Andrew Johns/Laurie Daley Cups: wrap, results, standouts from round one
Droughts were broken, statements were made and some incredible comebacks pulled off as the Andrew Johns and Laurie Daley Cups kicked off in style over the weekend.
Local Sport
Don't miss out on the headlines from Local Sport. Followed categories will be added to My News.
It might only be early February but the rugby league season kicked off over the weekend with the first round of the NSWRL junior representative competitions.
In grounds all around regional NSW, the best up-and-coming players from the bush braved the heat as they opened their accounts for the season in the Andrew Johns (under-16s) and Laurie Daley (under-18s) Cup competitions.
Droughts were broken, statements were made and some incredible comebacks pulled off during an exciting first round of football.
We also had snappers at venues to capture the colour and action from around the grounds.
Catch up with a wrap of the action and the best pics below.
ANDREW JOHNS CUP
RIVERINA END 700-DAY DROUGHT
The Riverina Bulls have shocked the competition and in the process broken a 714-day drought after defeating the usually formidable Illawarra South Coast Dragons 24-18 at Ron Costello Oval in Shellharbour.
After a difficult 2023 in which the Bulls failed to record a win in either the Johns or Daley Cup, the victory was the club’s first since 20 February 2022, when the Bulls downed the Central Coast Roosters 22-18 in round three of that season’s Andrew Johns Cup.
Everything seemed to be going according to the script at the beginning as the Dragons, a perennial heavyweight in the competition, raced out to a 12-0 inside eight minutes thanks to tries to Finn Davy and Jordan Barlow.
However Riverina showed plenty of ticker and pulled back two tries of their own through second-rower Jordan Harris and centre Isaiah Pulleine to go into the break locked up at 12-all.
They came out of the blocks firing when five-eighth Harry Boxsell scored just one minute after the break, and while the Dragons locked things up at 18-all when Jaxson Ballinger crossed midway through the half, Pulleine proved to be the matchwinner with his second nine minutes from time to give the Bulls a memorable victory.
LAST-MINUTE TRY SEALS THRILLING TIGERS WIN
In arguably the match of the round, the Macarthur Wests Tigers edged out the Western Rams 24-20 thanks to a try on the full-time siren.
After leading for most of the game, the Rams were ahead 20-18 in the dying stages before Macarthur winger Drake Ayers crossed on the bell to put his side in front for the first time and in the process break the Rams’ hearts.
It capped off a brilliant comeback from the Tigers, who were down 20-10 late in the match before flipping the result on its head with three tries to Dallis Taoai, Jhevon Lele and Ayers in the final six minutes.
Western five-eighth Triston Ross scored two tries for his side as they twice led by 10 points before being ultimately run down at the end.
HAT-TRICK HERO GETS PREMIERS OFF TO FLYING START
Last year’s premiers the Central Coast Roosters have signalled their intent to defend their crown in 2024 after a solid 26-10 opening-round win over the Monaro Colts at Morry Breen Oval.
Winger Semi Leweniqila was the headline act, picking up three tries in the victory, while five-eighth Carter Mareko added two more in a dominant day out for the Roosters.
Despite trailing early following a four-pointer from Monaro lock and captain Billy Jay Pumpa, the Roosters soon took control of the match to lead 16-6 at halftime.
The Central Coast side then capped off an impressive first-up win with another two tries to one in the second half to open their account for the season.
BULLDOGS LAY ON THE TRIES AGAINST TIGERS
The North Coast Bulldogs have shot out of the blocks with a commanding 34-10 victory over the Northern Tigers.
The Bulldogs scored three tries to one in both halves in what was an impressive first-up performance.
It was a good day out for the North Coast side’s talented backs, with captain fullback Kden Carter opening the scoring after 11 minutes, halfback Frazer Merrick picking up a try and centre pairing Jackson Cheney and Aidan Langham also crossing the stripe, with the latter picking up a double.
KNIGHTS COME FROM BEHIND TO DOWN TITANS
The Newcastle-Maitland Region Knights have overcome a sluggish start to open their season with two competition points following a 22-12 victory over the Northern Rivers Titans in Ballina.
The away side struck first when Noah McNamara barged over after just five minutes, however the Titans hit back with fullback Ryder Nelson scoring a long-range effort and halfback Ethan Alcorn dummying his way over to give the side a 12-4 lead at the break.
While the first half had its swings in momentum, it was all one-way traffic in the second as the Knights clicked into gear with four of five unanswered tries to run away with the game.
It started just two minutes after the break when centre Chip Valentish finished off a nice backline move. The Knights then went to the left edge again eight minutes later, with Valentish’s wing partner Kade Paton this time putting the ball down in the corner to lock things up at 12-all.
The momentum was all with the Knights and they hit the front with 14 minutes to go when skipper Curtis Mulherin made an excellent line break and found teammate Zane Rainey to put his side in front.
Then, just as he had done at the start of the game, McNamara crossed again with four minutes to go to seal the impressive come-from-behind win.
LAURIE DALEY CUP
ROOSTERS SHUT OUT COLTS
The Central Coast Roosters kicked off their season in style with a 14-0 shutout of the Monaro Colts in front of a home crowd at Morry Breen Oval.
It was a clinical performance by the Chooks, who would have been thrilled to hold their opponents to nil in a big confidence boost for the season.
Winger Samisoni Talakai opened the scoring after 10 minutes and five-eighth Chaice Bayley crossed late in the first half to give the side an 8-0 lead at the break.
In what was a fairly tight game, the Roosters managed to hold the Colts at bay before fullback Sean Bullen scored with 10 minutes to go to seal the impressive first-up win.
TITANS SHOW OF THEIR CREDENTIALS
The Northern Rivers Titans have made an early statement with a comprehensive 38-14 victory over the Newcastle-Maitland Region Knights at Kingsford Smith Park in Ballina.
The Titans came out of the blocks firing with three early tries to Will Doyle, Elliot Farrell and Noah Waldock seeing the team race out to a 16-0 lead.
The Knights brought it back to a six-point ballgame following tries to Darcy Jones and Tyler Jarvis either side of halftime, but that’s as close as they got as the Titans ran away with the game with four tries in the final half an hour, with lock Robert Smith crashing over for a late double to cap off the impressive performance.
It was a particularly impressive display from the Northern Rivers side – which features eight of the Andrew Johns Cup-winning side from 2022 – against the strong Knights outfit, which itself had some players from the team that made the Harold Matthews grand final last year.
The Titans crossed for seven tries to three, while halfback Jimmy McCombie slotted five goals as the Northern Rivers made a big statement of intent.
TIGERS CLAIM BRAGGING RIGHTS IN NORTHERN DERBY
The Northern Tigers have started their season in style and at the same time claimed bragging rights over stablemates the North Coast Bulldogs with a convincing 36-6 victory at Scully Park in Tamworth.
With both the Tigers and Bulldogs being part of the Canterbury Bulldogs’ junior development system, there is a healthy rivalry between the two regions as they battle to impress the NRL club, and it was the Greater Northern side that shone in round one with a clinical performance.
It was one-way traffic more or less from the beginning, with the Tigers racing out to a 20-6 halftime lead before adding another three tries after the break in the 30-point win.
Second-rower Dylan Keane crossed twice for the home side and kicked three goals in the seven-tries-to-one victory.
PREMIERS KICK OFF IN STYLE
Speaking of statements, the reigning champions opened their account in style as the Illawarra South Coast Dragons demolished the Riverina Bulls 48-6 at Ron Costello Oval in Shellharbour.
Five-eighth Aaymon Fitzgibbon and back-rower Dreau Clark both bagged doubles as the Dragons ran in nine tries to one in what was the biggest rout of the opening weekend.
While Riverina remained competitive in the first half and managed to restrict the South Coast side to 14 points in the opening 35 minutes, the Dragons’ physicality and skill came to the fore later on as they crossed for six tries after the break to blow out the scoreline.
As a team with strong pedigree in the competition, most recently winning last year’s Laurie Daley Cup, the new crop of Dragons have kicked things off on the right foot.
MACARTHUR FLIP TABLES IN EPIC COMEBACK
The Macarthur Wests Tigers put on a second half masterclass to come from behind to win a dramatic clash over the Western Rams at Kirkham Oval in Camden.
Trailing 16-0 at halftime, the Tigers came out of sheds a completely different side as they ran in five tries, including four in a blistering 13-minute period, to pip the Rams 26-22 in a thriller.
In what was very much a tale of two halves, the Rams came out of the blocks firing, with winger Nathaniel Robertson crossing in the third minute and centre Jordi Robinson in the sixth to give their side a dream start.
Fullback Jack Dean then scored five minutes before halftime to give the Rams a commanding 16-0 lead.
Tigers coach Mitch Tyler must have said all the right things in the sheds as Macarthur came out looking like a completely different team.
Skipper Archie Duncombe scored just two minutes after the break before Robinson got his second for the Rams to extend the lead to 18 points.
With the game drifting away, the Tigers flicked the switch, scoring an incredible four tries in a 13-minute period to blow the Rams away.
It started when backrower Duncombe crashed over for his second with 18 minutes to go.
The Tigers were on a roll and then went bang, bang, bang through Lucas Rossi, Brady McMillan and Saint Fuatimau, who scored the final try five minutes from time to seal the remarkable comeback and get the season off to a dramatic start.
PHOTO GALLERY
Macarthur Wests Tigers vs Western Rams
Macarthur Wests Tigers vs Western Rams – Laurie Daley Cup
Central Coast Roosters vs Monaro Colts – Andrew Johns Cup
Central Coast Roosters vs Monaro Colts - Laurie Daley Cup
Illawarra South Coast Dragons vs Riverina Bulls - Andrew Johns Cup
Illawarra South Coast Dragons vs Riverina Bulls - Laurie Daley Cup
Northern Rivers Titans vs Newcastle-Maitland Region Knights - Andrew Johns Cup
Northern Rivers Titans vs Newcastle-Maitland Region Knights - Laurie Daley Cup
‘It’s scary’: Speed race has SailGP guns on edge
SailGP gun Kyle Langford has given an insight into the wet, wild and high risk speed chase that could see 100km/h broken on Sydney Harbour – and the fear and pain involved.
Australian swimmers and SailGP team’s unique exchange
Two of Australia’s leading sports teams - SailGPs Flying Roos and the Dolphins - are collaborating in a hunt for “little gems” to deliver lucrative triumphs on the water and Olympic medals in it.