NSWRL Junior Reps: Full wrap, results from round five of Matts, Ball, Tarsha Gale Cup action
See who made our teams of the week from a huge round five of Harold Matts, SG Ball and Tarsha Gale Cup, PLUS the 20 major talking points and every result from the weekend.
Local Sport
Don't miss out on the headlines from Local Sport. Followed categories will be added to My News.
HERE are our teams of the week from round five of the NSWRL junior representative season.
HAROLD MATTHEWS
1. Michael Nassar (Balmain)
2. Samisoni Talakai (Central Coast)
3. Malik Amine (Balmain)
4. Casey Mclean (Penrith)
5. Blake Pasfield (Norths)
6. Fagalele Fagalele (Parramatta)
7. Matthew Humphries (South Sydney)
8. Jayze Tuigamala (Cronulla)
9. Mason Phillips (Canterbury-Bankstown)
10. Ocean Vaivela (Parramatta)
11. Kaden Garner (Cronulla)
12. Heinz Lemoto (Penrith)
13. Tyson Sangalang (Parramatta)
14. Brooklyn Rosemeyer (Central Coast)
15. Thomas Dellow (Cronulla)
16. Kye Raven (Penrith)
17. Mohamed Hadid (Canterbury-Bankstown)
SG BALL
1. Chevy Stewart (Canberra)
2. Teapo Stoltman (Manly)
3. Jacob Iosefa (Canberra)
4. Cooper Toy (Roosters)
5. Joven Gyemore (St George)
6. Jye Linnane (Newcastle)
7. Nicholas Quinn (St George)
8. Felix Faatili (Cronulla)
9. Tallyn Da Silva (Wests Magpies)
10. Jayden Harris (Newcastle)
11. Max Hayley (Manly)
12. Zakauri Clarke (Wests)
13. Billy Phillips (Penrith)
14. Ioane Lui (Melbourne)
15. Brock Sing (Norths)
16. Luke Raymond (Cronulla)
17. Luron Patea (Penrith)
TARSHA GALE
1. Debbie Doueihi (Parramatta)
2. Abigayle Sekitoga (Canterbury)
3. Alysha Bell (Parramatta)
4. Taytana Pati Ah-Cheung (Wests Tigers)
5. Paige Lowe (Roosters Indigenous)
6. Chelsea Savill (Illawarra)
7. Tamara Bamblett (Parramatta)
8. Ella Fisher (Illawarra)
9. Imogen Hei (Roosters Indigenous)
10. Alena Pale Eli (Cronulla)
11. Kalisi Mahe (Parramatta)
12. Ally Bullman (Roosters Indigenous)
13. Jemimah Tagaloamatua (Penrith)
14. Georgia Willey (Canberra)
15. Eliza Lopamaua (Roosters Indigenous)
16. Latisha Smythe (Canterbury-Bankstown)
17. Sharlize Campbell (Roosters Indigenous)
20 MAJOR TALKING POINTS
WITH round five of the NSWRL junior representative season in the books, it’s time to look back on a massive weekend that was.
Here are the 20 major talking points from the round:
SHARKS PULL A HOUDINI ACT
It was the weekend of comebacks for the Sharks in their three fixtures against South Sydney.
The Harold Matts came back from 18-0 down to force a draw, the Tarsha Gale women were down six with 13 minutes to play, and SG Ball were down 10-0 early before powering home for a big win.
It was a memorable weekend for the Shire teams with some blistering footy played.
OCEAN ARRIVES IN PARRA
Big Harold Matts front rower Ocean Vaivela was a class above on the weekend against Canberra.
He scored two barnstorming tries, and something always looked like it would happen when he charged at the line.
With a well-rounded side, there’s no reason this Eels team can’t dare to dream.
CENTRAL COAST ON THE BOARD
It took five rounds and the very last moments of their game against North Sydney, but the Roosters are on the board in Harold Matts.
They have been playing well without that reward for effort, and got their just desserts in thrilling fashion.
Samisoni Talakai brought up his double, and most important try of the year, with less than a minute on the clock to snatch victory at the death.
WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN FOR BUNNIES
It’s a tight squeeze to get into the junior reps finals, and Souths’ Harold Matts team is likely to just miss out.
They’ve shown great promise against quality teams like Canterbury, and held a massive lead against a fellows finals contender in Cronulla, but pulled just one point from those games.
If they cane somehow sneak into the finals, they’ll cause headaches for opponents.
CAN ANYONE STOP INDIGENOUS ACADEMY?
The Roosters Indigenous Academy made it five wins on the bounce with a resounding success against Norths, and it begs the question, can anyone knock them off the throne?
It looks like we won’t get that answer until the finals, with Canterbury looking the most likely contender at this stage.
Even then, the way the Roosters have been able to blow teams off the park is an imposing prospect for any team.
PARRA WOMEN SIZZLE IN BELCONNEN
Talk about impressive displays. Perhaps there were none better than the Eels Tarsha Gale Cup side this week.
They clicked as a unit, piled on sustained pressure and looked classy against a good Raiders side.
Tallara Bamblett did a great job of controlling the game, whiel Debbie Doueihi’s brilliance shone with one of the tries of the season.
BELL THE SUPERBOOT
Sticking with that fixture, and is Alysha Bell the best goalkicker in the competition?
We’ve seen her week after week come up with some great conversions.
She slotted all five attempts at the weekend, and who could forget her memorable sideline conversion to snatch a draw on the buzzer in round three.
ILLAWARRA RUNS RAMPANT
The Steelers women were in a unforgiving mood after going so close to knocking off the Roosters Indigenous Academy a week prior.
Illawarra was dominant in recording a 46-0 win over St George in the Tarsha Gale Cup.
They improve up to fourth and their points differential received a massive boost ahead of the home stretch of games.
RAIDERS FINISH WITH A BURST
They’re the only remaining undefeated team in the SG Ball, and Canberra showed why with an impressive second half blitz of Parramatta.
Three tries in an eight-minute span turned a tie game into a one-sided affair as the Raiders shut the gate in the blink of an eye.
This year’s U19s competition is hot, but they’ve earned favouritism with their form through five rounds.
KNIGHTS REMAIN IN THE HUNT
While Canberra deserves top spot, Newcastle is hot on their tails after moving up to second at the weekend.
They handed the Warriors their first loss of the season at St Johns Oval, piling on four tries in the first-half to make the task difficult for the visitors.
If they can get through this weekend’s clash with Wests, they have a nice run home and every chance to secure a top-two spot.
STEELERS SEASON ON THE EDGE
One half of footy has put Illawarra’s SG Ball Cup season in massive jeopardy.
Needing a victory over the winless Dragons to keep their finals hopes intact, a 10-0 advantage was squandered and they now find themselves in 11th.
With a run home of Canberra and Cronulla, they need wins in their next two to have any chance of advancing.
BALMAIN FLYING UNDER THE HAROLD MATTS RADAR
It took a massive effort for Balmain to protect their two-point lead in the closing minutes of their Harold Matts clash with the Roosters, and it could shape their campaign.
After a slow start to the season, that included a narrow loss to heavyweights Parramatta, the ninth placed Tigers have now won two on the trot. And next week in Wollongong they have a chance to enhance their growing reputation against the fifth ranked Steelers.
MAGPIES TUMBLE IN MATTS LOGJAM
It was only Wests’ second defeat of the season, but in a Harold Matts logjam, the loss to Penrith saw the Magpies tumble to seventh on the ladder.
But with each of the top six sides all on one loss, if Wests knock over Newcastle next week, their rebound could be just as quick.
ROOSTERS READY TO CROW
There’s lots to like about the Roosters in the run to the finals of the SG Ball. Currently stuck in eighth spot, the Tricolours face a relatively friendly draw and with the third best attacking record in the comp they have the firepower to turn a few heads.
DAY OUT TAKES TIA TO THE TOP
Speaking of Roosters firepower, how about gun SG Ball playmaker Cassius Tia?
With a 22-point rampage against the Tigers, the five-eighth became the competition’s leading point scorer in a season where he only took over the goal kicking duties in round three.
WESTS REBOUND IN EPIC CLASH
After their heavy round four defeat in Canberra, questions were raised about Wests’ credibility in the SG Ball.
They left it late, but a four-point win over the previously unbeaten Panthers was the perfect response. Faced with a tough schedule, they get another chance to thumb the critics in round six against the second placed Knights in Campbelltown.
SEA EAGLES AND DRAGONS READY TO GO BACK-TO-BACK
Both Manly and St George finally opened their SG Ball account in round five.
Winless over the opening four weeks, Manly rounded out a consistent performance to blitz the Bulldogs, while the Dragons delivered on their early season promise against the Steelers.
This week they face-off at Mascot, where a win could prove the impetus for a late finals charge.
PANTHERS START CLIMB FROM FOOT OF THE MOUNTAINS
Two weeks is a long time in the junior reps, with only nine rounds there’s little time to waste.
Following two defeats and a draw, Penrith’s season looked cooked after just three rounds in the Tarsha Gale Cup. Now with two straight victories, the seventh placed Panthers are poised to pounce again in round six against the struggling Rabbitohs.
QUIRKY DRAW
They’re the only two unbeaten teams in the Tarsha Gale Cup, but they won’t play each other until a possible finals match up.
But the way it’s shaping, the Roosters Indigenous girls and Bulldogs are on track for a grand final showdown.
MATTS LADS TAKE A BREATHER
After a hectic five weeks of Harold Matts action, five sides now have the luxury of a well earned week off.
In a shortened weekend of matches, Norths, Parra, Canberra, Cronulla and the Roosters will dust themselves off before returning to the field in round seven.
ROUND FIVE WRAP
THE home stretch of games is well underway in the NSWRL junior reps.
Round five action is underway with teams looking to make their mark and get into finals position for the run home.
Catch up on the latest results from around the grounds.
EELS STRIKE EARLY OVER RAIDERS
Parramatta enhanced its Tarsha Gale finals aspirations with a crucial 26-12 defeat of Canberra at Belconnen.
Withholding early pressure from the home side, the Eels struck first in the seventh minute with a big left foot step from Kalisi Mahe catching the defence napping close to the line.
That lead was extended soon after on the back of some individual brilliance from Tallara Bamblett, breaking clean through the line and putting Alysha Bell over untouched.
Just as things looked to be getting away from the Raiders, a dropped ball off the restart allowed them an immediate response, with Lara Cosgrove slicing through the defence from the scrum to score, bringing it back to 12-4, a score that would hold at the break.
Bamblett, Mahe and Bell were in the thick of things again, with a flat ball finding Mahe, who drew in three defenders to put Bell over again without having a finger set on her.
Bell’s brilliant boot pushed the lead to 14, but again the Raiders refused to lie down.
Another mistake from the kick-off allowed Canberra to score their second try from a scrum, as fullback Georgia Willey stepped through five attempted tackles on her way to the line.
Any hope of a fightback was quashed by a surging 30m burst from Debbie Doueihi who scored a scintillating try to seal the win.
The Eels claimed their biggest scalp of the Harold Matthews season with a confidence boosting 24-6 win over Canberra.
Sustained pressure and a well-timed unders ball close to the line saw Ocean Vaivela barge his way over early on for the visitors.
Canberra responded almost immediately, with a crash play guiding Andrew Muir over the line to tie it up.
Fagalele Fagalele swung it back in the Eels favour though, with a brilliant stepping effort seeing him get past a handful of defenders to send them in front 12-6 into the sheds.
An intense start to the second half was broken open when Vaivela crashed over for his second of the afternoon, helping to seal the win.
It wasn’t all despair for the Raiders, with their unbeaten SG Ball campaign intact following a 42-18 victory.
The two sides traded blows throughout the first half, with scores tied through 39 minutes of play.
That soon changed with the Raiders racing away with the contest in the end, scoring five tries and putting the sword to the Eels, highlighted by a Chevy Stewart hat-trick.
PANTHERS ON THE CHARGE AFTER FOURTH STRAIGHT WIN
Penrith have hammered home their Harold Matts title credentials with a crushing 22-4 demolition of the fourth placed Wests Magpies.
The Panthers bounded out of the gates to lead 10-0. Five-eighth Jack Attard crossed first, before last week’s two-try hero Cameron Bamblett added another in just the sixth minute.
Struggling after last week’s first defeat of the season in Canberra, Wests finally woke from their slumber in the ninth minute. In landing the Magpies’ first blow, centre Heamasi Makasini reduced the margin to a converted try in a frantic opening.
Amazingly, the flow of points dried up until after half time. Up 10-6, Penrith surged again, and with tries to Casey Mclean and lock Kye Raven, they put the result beyond doubt just 10 minutes into the second half.
In a clash of the western Sydney heavyweights, the Western Suburbs Magpies struck late to edge out Penrith 26-22 in a thrilling SG Ball contest at BlueBet Stadium.
Still smarting after last week’s first loss of the year to Canberra, Wests came out firing. Talented prop Jordan Miller barrelled over in the opening minutes, and they tightened their grip on the previously unbeaten Panthers when Lachlan Galvin crossed to make it 12-0 in the seventh minute.
Penrith stemmed the flow and counted with two of their own to trail 12-10 at the break.
With Wests on the ropes, Riley Pollard struck again for Penrith, the five-eighth’s four-pointer put the homeside in front 16-12.
In a ding-dong battle of the two junior strongholds, Wests were far from done. Fullback Heath Mason found his way over the line, and they regained the lead at 20-16 when backrower Zakauri Clarke dotted down in the 54th minute.
With seven minutes remaining, the lead changed hands once again when prop Luron Patea found his way into the in-goal, and with Pollard’s conversion Penrith held a two-point breathing space.
But in a competition chock-full of potential superstars, hooker Tallyn Da Silva rose to the top when Wests needed it most. His try in the closing stages secured a valuable win and helped the Magpies jump from sixth to second on a congested ladder.
Penrith continued its resurgence in the Tarsha Gale Cup with a comfortable 22-10 win over the Wests Tigers.
After last week’s first win of the year on the road to Manly, the Penrith girls returned home and immediately found their rhythm scoring three tries to lead 16-0 at the change of ends.
After a dour opening, playmaker Taya Lazare finally broke through the Tigers’ defence to score in the 18th minute. Fullback and captain Yasmine Baker then followed it up with another four minutes later, before Jemimah Tagaloamatua found the stripe on the stroke of half time.
After consecutive heavy losses, the Tigers could have easily packed it in after the break. But instead, they earned their stripes and reduced the margin to just six following tries to Taytana Pati Ah-Cheung and half Imogen Lowe.
With the match in the balance, the Panthers had the final say when centre Bella McEachern crossed in the final minute to put the result beyond doubt.
BULLDOGS BARK SINKS SEA EAGLES
Canterbury kept its unbeaten record intact in the Tarsha Gale Cup, brushing aside Manly 18-4 at Belmore.
A three-tries to one opening half put the Bulldogs in command at 14-4. With the damage done, they took the foot off the pedal, before cruising to a comfortable fourth consecutive victory.
It took just six minutes for Bulldogs prop Latisha Smythe to crash through Manly’s front door, and they had another try three minutes later, this time out wide to centre Litia Fusi.
Shahana Lasini-Rite crossed for the Sea Eagles’ only points of the day, as the northern beaches girls stumbled to a fourth straight defeat.
The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs’ Harold Matts season continues to go from strength to strength, jumping to top spot on the table following a 30-16 win over the Sea Eagles at Blacktown.
Canterbury backrower Sosaia Alatini set the tone inside the opening minute, scoring the first of three unanswered tries before the break, which were all converted by Mitchell Woods on a day where the skipper was faultless with the boot.
Manly’s winless campaign received a boost when centre Benjamin Keene-O‘Keefe scored the first of his two four-pointers to help narrow the gap to 12. But the joy was short lived when Hori Fua countered to put the Bulldogs ahead 24-6 after 40 minutes.
In promising signs, the Sea Eagles fought hard and outpaced Canterbury 16-12 in the second half, but the Bulldogs alway had their measure and put the result beyond doubt when hooker Mason Phillips crossed for his second 10 minutes before the final siren.
The Manly Sea Eagles have broken their SG Ball duck in spectacular fashion, running all over the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 34-14.
Having shown glimpses of form throughout the opening four rounds, the Sea Eagles gapped the Bulldogs with four unanswered tries in a clinical first half to lead 22-0.
Manly winger Teapo Stoltman scored a first half double after striking in the opening minute of the match.
Iverson Matai scored the last of Canterbury’s three tries after the break to get them within 14-points, but it was Manly’s day and Max Hayley had the final say when he crossed in the final minute of play.
BALMAIN AND THE ROOSTERS SHARE THE SPOILS AT LIDCOMBE
Balmain’s season in the Harold Matthews Cup is still alive following a gutsy come-from-behind 14-12 win over the Roosters at Lidcombe Oval.
Entering the clash in ninth spot, the Tigers overcame a 6-4 halftime deficit to cap off a memorable second straight win.
A try to fullback Baxter Warner four minutes after the break put the Roosters in command by eight. But it wasn’t enough, as Balmain hit the front following tries to centre Malik Amine and fullback Michael Nassar, before holding firm in a gripping final 10 minutes.
The Roosters’ SG Ball machine has well and truly kicked into gear.
Up against a rejuvenated Balmain who were chasing a third straight win, a merciless Roosters hit the afterburners in an eight-try romp on the way to a clinical 46-4 demolition.
Coming off a win and a draw, the Bondi boys needed another victory to continue their climb up the ladder from 10th place.
Tigers’ winger William Malloy struck first in the second minute, but from there it was all downhill. Speedy centre Cooper Toy crossed to put the Roosters in front in the 10th minute, and by half time they’d added another four to lead 30-4.
Once again, Cassius Tia was electric. The five-eighth with NRL potential written all over him had a day to remember, scoring two tries and landing seven goals in a personal tally of 22-points.
After a slow start to the season, the now seventh placed Roosters will almost certainly have the frontrunners looking over their shoulders.
SECOND HALF SINKS STEELERS
St George is off the mark in the SG Ball Cup with a big 24-10 defeat of Illawarra at Kogarah.
A hot start saw captain Dylan Egan cross early, before strike centre Te Umuariki Heremia-Tukere extended that lead to 10-0.
Jesse Williams helped the home side get back to within a converted try before the break however, keeping them in the hunt.
They continued that momentum after the break, posting four unanswered tries to race away with a big victory, including a double to winger Joven Gyemore.
The Tarsha Gale Cup was a one-way affair, with the Steelers running out resounding 46-0 winners over the Dragons.
They piled on the points on either side of the break, racing in nine tries including doubles to Ella Fisher, Darcy Eade and Sulieti Ahio.
With their second win of the season they now sit in third position.
ROOSTERS INDIGENOUS REMAIN UNDEFEATED
The Roosters Indigeous Academy improved to 5-0 in the Tarsha Gale Cup following a 36-8 win over North Sydney at Kenthurst.
Two early tries to Ally Bullman and Imogen Hei set up an early 12-0 lead for the visitors, before Caitlin Hollis struck moments before the break to get them back to within eight points.
The Roosters started the second half as they did the first, putting scoreboard pressure on the Bears with centre Sharlize Campbell crossing the stripe and making the comeback task a real challenge.
Kiannah Bright kept Norths within two tries, but ultimately it wasn’t enough to stop the Roosters juggernaut as Skyla Adams, Paige Lowe and Eliza Lopamaua raced in late tries to stretch the scoreboard.
Both sides were winless coming into today, but it was the Central Coast that stole it at the death to deny Norths in Harold Matts 18-16.
A tight affair saw the Bears take their first lead just after halftime through Alema Seualuga, and hold it right until the last minute.
That’s before Samisoni Talakai got across the line to break the hearts of North Sydney and get the Roosters up and running in 2023.
North Sydney’s SG Ball finals hopes remain alive after a comfortable 46-26 win over Melbourne.
The Storm started well and had an early 10-6 lead, before the Bears clicked into gear to open up a 28-10 advantage soon after halftime.
In what was an entertaining clash, both sides combined for 13 tries.
SHARKS GET ON THE BOARD
The Sharks landed their first win of the Tarsha Gale season, downing South Sydney 20-10 at Cronulla High School.
Despite an early sin bin to Rabbitohs forward Shyla Mundine, fellow front row partner Cherellyn Tapuai got the scoring underway inside 10 minutes, with Tairah Bolatigici ensuring they held a 10-4 lead at the break.
Cronulla struck first in the second half as Brooke Elliott brought the score back to 10-8.
They again took full advantage of the one-woman advantage as Sereena Moussa crossed to give them their first lead of the game, which was extended to a matchwinning one through Alena Pale Eli.
Join the conversation
Penrith RL: Mid-year report card, every team profiled
As we approach the home straight towards the Don Feltis Cup finals we’ve reached out to the coaches for our Penrith District Rugby League review. See how your team shapes up, plus the standouts.
Read more
HNWP round two teams: Tigers set to unleash 17-year-old duo
The teams are in for round two of the Harvey Norman Women’s Premiership, and the Wests Tigers are looking to the future with two 17-year-old Lisa Fiaola stars to make their senior debuts.
Read more