISCOVERING THEIR BITE
North Sydney didn’t win a game last season.
Through three rounds they’ve already picked up two wins and have looked extremely good in the process.
Their first half against Melbourne was their best 30-minute stretch of the season as they find themselves right in the finals race.
SHARKS MAINTAIN STREAK
It took a bit of magic, but Cronulla remained undefeated after two late tries in the final 10 minutes helped them knock off Parramatta.
Even when Brodie Johnson crossed that only tied up the scores, leaving it to Liam Challenor to win the game with a kick from the touch-line.
He did just that to keep the Sharks in a share of top spot.
PANTHERS SALVAGE SEASON
Talk about courage.
Staring down the barrel of an 0-3 start to the year and trailing by 14 inside the final 20 minutes, Penrith flicked the switch to save their season.
Four tries in the space of 15 minutes saw them run over the top of Newcastle in devastating fashion.
LISA FIAOLA
TAKE THE TWO
It’s a common catch cry from the outer, but with the Dragons down 50-0 it was the last thing spectators at Jubilee saw coming when St George were awarded a penalty in front of the posts.
Initially they shaped to run the ball, but Telina Adams raced towards the referee with the late change of plan. The centre then split the sticks and was congratulated by teammates for scoring the first points against Central Coast this season.
NOT UNTIL FINALS
After three rounds it’s becoming increasingly obvious that Canterbury and Central Coast are the sides to catch in the under-17s.
Alongside the Eels, both are undefeated but hold down the top two spots with a superior differential.
Unfortunately, they don’t meet each other in the preliminary rounds but are sure to square off at some stage when the stakes are much higher.
ORIGIN-LIKE DEFENCE
After conceding three early tries, Newcastle were in all sorts before turning the tables on the Raiders at Belconnen.
The turning point came just before halftime when Canberra halfback Adelaide Norris seemed certain to crash over next to the posts.
But in an extraordinary defensive effort, Scarlet Hagan and fullback Keira Callaghan arrived just in time to somehow prevent the No.7 from planting the ball over the stripe.
TOP CONTEST
The Tigers and Panthers turned on an absolute classic at Windsor.
Wests won by four in an entertaining contest between two evenly matched sides who both crossed for five tries.
In a credit to each team and their coaches, there was a healthy mix of set plays and ad lib class combined with bone-jarring one-on-one defence.
NO PUSHOVER
Manly showed they’re no pushovers despite going down to Parramatta at Eric Tweedale.
Coming off a 50-point hiding to Cronulla, the Sea Eagles travelled west and initially appeared to be out of their depth as the unbeaten Eels jumped to an early 12-0 lead.
It turned out to be anything but the case. With the several new faces, Manly found their groove before going down by eight.
SG BALL
NOTHING IN IT
Parramatta scored a couple of late tries to get out of jail against Cronulla in another example of just how tight the competition is.
A week earlier, it was Parra who jumped six clear of the Roosters with less than five on the clock. But with little between the top teams, the Blue and Gold’s paid the price for switching off and the Tricolours struck late to level the scores.
RABBITOHS’ OMEN
South Sydney fans have reason to be optimistic following the club’s perfect start to the year in Harold Matts and SG Ball.
The last time both teams got away to a 3-0 start was in 1989, the same year George Piggins and Mario Fenech led the Rabbitohs to the minor premiership.
CURSE BROKEN
Newcastle winger Aidan Gow can’t help scoring tries, but with five in the opening two rounds the flyer could have been forgiven for thinking he was cursed.
Despite an uncanny knack of crossing the stripe, the Knights headed into round three without a win. This week it happened again, he bagged another three, but enjoyed the celebrations after Newcastle opened its account against Penrith.
DEPTH ON SHOW
Balmain made it three straight after running over the top of Manly. But what makes it even more impressive is the fact they did it without two of their chief organisers.
With Marc Tannous and Aussie Schoolboys hooker Jared Haywood named in Benji Marshall’s trial squad to tackle Canterbury, five-eighth Cohen Benson and halfback Tyler
Birnie took the added responsibility in their stride.
REED THE ROOM
Gun halfback Kade Reed had a weekend he won’t forget in a hurry.
It got off to a slow start on Saturday at Belconnen when the highly touted Steelers skipper backed up to score a try in a losing cause against the Raiders.
Come Sunday evening, he crossed the stripe again, this time in the No.21 jersey in the Red V’s comfortable NRL trial victory over the Roosters.
TARSHA GALE
BULLDOGS ANSWER BIGGEST TEST
After the disappointment of last year’s finals, Canterbury continued its flawless start by downing defending premiers Illawarra.
This side showed it has gears with a dominant first half that saw them post back-to-back tries in the opening and closing five minutes.
That should put every other team in the competition on notice.
ROOSTERS’ SPEED TO BURN
The Roosters made it back-to-back wins after holding off St George, and they might have unleashed a future talent in the process.
Manisha Seebeck joined the club from New Zealand for this season, and after scoring a double last week she posted another four pointer.
Her right-foot step and explosive speed to burn off her marker was a sight to behold.
TIGERS PACK MOUNTS ITS CASE
The Wests Tigers are one of three teams yet to lose and a big reason for that is the efforts of their forward pack.
They continue to dominate games early and are putting themselves in the mix as one of the best across the U19s ranks.
Tiresa Leasuasu continued the streak of front rowers scoring for the black and gold.
KNIGHTS FROM BEHIND EIGHT BALL
In both wins the Knights have conceded first points before going on to record big successes.
It’s a trend they won’t want to continue when they come up against a red-hot Wests Tigers outfit in Cessnock this weekend.
Still, they have shown they have the talent to overcome setbacks.
PARRA POWERS ON
There’s no doubt this year’s Tarsha Gale Cup is the deepest it’s been talent wise, and Parramatta is right near the top of that tree.
For the third-straight week they notched 46 or more points as they continue to put their opposition to the sword.
Luckily for opposition they have the bye this weekend.
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Originally published as NSWRL Junior Reps: 20 major talking points from round three Matts, Fiaola, Ball, Gale Cup action
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