Top 10: Biggest talking points from round four of Andrew Johns / Laurie Daley Cup action

It’s heating up in the Andrew Johns and Laurie Daley Cups as teams make their play for the finals. Catch up on the biggest talking points from round four.

With just one week before the finals, there is plenty to talk about in the Andrew Johns and Laurie Daley Cups, with round four dishing up a smorgasbord of action in both competitions.

As the stakes rise, we’ve had a look at the top-10 talking points from the NSWRL junior regional rep competitions.

Catch up on the major stories and talking points from round three

Check out the full wrap from round four of NSWRL rep footy

The ladders are starting to open up

One of the hallmarks of this year’s Johns and Daley Cups has been how tight both competitions have been. And while this is still the case, a number of key results shook up the competition ladders just one week out from the finals.

In the Johns Cup, the Western Rams’ 40-16 upset victory over the previously undefeated Illawarra South Coast Dragons, as well as the Macarthur Tigers’ stunning comeback victory over the Monaro Colts, has left the southern conference wide open, with the Colts (five points), Dragons (five points) and Rams (four points) all vying for second place behind the Macarthur Tigers.

Meanwhile in the Daley Cup, the Macarthur Tigers have gone from second-last to second in the southern conference following their 54-4 domination of the Colts in Camden.

The Dragons’ victory over the Dragons has sent them top with six points, with the Tigers (five points), Rams (four points) and Colts (four points) close behind.

Blockbusters fixtures highlight massive final round

Given the tight standings, eyes will be glued to games all across the state in a blockbuster final round this weekend.

There will be more than just bragging rights riding on the northern conference local derby between the Central Coast Roosters and Newcastle Maitland Region Knights at Morry Breen Oval, with all four teams in both competitions capable of either finishing first or missing out on the finals completely.

It is a similar story in the southern conference, with the Macarthur Tigers v Illawarra South Coast Dragons double-header also set to have a huge say in shaping who will play finals footy.

Macarthur Wests Tigers show premiership credentials

Paul Johnson of the Macarthur Wests Tigers Andrew Johns Cup team. Picture: Contributed

The Macarthur Wests Tigers showed they are the real deal in the Andrew Johns Cup this week, mounting a massive comeback victory over the Monaro Colts.

The Tigers were 20 points down to the previously undefeated Colts, before mounting 24 unanswered points to win the game 24-20.

Superstar winger Paul Johnson played a key role in the comeback, providing a brilliant flick offload assist for Aaron Prodromou, before crashing over the line for the all important match winning try.

Knights’ right edge strikes again

It’s been dangerous all season, but the right edge of the Newcastle Maitland Region Knights’ Daley Cup side struck again against the Riverina Bulls on Sunday.

The first four tries came down the Knights’ right-hand side inside the first 24 minutes, with the combination between halfback Jack Thompson and backrower Fletcher O’Doherty particularly lethal.

O’Doherty scored a hat-trick while Thompson picked up one for himself in the 40-0 victory.

Titans have plenty to cheer about

The Northern Rivers Titans picked up a much needed win this weekend – Picture Thomas Lisson

It’s been a difficult season for the Northern Rivers Titans’ Johns Cup, however they had plenty to cheer about on the weekend, picking up their first win with a 27-10 victory over the Northern Tigers in Tamworth.

Winger Owen Woods picked up a double, while centre Beau Hartmann put the cherry on top with a contender for try of the season to seal the win.

Picking the ball up from dummy half just 15 metres out from his own line, Hartmann busted through the first tackle, goose-stepped his way past the Tigers’ fullback before putting on the afterburners to score underneath the posts.

Roosters starting to crow

They must be getting excited on the Central Coast, with the Roosters’ Johns Cup really starting to hit their straps ahead of the finals.

The chooks defeated for North Coast Bulldogs 28-24 in what was their third-straight win, which took the team to outright first on the northern conference ladder with six points.

It was also a good weekend for the club’s Daley Cup side, who recorded their second win of the campaign with a 42-18 victory over the Bulldogs.

In particular, the Roosters’ spine was in fine form, with hooker Zac Gillett, halfback Joshua Farmilo, five-eighth Kieran Diamond and fullback Riley Burke combining to cause havoc during the win.

Lethal wings of the Tigers

The Macarthur Wests Tigers found a formula that worked in their 54-4 win over the Monaro Colts in the Laurie Daley Cup.

Nine of the side’s 11 tries came from the wings, making it a tough job all day for the Tigers’ conversion kickers, with Tajh Colquhoun and Noah McKenzie converting just four of the 11 tries scored.

The Colts simply had no answer defensively, as wingers Daniel Waqa and Jone Rorocolo combined for five of the side’s tries, with Rorocolo picking up a hat-trick.

Baker cooks up a storm for the Rams

Western Rams’ five-eighth Jace Baker put on a clinic in his side’s commanding 40-16 victory of the Illawarra South Coast Dragons.

The elusive half provided three assists, the best of the bunch being a delicate chip kick which sat up perfectly for centre Jayden Innes to run on to and score.

Baker would then score the pick of the bunch himself, a brilliant solo effort, spinning out of two tackles before stepping and dummying his way all the way through to the line.

Try of the season nominations heat up

Toby Rumble for the Illawarra South Coast Dragons – Picture Thomas Lisson

The job of choosing try of the season continues to get harder as the rounds go by in NSWRL junior rep footy.

His side may have come up short against the Northern Tigers, but Ayden Byrnes scored a wonderful solo try for the Northern Rivers Titans in the Laurie Daley Cup, regaining his own chip and chase kick before stepping the fullback to score.

Fullback Noah McKenzie scored a terrific solo try for the Macarthur Wests Tigers in their 54-4 demolition of the Monaro Colts in the Laurie Daley Cup, receiving a pass on his own 20 metre line, before stepping and simply blitzing the Monaro right edge, running the length of the field to score.

Toby Rumble also picked up a beauty for the Illawarra South Coast Dragons in the Laurie Daley Cup, receiving a pass from his fullback on his 20 metre line, before outpacing the right side defence and stepping the fullback to go nearly the full length of the field to score.

Hamlin at the heart of Tigers win

Five-eighth Jordan Hamlin had a great day out for the Northern Tigers in his side’s 42-20 win over the Northern Rivers Titans in the Laurie Daley Cup.

Hamlin picked up an assist and two tries, one of which was a cracker, hitting the Titans defence with a mean dummy from a scrum break, before running 70 metres to score a terrific solo try.

The Northern Tigers are building momentum, sitting on three wins from four and only behind the Newcastle Maitland Knights in the Laurie Daley Cup.

Round four wrap

Macarthur Wests Tigers halt Monaro momentum

The stars of the Macarthur Wests Tigers Daley and Johns Cup teams. Pictures: Contributed

The Macarthur Wests Tigers picked up impressive victories across both grades against the in-form Monaro Colts.

The Tigers remain undefeated at the top of the table in the Andrew Johns Cup after they edged out a narrow 24-20 victory over the previously undefeated Colts.

Damaging winger Paul Johnson scored the all-crucial try with just five minutes to go, and in doing so kept up his record of scoring in every game this season.

In a sign of how tight the contest was, both teams scored four tries, split only by an additional conversion and penalty goal from Tigers’ winger Aaron Paea.

Meanwhile in the Laurie Daley Cup, the Tigers put on a clinic, smashing the Colts 54-4 in an 11-try demolition.

Winger Jone Rorocolo scored a hat-trick, while Daniel Waqa, Noah McKenzie and Seth To’o all crossed for doubles.

Knights turn up the heat

The Newcastle Maitland Region Knights certainly applied the heat to the Riverina Bulls with two big results in steamy conditions at Cessnock Sportsground.

It couldn’t have been much better for the home side in the Andrew Johns Cup, with the Knights running out 40-0 winners in a match that saw backrower Fletcher O’Doherty score a hat-trick.

Meanwhile the Knights’ Laurie Daley Cup side continued its strong season with a 42-12 victory that sees the team remain at the top of the northern conference ladder.

Halfback Jye Linnane backed up his four-try masterclass from last week with a double in the nine-tries-to-two win.

Surprise results shake up ladder

The Northern Rivers Titans’ Andrew Johns Cup side recorded its first win of the season over the weekend. Picture: Thomas Lisson

The even and unpredictable nature of this year’s competitions continued with a series of surprise results shaking up the ladders during round four.

In the Johns Cup, the Northern Rivers Titans recorded their first win of the season at Scully Park in Tamworth, coming from behind to claim a 27-10 victory over the Northern Tigers, who had entered the round as equal leaders of the northern conference.

Elsewhere in the Johns Cup, the South Coast Illawarra Dragons suffered their first defeat of the season, going down to an impressive Western Rams side 40-16 in Parkes.

Despite only having won one game prior to the clash, the Rams put on a clinic by scoring seven tries to three to bring the Dragons back to earth.

Meanwhile in the Daley Cup, the ladder has started to take shape after some crucial matches during round four.

The Northern Tigers have moved to equal first in the northern conference after a 42-20 victory over the Northern Rivers Titans, with both teams entering the weekend locked on four points.

It was a similar story in Parkes, with the South Coast Illawarra Dragons too good for the Western Rams, winning 36-22 to ensure that they sit at the top of the southern conference on six points.

Roosters do the double over the Dogs

The Central Coast Roosters picked up wins across both grades this weekend against the struggling North Coast Bulldogs.

It was a tight affair in the Andrew Johns Cup, with the Roosters edging out their opponents 28-24 at Harry Elliot Oval in Tuncurry.

Fullback Jai Callaghan scored the crucial fifth try for the Roosters that would prove the difference in the close contest, keeping the Roosters at the top of the northern conference.

The Laurie Daley Cup clash was a more one-sided affair, with the Roosters taking a commanding 42-18 victory.

Centre Tyreece Arama and hooker Zac Gillett both crossed for a pair of tries each, leaving the Bulldogs winless from their opening four games of the Daley Cup season.