Andrew Johns/Laurie Daley Cup: Wrap, results, standouts from round four
There were stunning comebacks, stirring upsets and a sideline conversion at the death during round four of the Andrew Johns/Laurie Daley Cup.
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There were stunning comebacks, stirring upsets and a sideline conversion at the death during round four of the Andrew Johns and Laurie Daley Cup competitions.
Catch up with a wrap of the action below.
ANDREW JOHNS CUP
TIGERS, DOGS SPLIT POINTS WITH THRILLING DRAW
The Northern Tigers and North Coast Bulldogs have played out the first draw of the regional representative season and finishing 16-all in a thrilling clash at Scone Park.
A sideline conversion from Northern goalkicker Cohen Matthews levelled the scores with one minute remaining after the Bulldogs had earlier led 16-0 in what was a pulsating clash between the two sides.
The Bulldogs crossed first in the 10th minute when backrower Cooper Bannon was fed through a gap by five-eighth Mason White to crash over on the left edge.
The Dogs enjoyed the better of the opening stages and made it count with a quick-fire double late in the half.
Capitalising on a quick play-the-ball, hooker Connor Laverty showed plenty of speed and smarts to scoot out of dummy-half, slide through a gap and go over to score under the sticks.
In the very next set the Bulldogs charged up field with ease, with Laverty once again creating a break that saw fullback Javier House pulled up just one metre short of the line. In the next play the team put the ball through the hands for winger Levi Newton to give the side a 16-0 lead.
It had been one-way traffic in the first half, however a Bulldogs’ error in the play-the-ball shortly after the break gave the Tigers some decent field position.
From here, interchange forward Mayse Frey showed off a fantastic step, palm and then another step for good measure to dance through the line for his team’s first of the day just three minutes after the restart.
From here the game developed into an arm-wrestle. And although both sides had their chances, regular errors in the hot conditions saw the Bulldogs hold onto their 10-point lead until a dramatic final flurry from the home side.
The Tigers finally broke the deadlock eight minutes from time when Kobe Walden got on the end of a clever grubber from Kobhan Nean to score in the corner to make it 16-10.
The home side continued to make good metres up field, and when the Bulldogs knocked on an attempted intercept, Northern had a full set just 10m out from their opponents’ line with just a couple of minutes on the clock.
The Tigers shifted the ball right directly from the scrum, with centre Cohen Matthews doing well to juggle and catch a pass under heavy pressure before planting the ball down in the corner to make it 16-14 with a kick to come.
Showing nerves of steel, Matthews then slotted the conversion from just one metre in from touch to level things up at 16-all with just over a minute remaining.
And while both sides had a chance with the football in the frenetic final moments, the game ended 16-all.
Northern Tigers 16 (Frey, Walden, Matthews tries; Matthews two goals) drew with North Coast Bulldogs (Bannon, Laverty, Newton tries; Bedwell two goals)
DRAGONS RUN RIOT IN KNIGHTS’ ROUT
The Illawarra South Coast Dragons have made a huge statement after hammering the Newcastle-Maitland Region Knights 36-0 in a top-of-the-table clash at Ron Costello Oval in Shellharbour.
After a fairly even first half that saw Illawarra take just a six-point lead into the sheds, the Dragons completely ran riot after the break with five unanswered tries to send a big warning to the rest of the competition.
In a clash between two previously unbeaten teams, the Dragons got off to a bright start when halfback Fletcher Couchman stepped past some flimsy defence to open the scoring in the eighth minute.
What followed was a tough contest between two strong sides. And while both had their periods of dominance, poor ball handling and some impatience in attack ensured that the scoreline remained 6-0 at the break.
The game remained in the balance, however a Knights’ error coming out from their own end eight minutes into the half gave the Dragons the chance to dominate the game.
A couple of plays later the home side put on a nice spread for centre Charlie Lips to go over on the left edge.
From here things unravelled for the visitors, with another Newcastle error ultimately leading to a try for backrower Callum Cooney to make it 18-0.
It was the start of a stunning eight-minute spell for Cooney, who crashed over for another two in quick succession on the back another Newcastle knock-on and a penalty.
Now leading 30-0, the Dragons capped off a stunning second half when Rocky Hingle sliced through the middle to cap off the win.
Illawarra South Coast Dragons 36 (Cooney 3, Couchman, Lips, Hingle tries; Coelho six goals) defeated Newcastle-Maitland Region Knights 0
TITANS DOWN ROOSTERS TO GO TOP
The Northern Rivers Titans have surged to the top of the Northern Pool and set up a three-way shootout for the finals after defeating Central Coast Roosters 22-12 at Woy Woy Oval.
After a tight first half the Titans came out of the sheds firing to surge in front and ultimately take a crucial win.
Following a fairly even opening period it was the visitors who struck first when backrower Max Palmer got on the end of a clever grubber from Eden Humphreys to opening the scoring.
The score didn’t stay like that for long though as a knock-on directly from the kick-off handed over possession. The Roosters only needed four plays to capitalise as winger Semi Wara went over out wide to make it 6-4.
And while both sides coughed up chances late in the half, the respective defences held firm and the visitors took a two-point lead into the break.
The Titans didn’t take long to extend their lead, with a spread to the left putting centre Jesse Cooper over just two and a half minutes after the restart.
It was part of a decisive spell in the game, with Cooper making a break and finding fullback Jaylon Russell on the inside for the team’s second try in four minutes to stretch the lead out to 18-4.
And while the Roosters pulled one back through Harry Calkin just a few minutes later, the Northern Rivers side re-established its two-try buffer when Russell showed his speed and guile to finish off a set piece move from an attacking scrum to make it 22-8 with nine minutes remaining.
The Roosters pulled one back through Samuel Michie late on but it was merely a consolation as the Titans ran out 10-point winners.
The result helped to transform the Northern Pool, with the Titans jumping from third to first, equal on points with the second-placed Roosters and third-placed Knights, who battle it out in a final-round shootout next weekend.
Northern Rivers Titans 22 (J Russell 2, Palmer, Cooper tries; D Russell three goals) defeated Central Coast Roosters 12 (Wara, Calkin, Michie tries)
Sunday’s games will be updated later
LAURIE DALEY CUP
MONARO BREAKS RECORD IN RIVERINA ROUT
The Monaro Colts have recorded their first win of the Daley Cup season in style after demolishing the Riverina Bulls 58-6 at the NSWRL HQ in Canberra.
Lock Jack Milne racked up a personal tally of 30 points and winger Benjamin Kami claimed a hat-trick as the Colts ran in 10 tries to one in what is the biggest victory in either regional representative competition so far this season.
The rout started just eight minutes in when Kami capitalised on a break up field to score the first of the match.
Backrower Samuel Green burrowed over from dummy-half on the quarter-hour mark before Milne sliced through the line for his first of the day to give the home side an 18-0 lead after 20 minutes.
With the game played in sweltering conditions, Riverina struggled to get any sort of momentum as Monaro continued to run riot.
Milne stepped past a couple of defenders and palmed off another few for his second and Kami slammed the ball just inside the touchline for another as the Colts took a 30-0 lead into halftime.
Things continued in exactly the same fashion after the break, with Monaro rampaging up field in the first set of the half before prop Patrick Koen finished it off by running over the top of three Bulls’ defenders to score the team’s sixth.
A couple of minutes later Milne completed his hat-trick with another dart out of dummy-half as the Colts surged into a 42-0 lead.
Riverina had been pummelled all game but midway through the second half the team finally got on the scoreboard thanks to a nice cut-out ball from Cayden Hillier and powerful run from winger Isaiah Pulleine.
Unfortunately for the Bulls it didn’t prove to be a turning point in the match as Monaro ran in another three late tries to cap off a huge victory.
The 52-point margin set a record as the biggest win for any team in either the Johns or Daley Cup in 2025, surpassing the Dragons’ 52-12 demolition of Riverina in round two.
The victory was the Colts’ first of what has been a disappointing campaign, while Riverina will be hoping to salvage something from its season when the team takes on Western in the final regular season round this weekend.
Monaro Colts 58 (Milne 3, Kami 3, Green, Koen, Smith, Roach tries; Milne nine goals) defeated Riverina Bulls 6 (Pulleine try, Broekman one goal)
MACARTHUR DOWNS WESTERN IN INCREDIBLE COMEBACK
The Macarthur Wests Tigers have sealed their spot in the Daley Cup semi-finals after a stunning 30-26 come-from-behind victory over the Western Rams at Jock Colley Oval in Parkes.
Trailing by 16 points early in the second half, the Tigers ran in five tries, including one with just minutes to go, to reel in
The Rams started brightly and star halfback Jace Baker looked destined to score five minutes in after stepping through the broken Macarthur defence, only to have been judged to have spilled the ball over the line.
The Tigers made no mistake shortly after when some nice work from centre Patrick Toomalatai put his wing partner Tyler Volvoc over in the corner.
Although Macarthur had taken the lead, what followed was a period of Western dominance.
Some nice footwork from centre Jack Colley got the team on the board 17 minutes in before the team went the length of the field in the next set, with some nice work from Colley once again setting up winger Brayden McGarry to put the Rams in front.
Western had all the momentum and a couple of minutes later they were in again after the Tigers failed to deal with a Baker kick and Jayden Innes picked up the scraps to plant the ball down in the corner and give his side a 14-4 lead at the break.
Things got even better for the home side just three minutes after the restart. With his team defending their line, Western halfback Baker sprung out of the line to take an intercept before showing enough speed to run 85m down field to make it 20-4.
The Rams seemed to be in cruise control until a pivotal moment – which included a slice of payback – triggered a stunning comeback.
This time Western was attacking the Macarthur line when Baker – who had just minutes earlier scored a brilliant intercept try – threw a pass himself that was intercepted Tigers’ centre Glassie Glassie, who ran 90m to score.
The try seemed to give Macarthur an extra burst of energy, with the team charging up field in the next set and then earning a repeat set after regathering a chargedown. Just a couple of plays later hooker Ryan Mackander snuck over from dummy-half to suddenly make it 20-12.
While wayward goalkicking was hurting Macarthur, the team now had all the momentum and kept rolling up field. And when Toomalatai crashed over directly from a tap, the Tigers had scored three tries in 10 minutes and the margin was just two points.
The heavy defending in the sweltering conditions was taking its toll on Western, who have their opponents another golden chance after coughing the ball up while coming out from their own end.
Macarthur was on a rampage and made no mistake, with Peter French barging over from close range to put the Tigers up 24-20 with eight minutes to play.
Just when it looked like the Rams were shot, they pulled a try out of the hat as a nice step saw Innes go over to lock things up. He then slotted the conversion to remarkably put Western back in front 26-24 with four minutes on the clock.
However in a game full of twists and turns there was one last sting in the tail as Macarthur managed to retain possession of the ball from a short kick-off. The team rolled towards the tryline and two plays later Mackander crashed over for his second seal the game for the Tigers and cap off a quite remarkable win.
The victory was a crucial one for Macarthur, which is now assured of playing finals football after moving four points in front of the Rams in the Southern Pool with only one regular season game remaining.
Macarthur Wests Tigers 30 (Mackander 2, Volcov, Glassie, Toomalatai, French) defeated Western Rams 26 (Inness 2, Colley, McGarry, Baker tries; Inness three goals)
DOGS HAMMER TIGERS TO STAY TOP
The North Coast Bulldogs have all but ensured that they will finish the regular season on top of the Northern Pool after hammering the Northern Tigers 40-14 in Scone.
After a competitive first half the Bulldogs took control of the contest and completely ran away with the game as they scored seven tries to three.
In a clash between first and last in the Northern Pool, it was in fact the Tigers who opened the scoring when excellent hooker Jayden Seckold showed how deadly he can be from dummy-half by crashing over after just four minutes.
The Dogs hit back on 13 minutes when a centimetre-perfect training ground move from a scrum saw Rielly Laverty go over, before a deflected grubber helped winger Wes LeRougetel give the side a 10-6 lead.
And while Seckold once again proved too wily for the defence by darting over from dummy-half to level things up, that’s as good as it got for the Tigers as the Bulldogs ran away with the game.
A wonderful line break from Toby Batten handed Laverty his second as the North Coast side took a 16-10 lead into the break.
While the first half had been competitive, it was completely one sided after the break.
LeRougetel got his second just three minutes after the restart, Jett Hanson picked up the scraps from a deflected grubber to score and Zayne Shutes powered his way over as the Bulldogs stretched things out to 34-10 to seal the game.
The Tigers pulled one back when centre Ryan Schafer ran a nice line to crash over, however the Dogs had the final say as winger Jesse Stevens finished off a shift to the left to put the icing on top of a comprehensive victory.
The win means that the Bulldogs will go into the final round two points clear of second-placed Central Coast in the Northern Pool, however given their superior points difference the side is likely to finish the regular season in first place regardless of results.
North Coast Bulldogs 40 (Laverty 2, LeRougetel 2, Hanson, Shutes, Stevens tries; Batten six goals) defeated Northern Tigers 14 (Seckold 2, Schafer tries; Adamthwaite one goal)
KNIGHTS SLAY DRAGONS IN THRILLER
The Newcastle-Maitland Region Knights have done what no other team has managed this season and in the process kept their finals chances alive after holding on to defeat the Illawarra South Coast Dragons 26-20 in Shellharbour.
After a stunning first half that saw the side race out to a 24-4 lead, the Knights were forced to hold off a resurgent Illawarra side to hand the Dragons their first defeat of the season.
Taking on the undefeated Illawarra side, the Knights got off to a dream start by receiving a penalty in the first set of the game before centre Fletcher Sommerville crashed over on the left edge to score after just two minutes.
The Knights were on a roll early and doubled their lead in the 10th minute when big prop Austyn Ah Toon-Hotene showed brute strength to carry five defenders over the line and plant the ball down.
Although Newcastle had only won just one of its three games and the Dragons were flying high at the top of the ladder, the teams seemed to have thrown the form guide out the window as a hit-and-spin from backrower Roy Simpson gave the visitors an 18-0 lead after just 19 minutes.
And while the Dragons hit back with a try to Sonny Jamieson, the Knights continued to roll up field and capped off a brilliant half when a lovely short ball from lock Fletcher O’Doherty put teammate Charles Barnes in to give his side a commanding 24-4 lead at the break.
The Knights had stunned the table-topping Dragons with a brilliant first half, however Illawarra came out the blocks with renewed intensity and struck just four minutes after the restart when twins Lexin and Rhys O’Dea combined on the left edge to put the latter over.
The home side continued its momentum and just six minutes later it was over again when five-eighth Beau Baldock picked up the scraps from his own grubber to score.
Suddenly the scoreline was 24-14 and the Dragons had their tails up.
And although the Knights had done well to halt Illawarra’s momentum for a while, a wonderful break up field from Dragons’ fullback Jack Talbott helped put his side in strong field position before the crafty custodian put prop Kapene Karaitiana over shortly after to make it 24-20 and set up a grandstand finish with 10 minutes remaining.
The Dragons were coming home with a wet sail and there were plenty of nervy moments as the Knights coughed up the ball in their own end. But despite the fact that Illawarra had a fresh set on the Newcastle line, the visitors’ defence held strong.
The Knights then went up the other end of the field and were awarded a penalty when Ah Toon-Hotene was ruled to have been taken out while going up for a bomb. Diesel Hagan then threw over the penalty goal to make to 26-20.
And while the Dragons regathered the ball from the kick-off, they were unable to break through and the Knights held on for a gritty win.
Despite the loss, Illawarra remains top of the Southern Pool, while the Knights have set up a winner-takes-all final round shootout with local rivals the Central Coast in order to qualify for the finals from the Northern Pool.
Newcastle-Maitland Region Knights 26 (Sommerville, Ah Toon-Hotene, Simpson, Barnes tries; Hagan five goals) defeated Illawarra South Coast Dragons 20 (Jamieson, R O’Dea, Baldock, Karaitiana tries; Talbott two goals)
13 MINUTES OF MADNESS SEALS EPIC COMEBACK
The Central Coast Roosters have taken a huge step forward in the race to play finals football after coming from 16 points down to defeat the Northern Rivers Titans 26-22 in a thriller at Woy Woy.
Trailing 22-6 midway through the second half, the Roosters scored a remarkable four tries in 13 minutes to claim the dramatic win and move into second place in the Northern Pool with just one regular round match remaining.
With both sides coming into the game even on points, the Roosters struck the first blow six minutes in when halfback Isaac Fotu-Moala put backrower Zac Stokes through a gap on the left edge to score.
Despite going down early, the Titans didn’t take long to hit back when prop Elijah Galloway carried a couple of Roosters over the line to even things up.
A couple of minutes later the Chooks were reduced to 12 when front-rower Lincoln Turnbull was sent to the sin bin for a hip drop tackle that forced the Titans’ Noah Vakararawa from the field.
While they didn’t strike with an extra man, the Northern Rivers side followed the script that had yielded points earlier in the half as the team’s other prop, Luke Barnett, proved too strong for three Central Coast defenders as he barged over to give the side a 12-6 lead at the break.
The game remained in the balance before a quick-fire double saw the Titans take a decisive lead.
Twelve minutes after the restart the visitors doubled their lead as Kai Saric beat a couple of chasing defenders to get a hand on his own grubber kick to score.
Meanwhile a penalty just a couple of plays after the kick-off followed by a nice spread to the right put winger Ryder Nelson over in the corner to give the Titans a 22-6 lead with just over 20 minutes remaining.
The Titans appeared to be cruising to victory until the home side pulled the game out of the fire with a truly brilliant comeback.
It started 16 minutes from time when Fotu-Moala put fullback Keenan Tufi through a gap for his second assist of the day to make it 22-12.
What followed was an incredible example of the power of momentum as the Chooks ran in four tries in a wild 13-minute period.
After a break up field just a couple of plays after the kick-off, hooker Ryan Tukapua took advantage of some sloppy marker work to put Fotu-Moala over for his first try of the match and make it a four-point ball game.
With six minutes remaining the Central Coast levelled things up as winger Bodie Jeffreys did well to take a Fotu-Moala cross-field kick before miraculously flipping the ball over his head for teammate Jacob Flaherty to score out wide.
With all the possession and momentum, the Roosters rolled up field seemingly with ease in the very next set, and when the Titans failed to grab another dangerous kick from Fotu-Moala, five-eighth Brok Elliott picked up the scraps, put on a step and scored the winner with about one minute remaining.
The dramatic victory crucially pushed the Roosters above the Titans into second place in the Northern Pool, although four teams remain in the hunt to play finals football ahead of the final round of the regular season.
Central Coast Roosters 26 (Stokes, Tufi, Fotu-Moala, Flaherty, Elliott tries; Elliott three goals) defeated Northern Rivers Titans 22 (Galloway, Barnett, Saric, Nelson tries; Close three goals)
Sunday’s games will be updated later
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