FANTASTIC FOUR FOR WILLIAMS
Raiders Harold Matthews enforcer Jack Williams has helped his side finish their 2018 campaign in a convincing fashion, posting four tries in a dominant performance as Canberra recorded a 58-6 victory over the North Sydney Bears.
Williams was dominating with the ball-in-hand and crossed for his hat-trick within a whirlwind 11-minute period.
Williams scored his fourth four-pointer with just 15 minutes remaining, before teammate Clay Webb crossed in the dying moments to seal a hat-trick of his own.
FEATHERS FLY IN ALL-ROOSTERS AFFAIRS
There was plenty at stake for the Roosters – both the Sydney and Central Coast clubs – when each met at Morry Breen Oval in the concluding round of the UNE Harold Matthews Cup.
Playing only for pride with both teams unable to qualify for the 2018 finals, it was Central Coast who got off to the perfect start when centre Phoenix Steinwede crossed in the opening five minutes of play.
Central coast ran in another four-pointer before a quick try double to Sandon Smith in the closing stages of the first-half sent the home side into the sheds 24-10, the better.
Although kept scoreless in the second-half, Central Coast maintained their lead until the final siren, running out eventual 24-18 victors over their junior development partners.
The Sydney Roosters UNE SG Ball squad got one back over the Central Coast in their meeting, earning the two points – and the bragging rights – with a dominant 72-10 victory. The win was the side’s ninth-consecutive in 2018, remaining unbeaten in their run to the Under-18s minor premiership.
SHARKS WIN WELL IN TOP OF THE TABLE CLASH
The Cronulla Sharks Harvey Norman Tarsha Gale Cup squad put the rest of the competition on notice, thumping the second-placed Illawarra Steelers to claim the 2018 minor premiership.
The Sharks scored 13 tries in the 58-point win over the Steelers, taking their regular-season average points per game to an incredible 65.
The Newcastle Knights have the unenviable task of a Finals Week One meeting with the Sharks – the side's last meeting in Round 4 of the competition, Cronulla running out 66-18 victors on that occasion.
PERFECT PANTHERS ENTER FINALS UNBEATEN
The Panthers are steaming into the UNE Harold Matthews and SG Ball finals series with a minor premiership and undefeated record respectively.
The Harold Matthews Panthers claimed the minor premiership in convincing style, rounding out their nine wins, zero losses regular-season record with a 50-0 shut-out of the Dragons.
The UNE SG Ball Panthers scored a 38-10 win over St George also, though were pipped for the minor premiership by the Sydney Roosters – only on points differential.
SEA EAGLES KEEP MAGPIES TO NIL
The Manly Sea Eagles made light work of the Western Suburbs Magpies in the sides’ UNE SG Ball clash at Campbelltown Stadium at the weekend – scoring 11-unanswered tries in notching a 64-0 win.
Desperate to bounce back from their shock two-point loss to St George in Round 8, Manly did just that – set to take plenty of confidence from the big win into their Finals Week One clash with Canberra at Lottoland.
