Some of the latest headlines from the final round of the regular season in the NSWRL’s Junior Representative competitions.
Harold Matthews Panthers secure top spot in style
The Penrith Panthers were simply unstoppable in Saturday’s top-of-the-table clash against Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, sealing top spot with a 52-6 win in the final round of the UNE Harold Matthews Cup.
It ended up being a strong performance across the park for Panthers after leading 12-6 at the break, producing a scoresheet with eight different try-scorers – despite conceding the opening four-pointer to Bulldogs hooker Noah Byrne.
Winger Harry Wald recorded an individual tally of 20 points with a 45th-minute try and eight from nine conversions.
With the remaining weekend results now decided, rounding out the top six ahead of finals are the Newcastle Knights, Parramatta Eels, Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, Canberra Raiders and Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks.
The Junior Reps finals begin on Saturday 15 April.
Click here for more UNE Harold Matthews Cup results.
Raiders claim victory with finals on the line
The Canberra Raiders came away with a narrow 24-22 victory against South Sydney Rabbitohs to earn sixth position on the Harvey Norman Tarsha Gale Cup ladder, and the last remaining spot in the finals.
After the Penrith Panthers – who went into Round Nine on equal competition points with Canberra – lost to North Sydney Bears earlier in the day, all the Raiders needed was a win at Redfern Oval to keep their season alive.
The Green Machine did just that, with halfback Lola Fletcher scoring late in the contest to give centre Lara Cosgrove the shot at the go-ahead conversion.
Cosgrove started the match in great form with two converted tries, taking a 12-4 lead to halftime – after South Sydney were first to score in the ninth minute through centre Shanelle Lyons.
The Rabbitohs immediately sprang into action to begin the second half as Cherellyn Tapuai crossed the try-line, before winger Teora Dennis added the extras to move within two points.
Yet the Raiders hit back in the 36th minute through hooker Kayla Fleming, with Cosgrove again converting to lead 16-10.
The next 10-minute period saw the home side score two more times, but it wasn’t enough to hold out a Canberra opposition with a finals spot up for grabs.
Click here more Harvey Norman Tarsha Gale Cup results.
Top six all but decided in SG Ball
With one more match in the UNE SG Ball Cup regular season to come Sunday, just one finals spot remains after each of the top five teams secured victory in Saturday’s fixtures.
The Illawarra Steelers currently sit in sixth position ahead of the Western Suburbs Magpies on points differential, leaving the Magpies in control of their own destiny if they can manage victory against the Warriors.
For the Penrith Panthers and Canberra Raiders, unaffected by today’s result, they now head straight to Semi-finals weekend on Saturday April 22 after finishing in the top two.
The Magpies take on hosts, the Warriors, from 10am (Sunday 2 April). Follow the scores via the Match Centre.
Click here for more UNE SG Ball Cup results.
