NRL Round 16 highlights: Alex Twal try video, Storm beat Wests Tigers 28-6
Not long ago Tigers coach Tim Sheens vowed that Alex Twal would score his maiden try in 2023. And now, after 116 games, the cult hero has finally scored a try in the NRL.
NRL
Don't miss out on the headlines from NRL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Alex Twal snapped rugby league’s most celebrated try drought and sent fans into raptures on Saturday night at Campbelltown Stadium when he scored his first try in 116 NRL games.That Wests Tigers were belted 28-6 by a clinical Melbourne Storm – with a four-try haul to winger Will Warbrick the highlight - was almost lost in the joy that followed Twal’s maiden meat pie.
“The world is beautiful!” Fox Sports caller Andrew Voss exclaimed.
“I’m so happy I’m here the night he scored,” Mick Ennis declared.
Cooper Cronk called it “the most celebrated first try in the history of our game.”
Tonight on @FOXNRL I'm calling Twal time. This is it 116th game. The @storm look out! Forget Baz Ball. Twal try time is far more compelling! @WestsTigers@VossyBrandySEN#HistoryInTheMaking
— Andrew Voss (@AndrewVossy) June 16, 2023
Twal was mobbed by teammates while the crowd of 8,517 fans slow-chanted “Twa-lee” as cricket fans once did for Dennis Lillee.
Post-match Tigers coach Tim Sheens quipped “good luck to him”.
“But I wish he’d have scored two more.”
BIG DOGS BUTT HEADS
Early in the second half Tigers captain John Bateman and Storm prop Asofa-Solomona appeared to trade a flurry of blows midfield.
In truth the scuffle looked worse than it was and Asofa-Solomona’s palm to Bateman’s chest was the worst of it. Referee Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski ordered play restarted after a brief word with both combatants.
“It’s part and parcel of the game, isn’t it, obviously,” Bateman said. “You stop everything like that, the game would be pretty stop-start. So it is what it is.”
Storm coach Craig Bellamy feared that both players would be sent to the sin bin.
“But he’s done the sensible thing, the referee,” Bellamy said. “They didn’t do any damage to each other or damage to anyone else. They just had to cool down and both of them did.
“It was a couple of big guys coming together. I don’t know whether they’ve got any history.
“But no damage done and I thought the referee handled it really well.”
WARBRICK’S QUADDIE
Warbrick was something of a project player for Craig Bellamy after being an oddity in New Zealand being a former Australian rules player.
The 25-year-old Olympic silver medallist was very good under the high ball, trucked the ball hard out of his own quarter while his four tries may have been five but for one disallowed by the bunker.
“He’s having one hell of a year,” Bellamy said. “It’s not only scoring tries (Warbrick has 11 in 14 games in 2023) there’s his work with the footy coming out the other end. He’s a big strong kid. There’s a lot of improvement in him.”
POLISHED DEBUT
With a 150-strong posse of supporters in T-shirts on the southern hill, 18-year-old Tallyn Da Silva didn’t look overawed in his NRL debut.
He came close to scampering over for a try, made 32 metres out of dummy half and made 20 tackles in his 35 minute stint.
Storm hooker Tyran Wishart, son of the great Illawarra Steelers winger Rod, had a fine game and scored his first NRL try after falling on a ricocheting grubber by Jahrome Hughes.
Tigers fullback Jahream Bula was his team’s best with 199 metres, 55 post contact metres and three tackle breaks.
BROOKS’ DECISION
Sheens said Luke Brooks’ decision to knock back the Tigers’ contract offer had no effect on his team’s performance.
“What Brooksy does is what Brooksy does,” Sheens said. “I don’t think it affected the team one bit. All these boys have done contracts over the years. Made decisions about their careers. That’s not an issue.”
Sheens said the Tigers next month will be crucial to their chances of making the finals.
“We’ve got a lot of away games and we’ve just got to nail enough of them to stay in touch,” Sheens said. “Otherwise it’s experiment for next year.”
ORIGIN INJUSTICE: FORGOTTEN BLUE REIGNITES PARRAMATTA’S SEASON
—Michael Carayannis
Clint Gutherson may the best Origin eligible player not readying himself to play on Wednesday night. Perhaps in a battle with Penrith’s Dylan Edwards for that unwanted title.
And weren’t Parramatta thankful that their skipper was able to turn out for them against Manly on Saturday night.
The fact he isn’t even spoken regarding NSW selection about is perhaps an injustice.
Gutherson’s representative career has been limited to just three games in 2020 for NSW starting at centre during the 2-1 series loss. Should the Blues falter again on Wednesday night or if injuries mount then he will again come into the mix.
His versatility at the Origin arena could see him push for a bench spot if the Blues’ again opt for a utility back as one of their replacements.
But for now he will have to settle for leading Parramatta to a much needed victory where they leapfrogged the Sea Eagles on the premiership ladder to move inside the top eight.
Gutherson was in everything for a Parramatta side who were struggling just weeks ago. A steal in the in-goal to prevent a try. Goal-kicking. Dummy half try. Bomb defusal.
His try came out of dummy when he fooled Josh Aloiai with a dummy to cross over the line to score in the 29th minute.
To make things even more impressive, it was done with a makeshift spine. Gutherson was the only first-choice member of Parramatta’s key combination who turned out for the Eels with Dylan Brown, Mitchell Moses and Josh Hodgson unavailable.
Instead it was left to Gutherson to spearhead Parramatta’s attack. He finished the game with a 14-point haul including a try and five goals, two try assists and two line-break assists in a man of the match performance.
The 34-4 victory over the Sea Eagles sees the Eels jump into the top eight for the first time this season, on the back of four straight wins.
BUNKER DRAMA COSTS PENRITH AS COWBOYS SURVIVE GOLDEN POINT THRILLER
—Nic Darveniza
Scott Drinkwater put North Queensland onto his shoulders to land the knockout blow against Penrith in a double golden-point thriller.
A combined eight shots at goal failed to produce a winner, inspiring Drinkwater to put away the kicking boots and activate his jet shoes.
A Jason Taumalolo charge on return to the NRL arena set the stage for Drinkwater, who bailed out of a field-goal attempt and scrambled through an exhausted defence in the finest moment of his footballing career. Drinkwater’s try sent the Cowboys ahead 27-23 after a dramatic, pulsating fixture that required 88 minutes to find a winner.
It was a result none could have predicted after North Queensland missed 35 tackles in the opening half.
The comeback spirit that became North Queensland’s calling card during the run to the 2022 preliminary final roared back to life.
With 10 starters missing to Origin duty it was North Queensland’s depth that prevailed.
FIELD GOAL MADNESS
Chad Townsend roared when his 78th minute strike appeared to seal victory for the Cowboys.
A controversial bunker decision had ruled a knock-on against Townsend’s brother-in-law, Penrith backrower Scott Sorensen, and threatened to steal the headlines but that proved just the beginning of a mad quarter of an hour.
Each team tried in vain to seal victory from the field, including a 50m penalty goal attempt from Cowboys winger Kyle Feldt in his first shot at goal since the 2020 season.
A Tyrone Peachey knock-on two minutes away from a tied result sparked the unbelievable passage of play as playmakers Chad Townsend and Tom Dearden each bailed out of shots before finding Drinkwater.
Originally published as NRL Round 16 highlights: Alex Twal try video, Storm beat Wests Tigers 28-6
Why Broncos review must be an open book for fans
The analysis of Brisbane’s horror finish to the 2024 season needs to be an open book. And no, it’s not as unfair as players would have you believe, writes PAMELA WHALEY.
Monday Buzz: The missing Dog needed back at Belmore
Has the Canterbury Bulldogs bubble burst? Their disappointing loss to the Cowboys exposed their lack of middle field oomph, which is why now more than ever they’re missing a former Dog, writes PHIL ROTHFIELD.