Andrew Johns and Laurie Daley Cup: The top talking points from round four
There were points galore, shifts in momentum and five minutes of madness. Check out the top talking points from round four of the Andrew Johns and Laurie Daley Cups.
Local Sport
Don't miss out on the headlines from Local Sport. Followed categories will be added to My News.
There were points galore, shifts in momentum and five minutes of madness during a decisive round four of the Andrew Johns and Laurie Daley Cup.
With teams left with just one round of the regular season left, check out the top talking points from the weekend’s action.
POINTS GALORE AS TEAMS RUN RIOT
Defence seemed optional at times during round four as teams piled on the points in both competitions.
With sweltering conditions across the state, a whopping 496 points were scored over the course of the 10 matches, at an average of 49.6 per game.
This was highlighted by an incredible 80-point classic between Macarthur and Western in the Andrew Johns Cup, which saw the Tigers prevail 48-32.
FINAL-ROUND SHOOTOUT LOOMS
We’re set for a blockbuster final round in the regional reps as some results over the weekend shook up the race for the semi-finals.
Perhaps no group is more exciting than the Northern Pool in the Laurie Daley Cup, where four of the five teams remain in the hunt for the finals.
Meanwhile in the Andrew Johns Cup’s Northern Pool, there is a three-way shootout at the top of the group as the Northern Rivers Titans, Central Coast Roosters and Newcastle-Maitland Region Knights go into the final round all locked on six points.
And while all games are important, perhaps none will be as crucial as those at the Lakeside Sporting Complex in Raymond Terrace where the Knights host the Roosters in a local derby that will decide which teams qualify for the semis in both competitions.
GAMES POSTPONED AMID CYCLONE ALFRED
The final-round shootout will be played over the course of two weeks, however, with Cyclone Alfred leading to the postponement of two sets of fixtures this weekend.
With the cyclone set to affect south-east Queensland and north-eastern NSW mostly severely, the Northern Rivers Titans’ clash with the Northern Tigers, initially set to take place at Lismore’s Crozier Field, will now be played next weekend, March 15, at Red Devil Park in Byron Bay.
And although the North Coast Bulldogs’ games against the Macarthur Wests Tigers were set to be played at Homebush in Sydney, the fixtures have also been postponed for one week, with a venue to be confirmed.
JUST TWO LEFT AT THE TOP
Some surprise results during round four have meant that just two teams remain undefeated heading into the final round of the regular season.
The Illawarra South Coast Dragons sounded a huge warning to the rest of the Johns Cup after hammering Newcastle 36-0 in what was a clash between two previously undefeated teams.
They remain the only Johns Cup team yet to taste defeat after the Central Coast Roosters were beaten 22-12 by the Titans.
Meanwhile the North Coast Bulldogs remain alone at the top of the Daley Cup after a commanding 40-14 win over the Northern Tigers.
Another side looking to extend its unbeaten run in round four was Illawarra, who was beaten 26-20 by the Knights in a surprise result.
FIVE MINUTES OF MADNESS TURNS MATCH
In a round full of points and entertaining football, perhaps no passage quite encapsulated the weekend’s action quite like a wild five-minute spell in the Macarthur Wests Tigers’ clash with the Western Rams in the Johns Cup.
Leading 12-6 in the first half, the Tigers went nuclear by scoring a remarkable three tries in just four minutes and 49 seconds, blowing the scoreline out to 30-6 in the blink of an eye.
During this spell Macarthur was tackled just seven times, while remarkably the Rams didn’t get their hands on the football once.
MOMENTUM PROVES CRITICAL
With games played in steamy conditions over the weekend, momentum played a huge role in the results in round four as teams were able to turn games on their head with repeat sets and smart football.
It was clearly evident in the Johns Cup clash between the North Coast Bulldogs and Northern Tigers.
After the Bulldogs raced out to a 16-0 halftime lead the Tigers turned the tables in the second half, running in three tries of their own before a last-gasp conversion from the sideline by goalkicker Cohen Matthews ensured that the sides split the points.
ROOSTERS COME BACK FROM THE DEAD… AGAIN
Speaking of momentum, the Central Coast Roosters’ Daley Cup side has its strong finishes to games to thank after the team once again came back from the dead to record a 26-22 win over the Northern Rivers Titans.
Trailing 22-6 midway through the second half, the Chooks scored four unanswered tries in a crazy 13-minute spell, with five-eighth Brok Elliott crossing for the winner with about one minute remaining.
It comes just a fortnight after the team scored three tries in the final nine minutes to pip Western 30-28 in round two and three weeks after they saw off a late comeback to edge out the Northern Tigers 30-26 in the opening round of the season.
While the coaching staff will undoubtedly hoping for a stronger defensive display in this weekend’s must-win game against the Knights, they will nevertheless be pleased with the team’s ability to get the job done under pressure.
SECKOLD STARS FOR NORTHERN
It might have been a tough season so far for his side, but Northern Tigers hooker Jayden Seckold has continued to impress in the Daley Cup with yet another strong performance in the 40-14 loss to the North Coast Bulldogs.
While he is a workhorse in the middle who provides good service out of dummy-half, the Scone Thoroughbreds’ rake is arguably most effective with his hands on the ball close to the line.
Seckold crossed for another two tries in Saturday’s loss to the Dogs, taking his season tally to a remarkable seven tries in just four games, with his strength and footy IQ key weapons for the Tigers with the ball in hand.
HARD YARDS FOR RIVERINA
It has been another tough campaign for Riverina as both sides head into the final round looking to get something out of their respective seasons.
Both the Johns and Daley Cup teams remain winless in 2025 and at the bottom of their respective pools, with the latter’s 58-6 hammering at the hands of Monaro a particularly disappointing result.
The Bulls have been far more competitive in the Johns Cup, however, coming closest to breaking the duck in the 20-16 loss to the Northern Tigers in round three, and will be looking to finish the season on a high when they host Western at Paramore Park in Wagga on Sunday.
RAMS THE ENTERTAINERS
They won’t feature in this year’s semi-finals but the Western Rams’ Daley Cup team have proven to be the entertainers of the competition in 2025 after a string of high-scoring, nailbiting clashes.
This continued on the weekend as a last-gasp try to Macarthur’s Ryan Mackander saw the side go down 30-26 to the Tigers in an 11-try thriller in Parkes.
It continues a trend of dramatic games for the side, who held on to defeat Monaro 22-18 last week and were once again pipped at the post when they conceded three tries in the final nine minutes to lose out to the Central Coast Roosters 30-28 in another 11-try special in round two.
And while with one win from four games the team cannot qualify for the finals, the Rams have certainly left their impression on this year’s competition.
NRRRL: Big guns shine in superstar shootout
Two of the competition’s biggest stars have put on stunning performances during a superstar shootout in round three of the NRRRL.
‘Monkey off our back’: Reigning premiers end drought
The Anzac Day tradition continued in the Don Feltis Cup with three blockbuster clashes in local Penrith footy. From stunning hat-tricks to match winning individual brilliance, full wrap.