Andrew Johns/Laurie Daley Cup: Top talking points from round three
From last-minute matchwinners to a slew of send-offs, check out the top talking points from round three of the Andrew Johns and Laurie Daley Cup.
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There were stunning comebacks, crucial turning points and some remarkable finishes during an explosive round three of the Andrew Johns and Laurie Daley Cup competitions.
Catch up with some of the top talking points from the weekend’s action below.
COMEBACKS AND THRILLERS FOR ALL
What a weekend of footy! Fans were treated an incredible display full of comebacks, nailbiters and thrilling finishes in round three.
Across the 10 matches in both competitions, the average margin between teams was just 6.8 points, with six of the 10 games decided by a converted try or less.
Some the highlights included the Central Coast Roosters scoring with the final play of the game to sneak home against the North Coast Bulldogs in the Johns Cup and Monaro’s incredible three tries in the dying stages to chase down Western in a dramatic clash in Mudgee.
And who could forget the Illawarra South Coast Dragons coming from 12 points down late in the match to snatch a thrilling victory over Macarthur in the Daley Cup, with winger Jack Koster pulling off a matchwinning play worth of winning any game of football.
SIN BINS, SEND-OFFS GALORE
While the football was brilliant, one aspect in need of improvement in both competitions was discipline.
A remarkable 10 players were put in the sin bin while another was sent off in a wild weekend of footy.
The most extraordinary example came in the Knights v Titans clash in the Johns Cup.
Leading 26-4 midway through the second half, Newcastle seemed to be cruising to victory until three players were sent to the sin bin in a nine-minute period of madness that turned the contest on its head.
It started midway through the second half when Knights’ centre Morgan Carter was given a rest for initiating some push and shove. A few minutes later backrower Benji Thompson joined him after being penalised for an awkward tackle that put Titans prop Charlie Wood in a dangerous position.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, the team was remarkably left with just 10 players on the field when Makinah Kupenga was also given 10 minutes for a professional foul.
With holes everywhere in the defensive line, it’s no surprise that the Titans ran in three quick tries to set up a thrilling finish. However the Knights were able to hold on for a gutsy 26-20 win.
TURNING POINTS PROVE PIVOTAL
While the Knights were lucky enough to hold on, some other teams were made to pay dearly for their ill-discipline as sin bins and send-offs proved to be crucial turning points.
It was perhaps no more evident than in the Johns Cup clash between Western and Monaro.
After having scored three tries in a six-minute blitz early in the second half, the Rams had all the momentum and appeared to be cruising to victory with a 24-12 lead.
However everything changed with 15 to go when Western five-eighth Samuel Hill was sensationally sent off after appearing to say something to the opposition team at a scrum.
Monaro quickly ran in two tries to make it a two-point ballgame before Archie Black was sent to the sin bin for a dangerous lifting tackle in backplay, leaving the side with just 11 on the field.
And while the Rams defended their line stoically, there were just too many holes, with Monaro halfback Drew Kemp stepping and palming his way over to seal the dramatic win with just seconds left on the clock.
It was a similar story at Kirkham Oval in Camden as Macarthur hosted Illawarra in a top-of-the-table clash in the Daley Cup.
Once again, up by 12 with just 13 minutes remaining, the Tigers were in control of the contest until fullback Aaron Paea was given 10 minutes in the bin after his shoulder made contact with the head of a Dragons’ player while finishing off a tackle on the ground.
The decision flipped the game on its head as the Dragons ran in three late tries, including a brilliant 90m effort at the death, to steal the win.
TURNER’S MAGIC MOMENT
Speaking of big moments, some may have been more spectacular but arguably none were more important than North Coast Bulldogs fullback Karl Turner’s efforts in his side 36-24 victory over the Central Coast Roosters.
After the Dogs had raced out to a 22-6 lead, the Roosters launched a devastating comeback with two tries in consecutive sets to bring things back to 22-18.
With all the momentum, the Chooks were looking for three from three as they charged up field and put up a dangerous bomb.
Standing under the high ball, Turner spilled it backwards. Central Coast’s Isaac Fotu-Moala picked up the scraps and looked destined to score, however Turner somehow managed to make up for his error by knocking the ball loose as the Roosters man was about to jump over the line in what was a very lucky escape.
The tackle completely shifted the direction of the game, with the Bulldogs’ good fortune continuing in the next set.
After putting up a shallow bomb that didn’t go where it was intended, North Coast five-eighth Rielly Laverty regathered the ball on the bounce and then showed some individual brilliance to dummy, break the line and then put in a pinpoint grubber for teammate Jesse Stevens to score in the corner and help seal the win.
A great lesson in the value of trying to fix your mistakes.
TOP-TWO BATTLE HEATS UP
There is still plenty of play for the Johns Cup as teams jostled for ladder positions with crucial results over the weekend.
On the back of tight wins, the Dragons, Knights and Roosters all remain undefeated and at the top of their respective pools.
Those teams, along with Macarthur, are currently in the driver’s seat when it comes to securing a top-two finish and playing finals football, with the Titans looking to leapfrog the Chooks they the sides clash this weekend.
Elsewhere, Monaro’s last-gasp victory over Western also kept its chances alive in the Johns Cup.
Sitting third in the Southern Pool, one win behind second-placed Macarthur, the Colts can continue to put pressure on the Tigers when they take on winless Riverina this weekend.
BROTHERS SHINE FOR THE CHOOKS
Anyone watching the Central Coast Roosters take on the North Coast Bulldogs would have been forgiven for thinking they were seeing double as a pair of brothers with an uncanny resemblance lit up their respective games for the Chooks.
In the Johns Cup, five-eighth Tukia Fotu-Moala was outstanding for his side and sealed the 34-28 win with a brilliant solo try with the final play of the game.
Meanwhile in the Daley Cup Isaac Fotu-Moala was a standout as the Roosters launched a spirited comeback before ultimately going down by 12.
With a similar physical appearance and style of play, Isaac kicked a 40/20 to help kickstart the comeback and then crossed for a late try.
FRONT-ROWER OR WINGER?
Front-rowers these days are certainly more than just battering rams, but perhaps not many are as athletic and talented as Newcastle’s Oliver Lawrence, who just a fortnight after earlier went close to pulling off one of the moments of the season, stunned the competition with a brilliant play midway through the first half of the Knights’ narrow win over the Titans in the Johns Cup.
Running onto a nice ball from front-row partner Makinah Kupenga with a full head of steam, Lawrence showed impressive speed to burst through a gap and outrun the chasing defenders.
With the Titans’ fullback coming across in cover, the big prop then did his best impersonation of a winger by diving one-handed to expertly plant the ball down in the corner for an excellent try. Watch the try in the video player above.
WINS PROVE CRUCIAL IN FINALS RACE
While all wins are important, some victories across round three could well take on extra significance as the race to the finals heats up.
One of the most crucial was in the Daley Cup, where the Northern Rivers Titans edged out Newcastle 26-16.
With both sides having entered the game with a record of one win and one loss, the result crucially pushes the Titans up into the all-important second place in the Northern Pool, while the Knights slip back to fourth in what is a very competitive half of the draw.
In the same pool, the North Coast Bulldogs’ win over the Central Coast Roosters sets up an epic round four clash between the Titans and Chooks, to be played at Woy Woy Oval.
Elsewhere, Monaro’s last-gasp victory over Western also kept its chances alive in the Johns Cup.
Sitting third in the Southern Pool, one win behind second-placed Macarthur, the Colts can continue to put pressure on the Tigers when they take on winless Riverina this weekend.
TIGERS GET GOING
It had been a tough old start to the junior rep season for the Northern Tigers after two clean sweep defeats in the opening fortnight, however the club turned it around by pulling off the double against Riverina on Saturday.
There were some nervous moments in the Johns Cup as the Tigers held off the fast-finishing Bulls to claim a 20-16 victory.
Meanwhile a dominant first half helped the Daley Cup team to a 26-16 victory in the latter fixture.
And while finals football looks unlikely for both Greater Northern teams, they will be looking to keep the momentum going when they take on rivals the North Coast Bulldogs at home in Scone this weekend.
DRAGONS REMAIN UNDEFEATED
After a truly brilliant round of rep footy, the Illawarra South Coast Dragons remain the only team yet to taste defeat in either competition.
While they dominated in the opening fortnight, the Dragons were made to work for their wins against fellow heavyweights Macarthur, scoring a try on the bell to seal a 20-12 victory in the Johns Cup before pulling off a miraculous comeback to down the Tigers 26-22 in the Daley Cup.
The wins leave the Illawarra sides alone at the top of the Southern Pool in both tournaments, with a combined points difference of 134.
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