NSWRL Junior Reps Finals Week One: 16 top performers from all four grades at Leichhardt Oval
Week one of the NSWRL Junior Reps finals had massive upsets, big scorelines and the competition’s newest team daring to dream. We look back at the top 16 performers from all four grades.
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With finals time of the NSWRL Junior Reps here, the big names stood tall to try and keep their seasons alive.
Here are the top performers from all four grades on the opening weekend of the finals.
LISA FIAOLA CUP
LUCYANNAH LUAMANU-LEIATAUA (WESTS TIGERS)
Picked the right time to turn in her best performance of the year with a sizzling display to lift the Tigers in a close one.
Luamanu-Leiataua hit incredibly hard in defence and pulled out all the tricks to finish with two try assists.
The first was a miracle offload and the second a perfectly-timed grubber, showing the second rower has it all in her bag of tricks.
MAHLIE CASHIN (CENTRAL COAST)
Cashin was exceptional out of dummy half for the Central Coast as they went down fighting right to the very end.
Her vision around the ruck saw her set up two tries for centre Mia Vaotuua to close out the first half, and her craftiness allowed her to score one of her own as she beat a number of defenders to the line.
MACEY COX (NEWCASTLE)
Started and finished things for the Knights as they held out an early Parramatta barrage to claim their sixth-straight win.
Cox looked dangerous with every touch of the ball and her brilliant dummy was on full display for a 55m effort to bust through the line and seal the game in the dying stages with an extraordinary run.
SHARON LATAPU (PARRAMATTA)
When the Eels needed a spark to try and make a run in the second half, it was Latapu who answered the call.
She linked well with Bailey Ma Chong and Logan Lemusu to get things running. Latapu set up the first try with a lovely lobbed pass before showing a bit of speed to grab the second and give her side a fighting chance late in the piece.
TARSHA GALE CUP
LILLY-ANN WHITE (NEWCASTLE)
Her involvement was next level.
She was routinely getting into dummy half to create things, chiming into the backline plays with perfection and sparking the Knights’ attack.
White willed her team to victory late in the contest.
INDIANA RUSSELL-LIA (MANLY)
Russell-Lia’s impact off the bench was unmatched for the Sea Eagles as she caused all sorts of problems when on the field.
Her incredible strength was on full display as she powered past a number of defenders to score a key try that stretched the Manly lead.
She is some sort of player.
KORETI LEILUA (CRONULLA)
One of the best props in the comp, Koreti Leilua has been a regular across the stripe all season. But when it comes to memorable tries, there’s none better than her effort in Cronulla’s upset win over the Roosters.
Hitting an inside line at top speed off Marnie Isemonger, she scattered several defenders and held off the cover defence in an astonishing 45m effort.
MARNIE ISEMONGER (CRONULLA)
The reliable five-eighth directed traffic and was reliable with the boot all day. But it was her persistence under pressure that saved Cronulla when they needed it most.
Faced with an option to kick eight points clear from point-blank range with 12 minutes remaining, amid chaos and indecision, Isemonger eventually stepped up and calmly slotted the game breaking goal.
HAROLD MATTHEWS CUP
DEZMAN LABAN (WARRIORS)
The young backrower typified the Warriors’ spirit in a remarkable upset victory over Parramatta.
A powerhouse on the left edge, the hard running No.11 terrorised the Eels all day. His two tries were a showcase of blistering speed and a lethal right-arm fend.
JEREMIAH LEMANA (WARRIORS)
Alongside Laban, centre Jeremiah Lemana was the second reason the Warriors directed their attack towards Parramatta’s right side defence.
The No.3 sizzled over for the second try of the match and also posed a major threat roaming through centrefield.
THOMAS DELLOW (CRONULLA)
Cronulla’s season looked over when they trailed by 18 early in the second half. And even when Dellow found himself in possession on a last play, the Sharks looked out of ideas.
But it was the No.13’s solo effort from a grubber that sparked his teammates, and he bobbed up 20 minutes later to draw his side level with a successful short-side raid.
OLIVER LESTER (CRONULLA)
In a comp littered with exciting backline talent, the Cronulla No.1 has been one of the most consistent performers all season.
With the Sharks under the pump and seemingly out of ideas, the magical fullback unloaded a vast array of tricks to orchestrate three of his side’s first four tries - including one of his own, his eighth of the season.
SG BALL CUP
HAAMI LOZA (NEWCASTLE)
Loza has carried his form from the back end of the regular season into the finals and it’s a great sign for Newcastle.
He was the catalyst for their scoring run in the first half against Illawarra with involvement in all four tries that sparked them to a match-winning lead.
SOSAIA LATU (NEWCASTLE)
A classy winger who finished with a hat-trick and gives the Knights a potent attacking weapon out wide.
His finishing ability was on full display with a nice effort in the corner to grab his second, while his third was a piece of individual brilliance to dart his way through some flimsy defence.
MITCHELL WOODS (CANTERBURY)
The Bulldogs half proved himself as a big game player last season as Canterbury surged to the Harold Matts title.
Looked in a mood on Sunday, picking apart Parramatta in a dominant first half. His pin-point kicking and two early try assists were instrumental in a dominant Canterbury performance.
OLIVA SMITH (CANTERBURY)
It was difficult to single out just one in a dominant Bulldogs pack, but Oliva Smith’s versatility proved too much for Parramatta to handle.
Refused to give an inch through the central corridor, and it was the No.10’s vision that set up the third try. With a regular hit up on offer, the big man instead angled left before delivering a smart ball to his unmarked winger.
WEEKEND TALKING POINTS
It wouldn’t be a finals series without high drama and huge upsets to kick off proceedings.
With eight games across two days at Leichhardt Oval, the opening week of the NSWRL Junior Reps finals delivered big time.
We take a look back at the major talking points from the round.
WEATHERING THE STORM
Parramatta had all the running early in their Lisa Fiaola Cup clash with Newcastle, but they were unable to land a blow, and were made to pay.
The Knights held a commanding halftime lead, and their defence in the second half was extraordinary as they denied the Eels two certain tries to hold onto their advantage.
This is a side that has now won six in a row and will take plenty of confidence into their clash against the unbeaten Bulldogs this weekend.
UNRELENTING PRESSURE
Newcastle came into their semi final with the best attack in SG Ball, and they showed why with an insane period of play against the Steelers.
In a 17-minute stretch they were able to pile on five tries, allowing Illawarra to touch the ball just twice in that period.
It’s the sort of dominance that can turn a game in an instant, and in the case of Newcastle it could lead them to the promised land.
FITTING TRIBUTE
Wests Tigers and Central Coast kicked off the finals with their Lisa Fiaola Cup fixture on Saturday and both sides paid a lovely tribute pre-game.
At none other than Leichhardt Oval with the stand in his honour shining brightly, a minute’s silence was held for Keith ‘Golden Boots’ Barnes.
FAMOUS FACES
A solid crowd was on hand at Leichhardt to watch some great footy, and for the young men and women they had the chance to impress in front of some big names.
Wests Tigers interim CEO Shane Richardson was near the sidelines for the Tigers’ win over the Central Coast, with Roosters NRLW coach John Strange in the coaches box with Lisa Fiaola mentor and current NRLW player Jayme Fressard.
Newcastle NRL coach Adam O’Brien and NRLW coach Ben Jeffries were both present to cheer on their three victorious teams.
Tarsha Gale was also in the commentary box to call the competition named in her honour.
ALMOST UNABLE TO BE SPLIT
Newcastle edged out Manly 18-16 with a late try in Tarsha Gale Cup, and the stats justify just how close this contest was.
Manly had 28 sets of six compared to Newcastle’s 27, they both had 98 runs and the Knights ran for 1055m with Manly at 1014m.
The game was an entire struggle with the Sea Eagles leading for 43 minutes, but once the Knights got their noses in front towards the end they were able to grind out a win.
NO TIME TO WASTE
The Warriors impressed everyone on Sunday when they knocked out the previously undefeated Eels in the Harold Matthews Cup, and a fast start proved pivotal.
Primed and firing, the New Zealand boys simply out enthused Parramatta and were rewarded with a couple of tries inside the first eight minutes.
The Eels were caught off guard, but with only 30 minutes in each half, by the time they found their game the opportunity had vanished.
TIGERS RECRUIT SHINES
Mitchell Woods proved once again why he’s been flagged as a future NRL half with a commanding performance in the SG Ball. But in a strong team performance, the No. 7 was well supported by five-eighth Alex Conti.
Recruited from the Balmain Tigers in the off-season, Conti didn’t overplay his hand and stepped up with several crucial plays in the second half.
BARNES MAGNET
Cronulla’s remarkable Harold Matts comeback to down the Roosters was one of the highlights of the weekend. The tricolours torched the Sharks with four first half tires, but their dream start came crashing down with the change of ends.
When it was Cronulla’s turn to run towards the Keith Barnes Stand, they were powered by the same attraction, roaring to victory with five unanswered tries.
SHARK DAY
Still on Cronulla, and it proved to be a magic Sunday with the club overcoming the odds with back-to-back wins in Matts and Tarsha Gale.
First it was the boys who cleared the Leichhardt Oval tunnel with a rousing rendition of Up Up Cronulla, but in a split decision, it was the subsequent girls version that rang out loudest.
PROUD ROOSTERS
The Roosters didn’t get the chocolates in Tarsha Gale, but the proud club lost no friends in the loss to Cronulla.
A key figure in the promotion of the women’s game, this year will be the first time in four seasons that the under-19s won’t feature in the grand final.
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