Live Coverage | The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup - Round 11

Sivo steals the show as Eels prove too slippery for Sea Eagles

Stewart Moses

Game Summary

Winger Maika Sivo proved to be the difference when the Parramatta Eels overcame the Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles in wet conditions at CommBank Stadium, 24-6.

The opening 10 minutes was all the Eels as they enjoyed several sets inside the Sea Eagles half.  But some stoic defence prevented Eels centre Samuel Loizou from opening the scoring in the fourth minute.

Just when the Sea Eagles looked likely to wilt under the weight of possession from the home side inside their 20, an error from Cini enabled Sea Eagles winger Raymond Vaega to swoop on the loose ball and sprint 90m to score out wide in the 14th minute to give the visitors a 4-0 lead.

An unmarked Sivo should have equalised for the Eels in the 24th minute but for a rushed offload from Cartwright that instead trickled its way into touch with the Sea Eagles’ defence all but beaten.

A line-break from the Fijian winger moments later should have been converted into points but for a lost ball from the inside pass close to the try-line and it seemed that the Eels would never convert their territorial dominance into points.

The Eels opened their account in the 36th minute in spectacular fashion spreading the ball from one side of the field to the other with an inside pass to Elie El-Zakhem enabling the Eels backrower to crash over in the south west corner to level the scores 4-4.

Lost possession from the following set and an ensuing penalty goal from close range to fullback Jake Toby enabled the Sea Eagles to head to the sheds leading 6-4.

Eels took the lead for the first time in the 44th minute with Sivo to score in the north-west corner after a cross-field kick was battered back allowing fullback Jordan Rankin to provide the pass for his winger to score from close range, with Rankin’s sideline conversion the Eels led 10-6.

Another goal-line penalty conceded by Blacktown was this time converted into points when Eels crashed over through prop Wiremu Greig from the ensuing set add in Rankin’s conversion and the home side were in front 16-6.

Sivo soon had his second in the 62nd minute courtesy of a long, floating cut-out pass from Mitch Rein that enabled the winger to cross-over line. The Eels further extended their lead with a long-range try finished off by winger Sean Russell after some terrific lead-up work from Cini and Rankin, to put the result, 24-6.

Talking points

The first half ended with the Eels trailing at the break but could have easily led by a significant margin having been held up three times over the line.

Sea Eagles five-eighth James Segeyaro did everything to inspire his teammates with some stinging defence, none better than his one-on-one driving tackle on El-Zakhem midway through the first half that dislodged possession just as the Eels were mounting more pressure inside the Blacktown 20.

Key moment

Just as the Sea Eagles looked to have weathered raid after raid inside their own 20 from the home side, the Eels opened their account with a try to El-Zakhem in the 36th minute, after several hands were involved in the leadup with some brilliant ball movement on display despite the slippery conditions.

What's next

The Eels will be looking to consolidate their top eight spot when they travel to Canberra next Sunday to take on the Raiders while later that day, the Sea-Eagles will be hoping to put an end to their run of outs when they play Mounties at Aubrey Keech Reserve.

North Sydney Bears v Penrith Panthers

Panthers tough it out against Bears for sixth straight win

Jason Hosken

Game Summary

Penrith Panthers have consolidated top spot on the Knock-On Effect NSW Cup ladder overcoming North Sydney Bears 17-12 in slippery conditions at North Sydney Oval.

When Panthers fumbled the kick-off dead-in-goal, they looked anything but a side gunning for six straight wins. But they repelled the Bears before eventually finding their rhythm.

Backrower Preston Riki pounced on a last play bomb to open Panthers account for a 6-0 lead in the 15th minute. Six minutes later, Bears centre Adam Keighran stepped off his left foot to get back within two points.

In a blow for the Bears, fill-in prop Daniel Suluka-Fifita was marched to the sin-bin in the 28th minute. It was all the mountain men needed to assert their authority.

Lock J'maine Hopgood quickly powered through a gap from close range to score Panthers' second of the evening. Then in the set after the re-start, centre Thomas Jenkins won the race to a Sean O'Sullivan kick to open a 16-4 lead five minutes before the break. 

O'Sullivan extended the Panthers’ lead by one, snapping a sneaky field-goal as the halftime siren sounded.

Norths were first to strike upon the resumption when Kevin Naiqama beat several defenders with an acrobatic finish in the right corner. And when Keighran crossed for his double on the hour, at 17-12, the Bears had the competition leaders within sight.

Both sides threw away opportunities as the rain intensified, but it was the Bears who threatened to take the lead in the closing minutes. Panthers extinguished several raids before the Bears, pushing for the match winner, lost the ball as the final seconds counted down.

Talking points 

Bears hooker Ben Marschke and his opposite Soni Luke entered the contest among the top three for line break assists in the competition. Luke’s outstanding season has already been rewarded with an NRL debut, and it was his pass for Hopgood’s try that gave Penrith a decisive eight-point advantage.

With the most line breaks this season, it was no surprise to see North Sydney threaten the Panthers’ defence all night.  They have also tallied the most handling errors and with the match up for grabs, it unfortunately proved to be their undoing.

Panthers are flush with props, Eddie Blacker who has started up-front all season, started on the bench, leaving it to teammates Matt Eisenhuth and Lindsay Smith to build a solid platform for the Panthers’ playmakers. 

Key moment 

Trailing by two-points just 12 minutes before the interval, Norths were holding their own in what was developing into a real arm wrestle in the slippery conditions.

A string of penalties put the Bears on the back foot, and Suluka-Fifita was dismissed from the field, allowing Panthers to take full advantage of the extra man to pile on 10 unanswered points.

What’s next?

Norths face a resurgent South Sydney next Sunday in what will be their fourth consecutive appearance at North Sydney Oval.

Penrith are on the road in Round 12 when they travel north to meet Newcastle at St Johns Oval next Sunday.

South Sydney Rabbitohs v Canberra Raiders

St George Illawarra Dragons v Newcastle Knights

Clifford leads Knights to victory in comeback game

Blake Edwards

Game Summary

Newcastle Knights have returned to the winners circle after defeating St George Illawarra Dragons 27-20, in a highly entertaining contest in trying conditions at Netstrata Jubilee Oval, Kogarah.

It was always set to be a cracking contest, with a plethora of NRL experience on show, including the return to play for  Knights halfback Jake Clifford, after taking some personal leave. Clifford starred in his return to the game, steering the Novacastrians around the park with distinction, as well as providing an impressive kicking game, leading to multiple tries in the wet conditions.

The first points of the clash came through Dragons’ prop Josh Kerr who was on the receiving end of an ad lib Tautua Moaga cross-field kick.

A George Burgess error in the set after points marred the positive start for the Dragons. Newcastle then took full advantage, mounting pressure with a repeat set, before turning the opportunity into points through winger Honeti Tuha. 

Shaking off the earlier error, Burgess inspired the Dragons forward pack, through some tough carries, getting the Red V into good field position. This momentum allowed Hooker Connor Mulheisen to burrow over the stripe from close range and extend the Dragons lead to 12-4 midway through the first half. 

Newcastle halves Jake Clifford and Tex Hoy showcased their impressive kicking games, providing perfectly weighted kicks for back-to-back tries through Simi Sagasi and Tuha, who bagged his double within the half hour.

A penalty goal to Dragons’ Karmen Kryer in the shadows of halftime levelled the score at 14-14, setting up a cracking second half.

It was a less than ideal start for the Red V, in particular for prop Poasa Faammausilli, who was placed on report off the kick-off for a high shot, and later making an error in the Saints first set after the resumption.

The Dragons second stanza woes continued when a downfield kick from Kamren Kryer inside his own half sailed over the sideline. Newcastle accepted the invitation, with Brayden Musgrove scoring off another perfectly weighted kick off the boot of Clifford.

Newcastle's Health Gibbs rubbed further salt into the hosts’ wound when he raced down the eastern touchline to score, extending the Knights lead to 26-14. 

Dragons winger Treigh Stewart kept the game's theme alive, scoring off yet another kick, but more importantly keeping his side in the contest, with the Dragons trailing by just a converted try heading into the final 20 minutes. 

St George Illawarra had multiple chances throughout the final quarter to steal a victory, however coughed up possession on every occasion. A field goal to Knights’ Dylan Phythian in the 77th minute would all but seal it for the visitors, eventually going on to run out 27-20 victors. 

Talking points

After a few weeks rest, It was an ideal return to the game for Jack Clifford. He led the way with a near perfect kicking game and steered the Knights around the park perfectly in wet conditions. 

Dragons’ Sam McCan impressed on debut, soundly handling every situation thrown his way.  Josh Kerr was equally impressive, running with a lot of purpose, as well as crossing for a four pointer in the first half.  

Key moment 

The Dragons had multiple opportunities to steal victory within the final 10 minutes of the match, but were unable to do so through an array of errors and some strong Knights defence. The 77th minute field goal to Knights’ Dylan Phythain would be the final dagger in the heart of the hosts. 

What’s next?

Both sides will be in action on Sunday May 29th, with the Dragons heading to Belmore to face the Bulldogs, whilst the Knights will host the top of the table Panthers. 

Western Suburbs Magpies v Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs

Bulldogs run rampant on Magpies

Anthony Eltarraf

The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs beat the Western Suburbs Magpies in a ruthless 42-0 victory at Lidcombe Oval on Saturday afternoon.

The Bulldogs kicked off the scoring with hooker Joshua Cook, who put Jackson Topine through a hole before getting the ball back on the inside to score next to the posts.

The Bulldogs would continue building momentum after their first try, and soon after doubled their lead through Isaac Lumelume. A bomb put up by Bailey Biondi-Odo found a leaping Corey Allan, who tapped the ball back to his winger to score in the corner.

The Magpies had plenty of questions thrown at them by the away side, but didn’t have the answers as the Bulldogs scored an almost-identical try to their first. This time however, it was Kurtis Morrin who linked up with Harrison Edwards, who barged through a gaping hole in the Magpies’ defence before handing it back on the inside to Morrin to score between the posts. A third converted try for the visiting team meant the Bulldogs went into the sheds, leading 18-0 at halftime.

The second half was again, all the Bulldogs as they continued their onslaught from the first period, scoring through winger Eli Clark who found himself on the end of a perfectly placed chip from Kurtis Morrin.

It was a ruthless showing from the Bulldogs as they continued to pile the points on at Lidcombe Oval, this time scoring through Jackson Topine. Another try off a kick, from Brandon Wakeham who grubbered in behind the home side’s line for his second rower, saw the Bulldogs extend their lead to thirty.

Two more tries for the Bulldogs from kicks again saw Biondi-Odo go over off of his own grubber, and Reece Hoffman touch down in the corner after tapping a loose ball forward and planting over the line.

A fluent kicking game was topped off by a perfect 7/7 from the boot of Brandon Wakeham, sealing a 42-0 belting from the Bulldogs against the Magpies at Lidcombe Oval.

Key Moment

A solid start from the Bulldogs set them up for a dominant performance at Lidcombe Oval, with fluency and simplicity winning them field position, while controlling the tempo of the game from the first whistle. The strong start took Magpies out of the game from the get-go and the Dogs ran over them for the entirety of the game.

Talking Points

• The Bulldogs pushed themselves up to third place with the dominant victory over the Magpies.
• Brandon Wakeham has to be given credit for his kicking today, both in-game and off the tee, giving his side good field position, setting up one try and kicking a perfect seven from seven conversions.
• Young gun Declan Casey has showed his versatility over the course of this season, starring for the Dogs from the centre, wing and now fullback position, as he seeks to secure a first grade spot.

The Road Ahead

The Magpies play at home again as they host the Newtown Jets at Lidcombe Oval next week, while the Bulldogs will welcome the Dragons to Belmore Sports Ground as they seek to secure their second win over St George this season.

Newtown Jets v Mounties

Valiant Mounties fall just short of the Jets

Hugo Lumb

Game Summary

Despite the 26-12 score line, the Jets were pushed for the full 80 minutes today, as they overcame an inspired Mounties performance in slippery conditions at Henson Park.

The first half started fast with both sides not being afraid to chance their arm despite the wet conditions, with multiple offloads and interchanging sets of play. However, poor ball-handling ensued as the game slowed down after the initial fast start.

After an end-to-end battle for the first quarter of the game, the Jets were first to cross the stripe with a dynamic run by Reubenn Rennie, breaking multiple tackles to grab a four-pointer. The Jets then went on to extend their lead through a swift backline movement and a lovely in-field kick to Kayal Iro, who won the race to the ball and planted it in the goal.

As half-time neared, Mounties began to put pressure on the Jets, with a perfect 40/20 kick putting them within striking distance of the Jets line. After some sustained pressure, Mounties crossed for their first try of the day, with Dane Aukafolau strolling over after being put in a gaping hole. The sides ran into the sheds with the Jets leading 10-6, with the scoreline representing the events that preceded in the first half.

As the second half begun and the rain closed in, Mounties took the lead for the first time in the game when Dane Aukafolau crossed for his second try of the day, off a well weighted grubber kick.

However, this try marked a turning point in the game, as for the remainder of the game the Newtown Jets gained the ascendency with tries to Kayal Iro (51st minute), Tyla Tamou (60th minute), and Myles Taueli (78th minute).

Ultimately the Jets would run out winners 26-12, repelling a valiant effort from Mounties in the final ten minutes with some strong defence and maturity in attack.

Talking points

The forward pack for Newtown were exceptional, defending strongly throughout the game and consistently putting the Jets in great field position to finish off their sets.

The halfback for Mounties, Josh Ralph, was electric against the Jets, not letting the heavy, wet track slow down his dynamic running game. Starring as the main attacking weapon for Mounties, Ralph forced repeat sets, threatened tiring middle forwards around the ruck, and linked well with his outside men.

Unfortunately, due to the slippery conditions, errors hampered both sides throughout the game. This issue was most prominent in the second half as heavy rain began to fall and both sides struggled to reach the final play of their sets.

Ill-disciplined play was also displayed by both sides, with multiple penalties blown throughout the game. This was highlighted by sin bins in the 69th minute to Jayden Berrell and Ben Seufale, who were involved in a melee that threatened boil over.

Key moment

In a tense battle characterised by momentum swings, the moment of the match came in the 51st minute when Kayal Iro crossed for his second try of the day. Coming off the back of a dominant set from the Jets, Iro was able to finish off the set with a bang, pushing past Mounties defence to cross for an important try in the corner.

Whilst the Jets only grabbed a two-point lead from this try, this lead was built on by the Newtown side throughout the game, as they closed out a gritty win over a courageous Mounties side.

What’s next?

Mounties face the struggling Blacktown workers on Sunday afternoon at Aubrey Keech Reserve, in a clash that is shaping up to be very important for either side, as they both look to end lengthy losing streaks. The Newtown Jets will be looking to continue their solid run of form on Sunday afternoon, when they play the Magpies at Lidcombe Oval.