Minor premiers through to all three NSWRL junior representative grand finals

The six sides who will feature in the NSWRL junior representative grand finals was decided after a bumper Saturday at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium.

Western Suburbs are in with a chance of winning their maiden Harold Matthews Cup premiership after a fiery extra-time win against the Raiders on Saturday at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium.

The Magpies scored in the second half of extra time to overcome Canberra 20 to 16, but the historic result was marred by three players being sent from the field in the final seconds of the match.

Thomas Pati, Jeremiah Leatigaga and Kohen Lewis ran from the Magpies bench before the referee had blown full-time as the two sides came together in a late-match bust up between the sides.

Magpies captain Kit Laulilii could only watch on as three of his teammates were sent from the field in the dying embers of their semi-final win.Picture: Damian Shaw

The trio now face a nervous wait to see if they will be available to play in next weekend’s decider against Cronulla.

Western Suburbs coach Robert Mears admitted his side didn’t play to the standard that led to them winning the minor premiership.

“What we’ve done in the season is now over, this is a whole new kettle of fish,” Mears said.

“In the first half we turned the ball over four times on the first tackle, [Canberra] had a fair bit of possession in the first half which took a bit of energy out of the boys.

“All year we have been really good with our skills and prep, but today we were not finding touch from kicks, running it out from scrums on the first tackle and it just contributed to us putting together probably our worst performance of the season.”

@westsmagpies will make their first Grand Final appearance in 20 years after defeating @RaidersCanberra 20-16 in the Harold Matthews

The boys will face @cronullasharks in the @NSWRL GF which will be held Sat 30/4 at @commbankstadium@WestsTigers pathways

📸 @dylanarvelapic.twitter.com/bVbN4onPoa

— Wests Magpies (@westsmagpies) April 23, 2022

The Sharks made their first Harold Matts grand final since 2015 after an incredible upset win over the Roosters.

The Roosters were the favourites to win the first of six NSWRL junior representative finals at Kogarah, however, the Sharks ground their way to a 14 to 12 win – despite the side playing for 20 minutes with 12 players after two sin bins.

In the SG Ball Cup, the Panthers and the Roosters will square off in the big dance after both sides progressed through the semi-finals with relative ease.

Two weeks after losing the Knights, the Panthers put on a clinic to beat Newcastle and progress to the SG Ball decider.Picture: Damian Shaw

The Roosters led the Bulldogs by four at the break before blowing them away in the second stanza to record a 32 to 12 victory.

Penrith booked their ticket into the grand final with a 25 to 6 win over Newcastle in a tough affair where the Novocastrians had a couple of players sent to the sin bin in the second half.

The Knights pulled off an impressive 60 minutes to down the Eels.Picture: Damian Shaw

The Knights will have some representation on grand final day with the club’s Tarsha Gale side, sans star half Jesse Southwell, coming from behind to knock out the Eels 16 to 14.

It will be Newcastle’s third ever grand final appearance after losing the first two Tarsha Gale deciders in 2018 and 2019.

Newcastle will play the Roosters Indigenous Academy after the Tricolours ran away with a 22 to 8 win against the Wests Tigers.