RLO Newsletter 21/3: Raiders, Dogs dominate Flegg
Plus the junior rep season heats up and regional Grand Finals
🏉 Jersey Flegg – Round 2
What by some was foolishly called the game of the week turned out to be a routine victory for Canterbury, who took care of Cronulla 34-8 in Chester Hill on Saturday. The Bulldogs led 10-0 at halftime, pushing their lead to 22 before the Sharks replied. They scored back-to-back tries with Canterbury adding two more late. The win is the Canterbury’s sixth straight going back to last season as the reigning premiers start the season in strong form. They scored six tries in the win, with hooker Reuben Moyle scoring one and assisting another. Fullback Ragarive Wavik, an offseason recruit from Townsville, grabbed his second of the season and ran for 164 metres.
Just behind Canterbury in second is Canberra, who continued their great start to 2024 with a 36-0 win over the Wests Tigers at home. Five-eighth Jalen Afamasaga had a hand in several of his side’s tries, while centre Regan Carr scored two and ran for 199 metres. Hooker Owen Pattie topped the Raiders’ tackle count again, this week with 34.
Penrith took their record to 2-0 with a strong 22-0 win over rivals Parramatta in St Marys. The home side led 16-0 at the break, adding one try in the second half with centre Casey McLean scoring his third of the season. The 2023 Australian Schoolboy also ran for 165 metres in the victory. The Eels sit 13th after two games, scoring just six points and conceding 52.
South Sydney spoiled the Kaiviti Silktails’ party, with a 20-14 in the first-ever Jersey Flegg game held in Fiji. Conditions were atrocious in Lautoka, with heavy downpours and a water-logged pitch. The Silktails spent two periods of the game with 12 men but still got within four with 10 to play before a late Rabbitohs penalty goal sealed the win. Souths are off to their best start to a season since 2019.
Newcastle bounced back from a disappointing loss to Canberra in Round 1 with a 28-4 win over the Dragons in Wollongong. Leading by just two at halftime, the Knights scored 22 unanswered points in the second half. Two of those try scorers, centre Kyle McCarthy and lock Myles Martin, have been called up to the NSW Cup this weekend.
Not quite as exciting as the NRL game to follow, Melbourne defeated the Warriors 36-10 in the curtain-raiser at AAMI Park on Saturday afternoon. The Storm got out to a 12-0 lead when hooker Gabriel Satrick scored two tries from dummy half within 10 minutes of each other.1 The Warriors scored just before, and just after, half time to cut the lead to two but were blown out in the final 25 minutes, conceding four tries.
The final game of the weekend saw Manly upset the Roosters 14-10 at Brookvale. The Sea Eagles led 12-0 at the break with halfback Tylor Bunting having a hand in both tries. The Roosters scored twice in the second half but the home side held on for their first win of 2024, while the Tricolours remain winless. This was Manly’s first win over the Roosters in Jersey Flegg since April 21, 2018.
Round 3’s game of the weekend sees Canterbury host Penrith at Hammondville Oval on Sunday in a battle of the unbeaten. On Saturday, the Dragons host the Silktails at Kogarah as a direct curtain-raiser to the Dragons-Cowboys NRL game. That game will be available to watch on NSWRL TV.
Team of the Week: 1 Blake Metcalfe (MAN), 2 Aisake Tukuafu (CBY), 3 Regan Carr (CAN), 4 Casey McLean (PEN), 5 Siaosi Kaliti (NEW), 6 Jalen Afamasaga (CAN), 7 Tylor Bunting (MAN), 8 Jak Goulding (MEL), 9 Gabriel Satrick (MEL), 10 William Abou Arrage (SOU), 11 Riley Wake (PEN), 12 Elijah Salesa-Leaumoana (NEW), 13 Callum Donaldson (CBY).
Round 3
23/3 Canberra vs. Warriors, Seiffert, 12:15pm (local)
23/3 Parramatta vs. Manly, New Era, 3pm (local)
23/3 St George Illawarra vs. Kaiviti Silktails, 3:10pm (local)
24/3 Wests Tigers vs. Cronulla, Lidcombe, 12pm (local)
24/3 Newcastle vs. Melbourne, McDonald Jones, 2pm (local)
24/3 Canterbury vs. Penrith, Hammondville, 2:45pm
24/3 Sydney vs. South Sydney, 3pm (local)
Ladder: 1 Canterbury (4 pts), 2 Canberra (4), 3 Penrith (4), 4 South Sydney (4), 5 Newcastle (2), 6 Melbourne (2), 7 Manly (2), 8 Cronulla (2), 9 St George Illawarra (2), 10 Wests Tigers (2), 11 Sydney (0), 12 Kaiviti Silktails (0), 13 Parramatta (0), 14 Warriors (0).
🏉 Mal Meninga Cup – Round 6
Burleigh and Easts played out your classic game of under-19s on Saturday afternoon, with the Bears winning it 30-22. Burleigh (who have lost just once) went up 18-0 after 18 minutes over the Tigers (who’ve won just once), with fullback Ray Puru opening the scoring with a 90m kick return try. The Tigers crossed just before the break and long after halftime were level. A try to their captain Jack McCosker in the 52nd minute gave them an improbable lead. It lasted just six minutes before the Bears retook the lead through centre Sunny Kama. A few seconds later, Kama was called out by the ref and binned for lashing out with his foot after the try. Despite being reduced to 12, Burleigh scored again in the next set and held on for the win.
Earlier in the day, Mackay continued their winning run with a last minute to try to defeat the Pride 18-14. Training 14-0 after 50 minutes in wet conditions, five-eighth Jaxon Purdue got the Cutters back in it before hooker Xavier Kerrisk went over himself from dummy half to cut the lead to two. The following set the Cutters spread it wide from halfway and found space, with Purdue throwing the final pass to Zane Elletson, who scored under the posts.
Tweed remains the only undefeated team after six rounds after defeating Souths Logan 38-18 in Logan. The Seagulls were largely untroubled, scoring seven tries, including a double to prop Zac Kumbamong, who now has six in five games.
The other three sides in the top six – Townsville, Redcliffe, and Ipswich – all had big wins. The Blackhawks 28-12 over the Capras, with winger Iowani Cavuilati scoring four tries. The Dolphins 38-18 over Norths, where lock Lewis Symonds was the standout, scoring twice and running for 181 metres. The Jets 34-6 over the Clydesdales, with winger Saifiti Junior Saifiti scoring two and kicking five goals.
This weekend’s Round 7 is the final round in which pool games (games against local sides) are played before teams start travelling across the state for Rounds 8 to 11. The game of the round looks to be the local derby between Tweed and Burleigh on Saturday. Townsville hosting the Pride should be a close one as well. The Blackhawks won it 18-10 when the sides met in Round 4. All games can be watched live on Qplus.
Team of the Week: 1 Mason Barber (TWE), 2 Iowani Cavuilati (TSV), 3 Jaelym Hohaia (SCF), 4 Tayshon Foley (IPS), 5 Saifiti Junior Saifit (IPS), 6 Lachlan Buchbach (RED), 7 Jaxon Purdue (MKY), 8 Talas Abell (BUR), 9 Xavier Kerrisk (MKY), 10 Zac Kumbamong (TWE), 11 Jackson Kite (SCF), 12 Amare Milford (BUR), 13 Lewis Symonds (RED).
Round 7
23/3 Mackay vs. CQ Capras, BB Print, 2:30pm (local)
23/3 Tweed vs. Burleigh, Piggabeen, 3:30pm (local)
23/3 Ipswich vs. Wide Bay, North Ipswich, 3pm (local)
23/3 Norths vs. Souths Logan, Bishop, 3pm (local)
23/3 Townsville vs. Northern Pride, Jack Manski, 3:20pm (local)
24/3 Wynnum Manly vs. Redcliffe, Kougari, 10:30am (local)
24/3 Clydesdales vs. Sunshine Coast, Clive Berghofer, 2:25pm
Ladder: 1 Tweed (11 pts), 2 Ipswich (10), 3 Burleigh (10), 4 Townsville (10), 5 Redcliffe (9), 6 Mackay (8), 7 Sunshine Coast (8), 8 Western Clydesdales (8), 9 Northern Pride (6), 10 Wynnum Manly (6), 11 Norths (6), 12 Souths Logan (4), 13 CQ Capras (4), 14 Brisbane Tigers (2), 15 Wide Bay (2).
🏉 Cyril Connell / Harvey Norman 19s – Round 6
There’s just one round remaining in the Cyril Connell Cup and Harvey Norman 19s competitions before finals begin. Both will feature a four-team finals series, with the top team in Pool A, and Pool B and two top teams in Pool C taking part.
In the Cyril Connell, Townsville have topped Pool A and the Western Clydesdales topped Pool B with one game to play. They’ll face each other in the semi-finals. In south-east Queensland’s Pool C, both spots are still up for grabs. Souths Logan currently holds first with 10 points and Redcliffe sits second with nine. Burleigh and Wynnum Manly both have eight.
For Souths Logan, a win over Norths locks them in but a loss could knock them out if results don’t fall their way. A Redcliffe win over Wynnum Manly secures their spot, while Wynnum needs to win and hopes Tweed (who have won one game) can upset Burleigh.
In the Harvey Norman 19s, Pool A and Pool B are still open. Mackay sits atop Pool A by two points, with a win over the Capras advancing them to the finals. Townsville, in second, needs a Cutters loss and victory over the winless Pride. In Pool B, the Clydesdales are first and face the Sunshine Coast, who are second. The Falcons will need to win and overturn a 70-point differential.
Tweed and Easts will finish top two in Pool C, with Tweed on an insurmountable 12 points and the Tigers on 10 with a bye this weekend. They’ll meet in the finals.
🏉 NSWRL Junior Reps – Round 7
Down south, there are two rounds left to play in the metropolitan junior rep competitions.
The Roosters are the first team to secure a spot in the SG Ball top six, moving to a perfect 7-0 record with a 32-22 win over Newcastle. The Knights are one of three teams with 10 points, alongside St George and Illawarra. The joint venture duo met in Round 7, with the Dragons running out 18-4 victors. If St George continues their form and qualifies, it’ll be their first SG Ball finals appearance since 20132. Rounding out the current top six are Canterbury and Wests on nine points. I’d say everyone down to Souths in 11th is still a (albeit outside) chance heading into this weekend.
Wests, Canterbury, and Parramatta have all qualified for the Harold Matthews finals, with the Magpies undefeated in first place. The Roosters, Cronulla and Warriors hold the final three spots with a lot still to play for. The Warriors, in their first season of Matts, started the year 0-2 but have charged into finals contention with four straight wins. They play the Sharks this weekend.
One spot remains in the Tarsha Gale Cup, with Newcastle currently occupying sixth on nine points with four teams below on six. A win in either of their final two games will secure their spot. Illawarra are still undefeated, sitting clear in first after a 62-0 domination of the Dragons last round.
Canterbury continues to dominate the Lisa Fiaola Cup, winning their seventh straight on the weekend. Their points differential sits at 322. The next best is 98. Below them, Illawarra, Parramatta, Central Coast, Wests Tigers, and the Roosters fill out the top six. The Knights in seventh are still in with a chance.
🏉 Regional Grand Finals decided
The U18 Laurie Daley and U16 Andrew Johns Cup competitions will wrap up in Cessnock this Sunday. In the Daley Cup, the first-placed Northern Tigers meet the third-placed Monaro Colts in the decider. Neither side has won the cup, with the Colts finishing runners-up last season and the Tigers in 2021. Tigers’ captain and halfback is the one to watch, he’s scored seven tries in six games this season. Monaro features several Canberra Raiders’ SG Ball squad members, including halfback Jonah Anderson, who has played two games up in the under-19 competition this season.
Earlier in the day, the second-placed Central Coast Roosters will play the fourth-placed Macarthur Wests Tigers in the Johns Cup final. The Roosters are their reigning premiers, having also won the cup in 2021. Macarthur were runners-up in 2022. Central Coast winger Semi Leweniqila has scored nine tries in six appearances. On the other side, Tigers’ strike centre Elijah Sefo has crossed for five in six. Both games will be shown on nswrl.tv.
🏉 Two debut in Round 2
Just the pair of Tigers made their NRL debuts this past weekend, with 24-year-old centre Solomona Faataape and 18-year-old five-eighth Lachlan Galvin getting their first taste of the top grade.
Faataape, while not at his usual Queensland Cup vintage, still had a solid debut. A great reward for some very good seasons in Brisbane. Galvin handled his debut as well as any 18-year-old could hope to, making 22 tackles without a miss and running for 146 metres. A bright spot in a tough afternoon for Tigers fans. Both have been retained for Round 3.
Faataape, an Easts Tigers junior, played Cyril Connell Cup for the club in 2016 before moving to Souths Logan for the Mal Meninga Cup in 2018. He returned to the Tigers a year later, playing three seasons of Colts before a senior Cup debut in 2021. Arguably the best centre in the Queensland Cup the past two seasons, he signed with the Wests Tigers after winning a premiership with Easts in 2023.
Galvin is a Campbelltown local, having played juniors for Eagle Vale St Andrews. After spending time in the Eels system, he returned home in 2022, playing for Wests’ Harold Matthews side. He spent the year at second row, starting there and scoring a try in their Grand Final win over Cronulla. Galvin turned a lot of heads in 2023, especially in the schoolboy scene. After eight tries in 10 games for the Magpies’ SG Ball side, he led Westfields Sports High to the NRL Schoolboy Cup title and won the Peter Sterling Medal for player of the tournament. In September, he represented the Australian Schoolboys on their tour of Papua New Guinea.
🏉 Juniors to Seniors
Galvin completed an impressive step up from under-19s and schoolboy rugby league straight into first grade, bypassing the Jersey Flegg and NSW Cup completely. Not completely unheard of, even in recent seasons, but impressive, nonetheless.
Canberra’s Albert Hopoate did the same when he debuted for Manly in 2020. Hopoate played two injury-interrupted seasons of SG Ball and, with the cancellation of reserve grade that year, got the call-up straight to first grade.
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow played a handful of Colts games in 2019 for Townsville, and, like Hopoate, with the cancellation of the Queensland Cup in 2020, made his NRL debut that year with no senior experience.
In 2021, Jeremiah Nanai and Joseph Sua’ali’i both skipped the under-18 and under-20 competitions, moving from under-16 level to reserve grade before their NRL debuts that year.
Last season, Isaiya Katoa debuted for the Dolphins after just one NSW Cup game for Penrith in 2022. That was a finals game, in which he scored a try and kicked a field goal, before moving down to Jersey Flegg, playing two games, including their Grand Final win over Newcastle.
🏉 On This Day
The first throwback of the year and it’s to a match that didn’t even take place.
On this day four years ago, Canterbury was set to host Canberra in Round 2 of the Jersey Flegg Cup. Teams were named on Tuesday but, by gameday, the round had been postponed due to COVID. A week later the competition was cancelled.
The Raiders, runners-up in 2019, had a bye in Round 1, so Round 2 was supposed to be their first game of 2020. They would later compete in the senior CRRL competition, defeating Gungahlin 66-10 in the Grand Final. The club would not compete in the 2021 Jersey Flegg season.
Three of the Bulldogs named that day would go on to play first grade with the club – Aaron Schoupp, Jackson Topine and Kurtis Morrin – with Morrin still there in 2024.
The Raiders side was set to feature Brad Schneider and Adrian Trevliyan, recruits from Townsville at the time, Ata Mariota, and current Knights’ prop Leo Thompson at centre. All four, as well as Jarrett Subloo and Adam Cook, went on to play first grade. Irish prop Ronan Michael was on the bench, on loan from Huddersfield, and returned to England when the season was cancelled. Later that year he made his Super League debut, the first Irish-born to play in the competition since Brian Carney. He currently plays for York.
Around the grounds
For more information on all games head to 18thman.com.
Jersey Flegg Cup – Round 2
Canberra 36 (R Carr 2, J Limon, N Martin, O Pattie, D Wigmore tries; M Henderson 6 goals) def. Wests Tigers 0 at GIO Stadium. Ref: A Sirianni. Halftime: CAN 12-0. Run metres: R Carr 199 (CAN), M Curl 139 (WST). Tackles: O Pattie 34 (CAN), B Hodges 37 (WST).
South Sydney 20 (B Hawkins, C Kaho, R McIntosh tries; B Hawkins 4 goals) def. Kaiviti Silktails 14 (S Kalounivalu, N Koro, B Taria tries; M Nacaginimasei goal) at Churchill Park. Ref: W Greatbatch. Halftime: SOU 12-6. Run metres: B Saun 146 (KAI), W Abou Arrange 149 (SOU). Tackles: S Kalounivalu 35 (KAI), L Grossemy 34 (SOU).
Canterbury 34 (C Donaldson, D Gabrael, R Moyle, L Muagututia, A Tukuafu, R Wavik tries; C Tia 5 goals) def. Cronulla 8 (K Dixon, S Taukamo tries) at Terry Lamb Complex. Ref: L Greenfield. Halftime: CBY 10-0. Run metres: R Wavik 146 (CBY), L Ison 137 (PEN). Tackles: C Donaldson 26 (CBY), T Brailey 33 (CRO).
Newcastle 28 (J Davis, K Graham, M Martin, T May, K McCarthy tries; J Self 3, J Davis goals) def. St George Illawarra 4 (C Barnes try) at Sid Parrish Park. Ref: B Hunt. Halftime: NEW 6-4. Run metres: C Barnes 115 (SGI), S Kaliti 160 (NEW). Tackles: M Alhazim 40 (SGI), M Martin 27 (NEW).
Penrith 22 (T Carson, C McLean, N Murphy, B Scott tries; T Carson 3 goals) def. Parramatta 0 at St Marys Leagues Stadium. Ref: C Suters. Halftime: PEN 16-0. Run metres: C McLean 165 (PEN), J Brazel 137 (PAR). Tackles: B Scott 39 (PEN), S Pryke 53 (PAR).
Melbourne 36 (G Satrick 2, J Berryman, H Brown, D Perese, S Pio tries; J Berryman 6 goals) def. Warriors 10 (S Faeamani, W Piliu tries; N Amoroa goal) at AAMI Park. Ref: B Williams. Halftime: MEL 12-6. Run metres: J Goulding 144 (MEL), S Faeamani 105 (WAR). Tackles: H Brown 23 (MEL), I Samuelu 29 (WAR).
Manly 14 (B Konz, O Lawry tries; O Lawry 3 goals) def. Sydney 10 (D Readon, O Tyerman tries; C Hill goal) at 4 Pines Park. Ref: P Eden. Halftime: MAN 12-0. Run metres: B Metcalfe 243 (MAN), T Williams 147 (SYD). Tackles: N Lenaz 36 (MAN), M Sedgman 39 (SYD).
Mal Meninga Cup – Round 6
Mackay 18 (Z Elletson, X Kerrisk, J Purdue tries; R Woodall 3 goals) def. Northern Pride 14 (J Rix, G Tunimakubu tries; N Blooranta 3 goals) at Barlow Park. Ref: B Cook. Halftime: NPR 6-0. Run metres: L O’Brien 184 (NPR), M Brown 137 (MKY). Tackles: J Dikes 31 (NPR), T Larner 39 (MKY).
Burleigh 30 (T Abell 2, S Kama, R Puru, K Tancred tries; C Black 5 goals) def. Brisbane Tigers 22 (T Green, E Keung, J Lee, J McCosker tries; J Lee 3 goals) at UAA Park. Ref: H Lea. Halftime: BUR 18-6. Run metres: A Milford 164 (BUR), J McCosker 135 (BRI). Tackles: A Milford 26 (BUR), J McCosker 25 (BRI).
Sunshine Coast 44 (J Kite 3, J Bender 2, J Hohaia 2, E Monckton, B Sankey tries; J Marriott 4 goals) def. Wide Bay 12 (D Hess, J Picaro tries; C Castanho-Kerr, M Sly goals) at Sunshine Coast Stadium. Ref: B Sawyers. Halftime: SCF 28-6. Run metres: B Waters 188 (SCF), M Sly 199 (WBB). Tackles: K Porter 21 (SCF), D Cavanagh 28 (WBB).
Tweed 38 (Z Kumbamong 2, M Barber, Z Harrison, T O’Donnell, T Ploegsma, S Stephenson tries; Z Harrison 5 goals) def. Souths Logan 18 (K Briggs, M Taumaletila-Maulolo, B Teuila tries; J Howe 3 goals) at Logan Metro Football Fields. Ref: J Funk. Halftime: TWE 16-6. Run metres: M Taumaletila-Maulolo 182 (SLM), M Barber 240 (TWE). Tackles: J Solien 26 (SLM), J Lateo 20 (TWE).
Townsville 28 (I Cavuilati 4, R Pearson, C Thomson tries; L Erba 2 goals) def. CQ Capras 12 (C Guley, C Mackenzie tries; R Huth 2 goals) at Jack Manski Oval. Ref: S Nosworthy. Halftime: TSV 16-6. Run metres: W Hope 152 (TSV), I Broome 99 (CQL). Tackles: C Thomson 16 (TSV), C Mackenzie 28 (CQL).
Redcliffe 38 (L Buchbach 2, L Symonds 2, Z Herdegen, P Laine-Sietu, T Naufahu tries; Z Herdegen 5 goals) def. Norths 18 (J Kake, B Norris, L Salei tries; A Khan 3 goals) at Kayo Stadium. Ref: H Kleijn. Halftime: 12-all. Run metres: L Symonds 181 (RED), B Norris 32 (NTH). Tackles: E Rasmussen 23 (RED), L Salei 32 (NTH).
Ipswich 34 (T Foley 2, S Saifiti 2, L Cliffe, A Murgha tries; S Saifiti 5 goals) def. Western Clydesdales 6 (B Mundraby-Grogan try; J Sankey goal) at Clive Berghofer Stadium. Ref: I Davidson. Halftime: IPS 16-0.
In every grade below reserve grade, at least one try a game is scored from dummy half.
That side featured the likes of Matt Dufty, Addin Fonua-Blake, Luciano Leilua, Jacob Host, Hame Sele and Izaac Thompson.