Andrew Johns/Laurie Daley Cup: Star performers, top talking points from the semi-finals

Workhorse forwards, blistering fullbacks and matchwinning halves all starred for their sides during the semi-finals of the Andrew Johns and Laurie Daley Cups. STAR PERFORMERS

Macarthur was impressive during its semi-final in the Andrew Johns Cup. Picture: Warren Gannon Photography

It was all on the line over the weekend as the final four teams in both the Andrew Johns and Laurie Daley Cup competitions battled it out for a spot in the grand final.

And while there were clutch plays, playmaking masterclasses and a comeback for the ages, some of the competition’s star players really stood up for their sides with some outstanding performances.

Take a look at who shone for their side with our top-five star performers of the week and also catch the top talking points from the semi-finals below.

CURTIS LAKEMAN (MACARTHUR WESTS TIGERS)

Curtis Lakeman in action for the Tigers. Picture: Warren Gannon Photography

While Macarthur’s 14-6 victory over the Knights was underpinned by an outstanding defensive performance by the entire team, the Tigers’ halfback provided the finesse to get his team over the line with two try assists in the first half.

For the first, he hit centre Elijah Sefo with a nice cut-out ball to score, while he went short for the second, picking out backrower Andrew Sio to charge over and put the Tigers right on top.

ALEXANDER STEPHENSON (CENTRAL COAST ROOSTERS)

Alexander Stephenson (left) was immense for the Roosters. Picture: Sue Graham

It was a real captain’s knock from the Central Coast skipper, who was immense in the middle as the Roosters edged out the Western Rams 18-10 in the Johns Cup.

Getting through a ton of work in defence, the lock forward also worked well as a link man to shift the Chooks’ attacks and came up with a couple of big plays to help his team get over the line, most notably charging over for the first try of the match with a determined run in the 24th minute.

TAJ JORDAN (WESTERN RAMS)

Taj Jordan was outstanding in defeat for the Rams. Picture: Warren Gannon Photography

His team might have gone down but the fullback was absolutely outstanding in the Rams’ 18-10 loss to the Roosters.

A constant threat in the first half, Jordan made a series of line breaks and tackle busts coming out from his own end before getting Western back into the game with a quick-fire double early in the second half, which included a spectacular leap and catch for the team’s first.

JONAH ANDERSON (MONARO COLTS)

Jonah Anderson put on a playmaking masterclass. Picture: John Gass

It was quite simply a playmaking masterclass from the Monaro halfback, who laid on three tries and scored one of his own as the Colts outgunned the Roosters 26-18 in the Daley Cup.

Whether it be cut-out balls, short passes or grubber kicks, Anderson was a constant threat and sliced the Central Coast defence open time and time again as his team booked its spot in the grand final.

After setting up his teammates he then went and did it all himself with a dummy, step and dive for the match-sealing try in the second half.

JACKSON SMITH (NORTHERN TIGERS)

Another outstanding halves performance came from the Northern Tigers’ five-eighth, who inspired his team to come back from 16 points behind to topple Macarthur 28-16 with a blistering second half display.

Just like Anderson in the Monaro game, Smith set up three tries – including two to Northern’s excellent backrower Dylan Keane on the left edge – and then went over for one of his own to book his team a spot in a blockbuster grand final against the Colts.

TOP-FIVE TALKING POINTS

After a huge weekend of semi-finals just two teams remain in both the Andrew Johns and Laurie Daley Cup competitions ahead of a blockbuster grand final day on Sunday at Cessnock Sportsground.

In the early game, the Central Coast Roosters will take on the Macarthur Wests Tigers in the Johns Cup, while the Monaro Colts and Northern Tigers will do battle in the Laurie Daley Cup.

With the weekend full of clutch plays, playmaking masterclasses and a comeback for the ages, we’ve taken a look at the top five talking points from the semi-finals.

COMEBACK KINGS STRIKE AGAIN

The Northern Tigers were responsible for arguably the most dramatic performance of the weekend as the team pulled off a remarkable comeback to win through to the grand final in the Laurie Daley Cup.

Trailing 16-0 at halftime, the Tigers piled on five unanswered tries after the break to storm home to beat Macarthur 28-16.

It’s not the first time the Northern Region side has come back from the dead. Back in round three the team was also trailing by 16 points against the Central Coast Roosters before putting on a stirring second-half blitz to draw the game 26-all.

With the team still undefeated in this year’s competition, it goes to show just how hard a side they are to defeat.

“The boys don’t worry about the scoreboard too much, they just keep playing footy,” said coach Darryl Rando.

Watch the Tigers’ epic comeback here.

STARS GO BLOW FOR BLOW

Taj Jordan in action. Picture: Warren Gannon Photography

There was another exciting contest in the Andrew Johns Cup as two of the competition’s brightest young stars put on a show in the Western Rams-Central Coast Roosters clash.

Coming into the match, Rams fullback Taj Jordan and Roosters winger Semi Leweniqila were the joint equal tryscorers in the Johns Cup with eight each from five games – and the pair showed just why they were sitting at the top of the pile.

Jordan in particular was absolutely electric in the early stages, making a series of line-breaks from his own end to put Western on the front foot. After being held scoreless in the first half, he struck with a quick-fire double early in the second as the Rams stormed back into the contest.

Semi Leweniqila had the final say with a brilliant try to seal the match. Picture: Sue Graham

Not to be outdone, Leweniqila came up with a magic moment of his own that would ultimately prove crucial, leaping high to brilliantly take an Owen Knowles cross-field kick before putting the ball down for the Roosters’ third try as they prevailed 18-10 to book their spot in the big dance.

Catch the highlights here.

CHOOKS GUNNING FOR BACK-TO BACK TITLES

The Roosters took out last year’s Andrew Johns Cup grand final. Picture: Sue Graham

Speaking of the Roosters, they will have the chance to go back to back after winning through to the grand final of the Johns Cup.

The club famously overcame local rivals the Newcastle-Maitland Region Knights 18-10 in last year’s decider.

If they manage to beat Macarthur, it will be the Central Coast’s third Johns Cup title in four years, further emphasising the region as one of the premier rugby league nurseries in regional NSW.

MONARO OUT FOR REDEMPTION

The Colts will play the Northern Tigers in the final. Picture: Sue Graham

On the other end of the scale, Monaro will be out for redemption when they take on the Northern Tigers in the Daley Cup decider.

The Colts fell agonisingly close to taking out last year’s crown, going down to the Illawarra South Coast Dragons’ 26-24 in an absolute thriller of a grand final.

And while none of the current team were in the 2023 squad, coach Brendan Bradley his squad will nevertheless be driven to make amends.

“We got beaten in the final by two last year and that would have put a bit of fire in the belly of the boys watching on and seeing how close the older boys got,” he said.

THE GREAT WALL OF MACARTHUR HOLDS FIRM

Macarthur’s defence has been excellent this season. Picture: Warren Gannon Photography

Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson once famously said “attack wins you games, defence wins you titles”, and the Macarthur Wests Tigers will be hoping it rings true as the team prepares for a grand final clash with the Central Coast Roosters in the Johns Cup.

The Tigers were outstanding in defence during their 14-6 win over the normally free-scoring Knights.

While the Knights had torn teams apart throughout the season, particularly down the left edge, the Tigers consistently frustrated the Newcastle team and held them to zero until the final few minutes of the match.

It certainly wasn’t a fluke performance from Macarthur, who in conceding 64 points in six games are comfortably the best defensive team in the competition. Now they’ll just be hoping for one more big performance against the Chooks.