NSWRL Junior Reps Report Card: Every club graded in Harold Matts, SG Ball and Tarsha Gale Cup
With the completion of the NSWRL junior representatives regular season, we put every team under the microscope and give them their end of year grade. See how your favourite performed in 2023.
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WITH the NSWRL junior reps regular season finished and anticipation building for the finals, every club is in session for their end of year report card.
All 17 teams competing in the Harold Matthews, SG Ball and Tarsha Gale Cup competitions come under the microscope.
BALMAIN TIGERS
Harold Matts: 9th (4-4)
SG Ball: 12th (3-6)
Tarsha Gale (Wests Tigers): 13th (1-7)
Half-year Grade: B-
End of year Grade: C
After some promising signs through the first half of the season, the Tigers weren’t able to carry that momentum through to the business end.
The high point for them was the Harold Matthews side, who gave themselves a red-hot crack at qualifying for the finals.
They can take pride in a number of their SG Ball players getting a Flegg call-up.
CANBERRA RAIDERS
Harold Matts: 5th (6-2)
SG Ball: 1st (8-1)
Tarsha Gale: 6th (4-1-3)
Half-year Grade: A+
End of year Grade: A+
One of just two clubs to qualify all three teams for the finals, the Raiders will be incredibly proud of their efforts.
Their SG Ball side has set the benchmark for the entire season, while their other sides left it to the last round to book their finals tickets.
If they can stay healthy, they’re a genuine chance to win two titles, plus Chevy Stewart getting a NSW Cup start is a great sign.
CANTERBURY BULLDOGS
Harold Matts: 4th (6-2)
SG Ball: 8th (5-4)
Tarsha Gale: 1st (8-0)
Half-year Grade: A-
End of year Grade: B+
For a large part of the season they looked like qualifying three teams, but will still be content with having two live chances.
Their standout side has been the Tarsha Gale squad, who remained unbeaten through the regular season and put teams to the sword in the process.
They’ll be upset after a good start to the SG Ball season, but their Harold Matts boys are more than capable on their day, and were first coming into the final round.
MORE NSWRL JUNIOR REPS COVERAGE
Round 9 wrap, talking points, teams of the week
Tallyn Da Silva feature profile
Shanelle Lyons feature profile
CENTRAL COAST ROOSTERS
Harold Matts: 13th (1-7)
Half-year Grade: C+
End of year Grade: C
They were competitive for a large part of the Harold Matthews season and there will be plenty of talents continuing with the club in the Andrew Johns Cup.
But the fact is they have just one win to show for their efforts, despite going close in numerous matches.
CRONULLA SHARKS
Harold Matts: 6th (5-1-2)
SG Ball: 9th (3-6)
Tarsha Gale: 8th (3-1-4)
Half-year Grade: B
End of year Grade: B-
From the start they had and the traditional pathways that we know exist in Cronulla, to only have one team scrape into the finals feels a little light on.
With that said, their Harold Matts side came up clutch in the final round to qualify, and has shown some good signs at times.
Another positive has been the Tarsha Gale, with three wins over the back half of the season really encouraging for the future women’s pathways.
ILLAWARRA STEELERS
Harold Matts: 7th (5-3)
SG Ball: 7th (5-1-3)
Tarsha Gale: 4th (4-1-3)
Half-year Grade: B+
End of year Grade: B
What could have been for the Steelers.
They looked set to be represented by all three teams in the finals, but their young men fell short at the last hurdles.
A highlight was their clean sweep over the impressive Raiders sides, with their Tarsha Gale side proving they can match with heavyweights, the Roosters Indigenous Academy.
MANLY SEA EAGLES
Harold Matts: 15th (0-8)
SG Ball: 15th (1-7)
Tarsha Gale: 10th (2-6)
Half-year Grade: D
End of year Grade: D-
This season has been a really tough one for Manly across the board, with the men’s teams combining for just one win.
The Tarsha Gale had the odd moment of inspiration, but they were too far and few between to make a run.
There are enough individual talents in the team to hold out hope this can change and improvements can happen next year, but they need to.
MELBOURNE STORM
SG Ball: 16th (1-8)
Half-year Grade: D
End of year Grade: D
They were up against it this season, but they were able to close out the year relatively well in SG Ball.
The Storm picked up a win over the Tigers and remained competitive in games over the back half of the season.
NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS
Harold Matts: 2nd (6-2)
SG Ball: 3rd (6-2-1)
Tarsha Gale: 3rd (6-2)
Half-year Grade: B+
End of year Grade: A+
Full marks, top of the class, give the Knights their flowers.
A stellar season across the board has seen them finish third or higher in all three grades, and there is no reason why they can’t win all three divisions.
Winning four in a row in a row in Harold Matts has given them an unlikely week off after a 2-2 start, while their SG Ball team could’ve easily had the same fate if not for two draws.
Their Tarsha Gale has been a clear third best, but they can challenge the top two in the finals.
NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS
SG Ball: 11th (3-5)
Half-year Grade: A-
End of year Grade: C+
After a perfect start to the SG Ball season, the Warriors slipped over the second half of the season, losing their final five games.
Amazingly they performed better on the road with two of their wins and a narrow loss to premiership contenders Penrith, but their home form let them down.
NORTH SYDNEY BEARS
Harold Matts: 14th (1-7)
SG Ball: 14th (1-7)
Tarsha Gale: 9th (2-2-4)
Half-year Grade: C
End of year Grade: C
Another tough season for the Bears, with their Tarsha Gale Cup side the standout, with a couple of wins including a last-round win to end Penrith’s finals hopes.
Their men found the going tough at times, but they didn’t give up despite the challenges, and their Harold Matts young guns were rewarded in the final round with their first win of the season over the Roosters.
PARRAMATTA EELS
Harold Matts: 3rd (6-2)
SG Ball: 4th (7-2)
Tarsha Gale: 5th (4-1-3)
Half-year Grade: A-
End of year Grade: A
It wasn’t the perfect season by any means, but they will be represented by all three teams in the post-season and that is a huge success.
Their men get a real shot to advance to the grand final qualifiers, with both forward packs really stamping their authority during the season.
We’ve seen what the Tarsha Gale side can do when firing with an incredible spine, they just need to remain consistent now.
PENRITH PANTHERS
Harold Matts: 1st (6-1-1)
SG Ball: 2nd (8-1)
Tarsha Gale: 7th (3-1-4)
Half-year Grade: A-
End of year Grade: A
The dominance of Penrith continues down to the junior reps and they are heavily favoured to have both of their male teams into the grand finals.
The Harold Matts are unbeaten in their last seven to claim the minor premiership, with the SG Ball side winning their last four in a row.
A resurgent Tarsha Gale season was denied a finals finish after going down in the last round.
There’s no doubt that the Penrith juggernaut continues to roll.
SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Harold Matts: 10th (3-2-3)
SG Ball: 13th (2-7)
Tarsha Gale: 11th (2-6)
Half-year Grade: C+
End of year Grade: C-
There were some definite high points for the Rabbitohs throughout their campaign, but they’ll be disappointed to finish 10th or lower in all grades.
The SG Ball side won their last two and looked good in doing so, and Thomas Fletcher playing Jersey Flegg is a feather in their cap.
Two draws and defeat to St George in the final round halted their Harold Matts momentum, with Tarsha Gale finishing strong, but not getting it done in the middle stages of the season.
ST GEORGE DRAGONS
Harold Matts: 12th (2-6)
SG Ball: 10th (3-6)
Tarsha Gale: 12th (1-1-6)
Half-year Grade: D+
End of year Grade: C-
You could almost copy the Rabbitohs’ response in here.
The Dragons showed some good signs and ultimately denied Illawarra an SG Ball finals appearance with a nice comeback, as they did against Cronulla.
But those moments were offset by a lack of consistency at key times, relegating all three teams to 10th or lower.
They showed enough to have hope for the future though.
SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Harold Matts: 11th (3-5)
SG Ball: 6th (5-2-2)
Tarsha Gale (Indigenous Academy): 2nd (8-0)
Half-year Grade: B-
End of year Grade: A-
What a finish to the season it was in SG Ball.
The Roosters were undefeated in their final seven games, going on an incredible run and piling on the points to sneak into sixth - but they are definitely not making up the numbers, and are among the in-form teams.
Their Tarsha Gale Cup form was again flawless, only missing out on top spot due to points differential, but they are a big chance to complete their hat-trick.
WESTERN SUBURBS MAGPIES
Harold Matts: 8th (4-4)
SG Ball: 5th (6-1-2)
Tarsha Gale (Wests Tigers): 13th (1-7)
Half-year Grade: B+
End of year Grade: B
They did enough to qualify for the SG Ball finals with a last-round win over the Warriors, and their season starts now.
With Lachlan Galvin and Tallyn Da Silva calling the shots, there is premiership potential in this team.
They’ll be disappointed in missing out on the Harold Matts playoffs, with some crucial results and lapses working against them.
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