NSWRL Junior Reps: 20 top performers, talking points, full gallery from round three
With round three complete we take a look at 20 of the top performers from all grades, PLUS check out our huge weekend 100+ photo galleries from all the weekend’s action.
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Round three is done and dusted with some surprise results, huge scorelines, field goal heroes and even a draw.
With games coming down to the wire and players standing tall when it mattered, we look at 20 of the top performers from the weekend:
LISA FIAOLA CUP
TRINITY TAUANEAI (CANTERBURY)
In a star-studded performance from the Bulldogs, we really liked the impact of lock-forward Trinity Tauaneai.
She played at the line, brought in defenders and gave her halves plenty of time to operate in a strong display.
Went close to scoring a number of times and laid on a try with a beautiful short ball to Seriah Palepale.
ELLA GREATZ (ILLAWARRA)
Keeps adding to her great start to the season with another top-shelf performance.
Scored two classy tries – one where she grubbered, regathered and touched down, and another where she put on a beautiful step to bamboozle the defence.
Greatz also had a try assist and played a hand in another two, with her exceptional long ball on full display.
ANGEL SCHAAFHAUSEN-MINO (WESTS TIGERS)
A brilliant effort from the talented lock who was a key reason for the Tigers opening up a huge lead, and holding on to defeat Newcastle.
She brings a presence at the line, drawing defenders to her and allowing her to set up her teammates.
That was evidenced with a lovely ball to Alavina Tu’ifua to stretch that lead out to 20, putting the emphasis on a great performance.
KIARA MCGREGOR (SOUTH SYDNEY)
The halfback was simply in everything as the Rabbitohs finally got off the mark in style with a shutout of Manly.
McGregor had a hand in all but one of South Sydney’s six tries, finishing with three try assists and heavy involvement in the others.
What was most impressive was the precision of her boot. She has one of the best short kicking games in the competition.
ELLA KNOWLES (CENTRAL COAST)
Speed to burn – Knowles had it in spades to put on an electric performance as a roving half/fullback against Cronulla.
Her two tries were breathtaking, simply burning off her opponents from tight windows to slice through the line.
The combination with Mia Vaotuua, Meg McPhail and herself is excitement plus as the trio came to the fore for a big win.
HAROLD MATTHEWS CUP
BRAITH SLOANE (CANTERBURY)
Anytime Sloane touched the ball against Penrith you knew something was about to happen.
The left centre made metres at will as he continually burst through the defensive line, using his pace to set up his outside men.
He finished the contest with a number of try involvements. The Condobolin talent stamped his authority with a memorable outing.
MATTHEW BARAKAT (CANTERBURY)
The Bulldogs were so strong against the Panthers it was impossible to stop at just one player in the top performers.
Barakat has had a fantastic start to the season as evidenced by another clinical display from the halfback.
He scored a try with his back-up play, put a pin-point kick on the chest of Paul Johnson and was involved in a further three.
JACKSON YEATES (SYD ROOSTERS)
Thought he really changed the complexion of the game with his addition at dummy half off the bench.
During an 11-minute period coming out of halftime, Yeates barged his way over from hooker, put Eddy Cayless into a huge hole and helped set up the decisive try to improve the Roosters to 2-1.
His hooking partnership with Zane Cordi is looking better each week.
BEAU ALEXANDER (MANLY)
The son of league legend Greg, Beau turned it on to keep Manly’s winning run in the Harold Matthews Cup alive.
In his first game of the season after missing last week, Alexander looked sharp as a running halfback.
The show and go left the defence with no answers as he crossed for his first try, before he sold a huge dummy to open up a gaping hole to race through for his second.
OLIVER LESTER (CRONULLA)
The Cronulla fullback was everywhere, getting himself heavily involved in the backline and stamping his authority in style.
With the Sharks struggling at 12-0 down he helped turn the tide with a pair of try assists to level the game up.
He was then in the right place at the right time to score and give the Sharks the lead, before they would go on to win the contest with Canberra.
TARSHA GALE CUP
ELISE SIMPSON (CANBERRA)
In arguably the most influential performance of the round, the Canberra fullback’s individual brilliance carried the Raiders to their first win of the year.
She opened the scoring with a 90m burst and was at it again in the second half, striding clear of the Sharks chasers from deep inside her own half.
Then just as Cronulla looked like snatching a draw, she proved clutch on the tryline, snuffing out what appeared a certain four-pointer.
ALIANNA TONUU (MANLY)
The Sea Eagles easily accounted for the Rabbitohs at Mascot where the backline celebrated in the wide open spaces.
But for raw grunt, we couldn’t go past the effort of Alianna Tonuu upfront.
In addition to barging across for two tries, the big prop also tormented Souths with her ball skills at the line.
EVIE MCGRATH (ILLAWARRA)
The speedy playmaker is never far from the action and after scoring a try in each of the opening two rounds, McGrath went to town against the Bears.
A blistering try in the second minute was quickly followed by a couple of assists as the Steelers ran in five first half tries.
It was all McGrath after the break, the No.6 went solo from halfway and completed her hat-trick with 20 minutes still to play.
LAILANI MONTGOMERY (SYDNEY ROOSTERS)
The Roosters lit up Henson Park with 12 tries, and Montgomery had a part to play in the majority.
Whether directing traffic, taking on the line or putting boot to ball, the charismatic No.7 played a part in four of Sydney’s six first half tries, and then grabbed one for herself straight after the interval.
KYAH JOHNSTON (NEWCASTLE)
We’ve chosen the Knights No.7, but her halves partner Evie Jones was just as dominant in the win over Wests Tigers.
Johnston had a hand in four of Newcastle’s five tries, but the playmaking duo rewound the clock to days gone by where halves would combine on both sides of the field.
Playing on both the open and short sides, Johnston and Jones worked in unison to set up the first three four-pointers of the match.
SG BALL CUP
LUCAS BORG (ILLAWARRA)
Steelers winger Tom Kirk got his name on the score sheet three times, but without his partner in crime Lucas Borg it could have been a different story.
Borg was everywhere in Illawarra’s victory over the Storm, and the long striding fullback delivered the final pass for all three Kirk meat pies.
He made a bust against the run of play for the first, then held up a clever pass for the next before threading the defence with another sublime ball for the last.
JESSE WILLIAMS (ST GEORGE)
St George are running riot at the moment and winger Jesse Williams is having an absolute field day every time they turn out.
With a double in each of the opening two rounds, the No.5 was always going to be a handful for North Sydney.
He gapped the Bears in the opening minute, but the best of his hat-trick came after the interval when he did it all himself after fielding a kick deep inside his own territory.
ATINI TUIALII (CANBERRA)
After a couple of hidings, the Raiders needed a shot of inspiration ahead of their clash with the Sharks.
And they got it in spades by shifting centre Atini Tuialii to the back-row.
In a commanding performance, the barnstorming giant combined power and class in Canberra’s victory scoring two tries, both from perfectly timed charges through centrefield.
DYLAN BRETTLE (PARRAMATTA)
From the moment the slippery halfback dashed 80m to score after a handful of minutes, Parramatta never looked back in their seven-try demolition of Balmain.
Feeding off the back of an energetic pack, Brettle continued to torment the Tigers with a mix of footwork and skill.
Two of the Eels best tries followed short side raids initiated by the No.7. Operating on the left edge, he sent defenders back peddling with perfectly executed passes.
DANIEL WRIGHT (SOUTH SYDNEY)
He was missing in round two, but the Rabbitohs were thankful for the return of Daniel Wright against Manly.
Playing in the No.22 jumper, the centre was on fire in South Sydney’s breakthrough victory of the season.
Pushing up out wide, he crossed in the first minute, and landed the second of the match when he dashed across from a Manly turnover in the 19th minute.
KEY TALKING POINTS
RAIDER FROM NOWHERE
Talk about hanging on for grim life, without a desperate Elise Simpson the Raiders could still be chasing their first Tarsha Gale win of the season.
With time for one last play, Cronulla needed a converted try for a share of the spoils and with a two-man overlap seemed certain to at least have a shot at forcing a draw.
But just as Arianna Ruwoldt reached out to put the ball down, Simpson, the Raiders fullback, crunched the winger and the ball popped free.
SHARKIES GET SQUARE
It was another cliffhanger in the Matts, only this time it was the Sharks jumping for joy at Shark Park.
Cronulla were chasing their tail from the outset and after reeling in a halftime deficit had one last play to sink the Raiders by a point on full time.
And that’s exactly what Callum Grantham did, from 20m out the five-eighth took aim and kicked the Sharks to victory.
STEAL OF THE CENTURY
Full credit to Luca Pirrello for giving Grantham the opportunity to win that game.
The interchange forward pulled off a miraculous one-on-one steal as Canberra worked it off their own line, ripping the ball free deep inside Raiders territory with time winding down.
It was reminiscent of Gorden Tallis stripping the ball off Paul Stringer in 2003 in terms of drama and smarts at the right time of the game.
GALE FORCE EAGLES
After battling for two wins last year in Tarsha Gale, the Sea Eagles have well and truly taken flight in the team’s second season.
Following an opening round bye, Manly thumped the Dragons on the road 52-0 and on Sunday headed to Mascot to face Souths.
Ten tries later, and the girls were heading back over the bridge with another 52 points and consecutive away victories.
DRAGONS NAB KEY DOUBLE
St George had their trip to Kenthurst earmarked as two must win games for their male pathways teams, and they did just that.
After scoring two tries in the opening two rounds, the Harold Matts will be pleased with their attacking output to put 28 on the Bears.
They continue to go from strength to strength in the U19s with a 50-point demolition as their forward pack again laid the platform. Their clash with Newcastle this weekend will be box office.
EAGLES ROCK IN MATTS
Confidence is an incredible thing and the Manly U17s boys have plenty of it at the moment.
We spoke last week about ending their drought, and now they have back-to-back wins to their name after keeping a handy Souths side to just six points.
Led well by skipper Reilly Caswell, they’re every chance of bringing up their hat-trick when they play their first game at home this weekend against Cronulla.
BOOT ON THE OTHER FOOT
Last week it was Canterbury who almost paid the price from the kicking tee in SG Ball – this week it was Penrith.
In a cracking competition with next to nothing separating the top sides, the Panthers out scored the Bulldogs five tries to four but could only manage a 22-all draw.
After kicking eight from nine across the opening two rounds, winger Harry Wald had a rare off day, landing one from five.
KNIGHTS’ TOUGH RIDE
Still on Ball, Newcastle capped off a tough fortnight with a 10-point win over the Magpies.
Coming off a narrow loss to Canterbury, the Knights exploded out of the gates to open a 24-6 half time lead before Wests turned the tables with 20 points at the change of ends.
In a brutal opening to the season, next week Newcastle host the resurgent Dragons in what shapes as another epic contest.
MAGPIES GET IT DONE
For two consecutive weeks Wests have been strongly tested in Harold Matthews, but both times they’ve responded and found enough.
It’s encouraging how they’ve been able to withstand pressure at key moments and respond accordingly.
Despite the first round bye they’ve looked good to start the year ahead of a trip to North Sydney.
HOT DOGS
It’s old news that Canterbury is desperate to be included in the next stage of NRLW expansion.
And with the under-17s sitting pretty on three from three, it’s clear the foundations for inclusion extend to the grassroots.
On Saturday the young Bulldogs laid down the gauntlet to the rest of the competition, demolishing the previously unbeaten Panthers 48-4.
Their Tarsha Gale side is in a similar position, unbeaten and putting 70 points on a Penrith outfit full of confidence coming into the game.
CARDIAC TIGERS
Seriously, you have to take your hat off to the parents, friends and coaches of the Wests Tigers Fiaola Cup side.
The girls might love a close finish, but it’s not good for the hearts of their fans.
After snatching a late victory in round one, the Tigers copped a dose of their own medicine in round two before edging out a fast finishing Newcastle 22-18 on Saturday.
BUILDING SOMETHING SPECIAL
The investment of the Roosters into their female pathways is set to reap major rewards in the coming years at the NRLW level, and their seeing immediate results right now.
Both their Fiaola and Gale sides were in devastating form, scoring a combined 120 points and not conceding once against St George.
They’re clinical, well-drilled outfits who are firing on all cylinders. But they’ll need to keep it up against two Penrith teams desperate for revenge.
ONE TO WATCH
Someone who really impressed in that Fiaola Cup outing was Evanjelika (Evie) Phillips.
The second rower turned in another impressive performance out on an edge, scoring two tries and nailing the effort plays.
An Alexandria Rovers and Bondi United junior, Phillips hits hard in defence and looks to have a bright future.
FORGOTTEN STEELERS
With three Steelers outfits yet to taste defeat this season, there were concerns heading into round three that the Harold Matts were set to take a back seat.
After conceding 52 points in the opening round, the under-17 boys regrouped with a bye before hosting the Central Coast Roosters.
In an astounding show of steel, the lads crossed four times and even better, managed to keep the flamboyant Roosters scoreless.
GENUINE CONTENDERS
There’s just something about this Illawarra Tarsha Gale side that is incredible to watch.
At the moment they’re flying under the radar with a 3-0 record to start the year, and the brand of football they’ve been playing is easy on the eye.
With the Roosters and Bulldogs in that top echelon, they are certainly good enough to mix it with those two when finals time comes around.
WEEKEND GALLERY
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