Recap | The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup - Round 17

Warriors undone by Dragons' comeback

Richard Becht, Warriors Media

Game summary

After holding a 16-6 lead, the Warriors conceded two unanswered tries in the second half, falling short of St George Illawarra Dragons 18-16 in Round 17 of The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup.

The Warriors started well with tries to Eiden Ackland, Moala Graham-Taufa and Viliami Vailea, helping them to a handy 16-6 halftime lead. Ryan Couchman scored the Dragons' only first-half try.

The Dragons responded with two converted tries through Zach Herring and Savalio Tamale to take an 18-16 lead, while the Warriors were unable to find their scoring power after three early tries.

Talking points

The Warriors fielded a young team against the Dragons and were ultimately unable to find their way back in front.

The line-up included four players from the club’s UNE SG Ball Cup team - second-rower Jacob Laban, Tanner Stowers-Smith, Etuate Fukofuka and Eddie Ieremia on the bench.

What's next?

The Warriors are at home again next Friday night, playing against South Sydney Rabbitohs in the curtain-raiser to the NRL encounter.

Penrith Panthers v Newcastle Knights

Knights snatch one-point win over Panthers

Stewart Moses

Game summary

The Newcastle Knights caused a boilover at BlueBet Stadium on Saturday, scoring a late field goal to beat the Penrith Panthers 19-18 in Round 17 of The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup.

Newcastle led early before Penrith had 12-6 and 18-12 leads throughout the game, but the Knights’ never-say-die attitude saw the visitors storm home on the back of Adam Clune’s one-pointer.

Clune was a key contributor in the final 15 minutes, having set up the Knights’ equalising third try of the game before nailing the field goal from 25m out with three minutes remaining.

The visitors broke the deadlock in the 17^th minute when their decision to run it on the last tackle paid dividends. A long cut out ball from Clune put winger Keanu Wainohu-Kemp into space down the western touchline before the winger's kick inside took a wicked deflection away from Panthers fullback Isaiah Iongi. Opposite number David Armstrong was on hand to clean up the loose ball to score out wide to give the visitors a 6-0 lead.

The Panthers levelled the scores against the run of play after 36 minutes , when winger Daeon Amituanai regathered a cross-field kick and showed his strength to score in the corner.

Penrith had back-to-back tries when interchange forward John Faiumu took advantage of repeat sets inside the Knights’ 20 to crash over next to the posts. With the conversion landed by Jack Cole, Penrith took a 12-6 lead into the main break.

The Knights found their way to level the scores early in the second half after a long-range break by lock forward Thomas Cant was converted into points on the very next play, with some clever play from dummy-half between Liam Wilkinson and five-eighth Lachlan Miller. Miller’s conversion from the sideline saw Newcastle well and truly back in the game at 12-all.

The Panthers retook the lead when NSW Cup debutant David Fale turned the Knights’ edge defence inside-out with a dummy, then stepped his way through to score. Cole’s conversion from out wide was successful as the home side once again led by six after 54 minutes.

Later the Knights would not be denied another try when a short past from Clune put back-rower Oryn Keeley over from close range. Miller was successful with the conversion from out wide and scores were level once more with 15 minutes remaining.

After the home side couldn’t capitalise on two opportunities to break the deadlock with a field goal, it was left to Clune to calmly nail a 25m field goal with minutes remaining to snatch the one-point victory.

Talking points

Newcastle’s 19-18 win was their fourth for the season, and the Knights’ first victory in Penrith since 2019.

The win sees the Knights leapfrog the Sydney Roosters and move to 12^th position on the NSW Cup ladder.

The Panthers lost halves Kurt Falls (head knock) and Jack Cole (ankle) to injury during the match.

Key moment

While the Panthers will rue the loss after having the lead at different stages, David Fale will look back fondly on his NSW Cup debut having scored a try in the 52^nd minute, beating a handful of Newcastle defenders to get to the line.

What's next?

Next Saturday the Panthers have a trip to Belconnen to face the Canberra Raiders, while the Knights travel to Accor Stadium to take on the ladder-leading Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.

Western Suburbs Magpies v Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs

Magpies fall short against ladder-leading Bulldogs.

Hugo Lumb

Game summary

The Western Suburbs Magpies went toe-to-toe with competition leaders the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in Round 17 of The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup, playing out a 15-all draw at Lidcombe Oval.

The Magpies took advantage of early field position when winger Sione Hopoate finished off a sweep play for the first try of the day.

The Bulldogs eventually responded and with a try, overcoming a slow start to cross in the 31^st minute through captain and back-rower Jackson Topine.

The Magpies hit back just five minutes later as back-rower Brandon Mansfield latched on to a pass from centre Semisi Kioa, giving his side an 8-4 lead. The lead remained until halftime.

After a disappointing first half from the ladder-leaders, the Bulldogs went on the attack in the second. It produced a try for centre Ethan Quai-Ward, who found a flick pass from winger Braidon Burns. Kyle Flanagan was unable to convert, locking the scores at eight-all.

Western Suburbs the cracked the Canterbury-Bankstown defence again, with Mansfield breaking through to send centre Livai Saukuru over for a four-pointer. Halfback Will Smith slotted the conversion to hand his side a six-point advantage.

In the latter stages with an upset in sight for the Magpies, the Bulldogs levelled the scores at 14-14 in the 67^thminute when front-rower Ryan Sutton crashed over next to the sticks.

With both sides desperate for victory, Bulldogs five-eighth Bailey Biondi-Odo rolled the dice with an unsuccessful 30-metre field goal with three minutes remaining. It gave the Magpies seven tackles to march upfield, before halfback Will Smith calmly slotted a field goal on the seventh play to lead with a minute left.

The Bulldogs had a last-ditch opportunity to level the scores after the Magpies made an error on the restart. Bailey Hayward made no mistake off the boot, forcing both sides to share the spoils.

Talking points

The outside backs for the Magpies performed well, particularly through fullback Israel Ogden – who was strong in both attack and defence.

Having had the lead with barely two minutes remaining, the Magpies may see the result as missed opportunity with the Bulldogs levelling scores on the stroke of full-time.

Key moment

The final three minutes of the contest were chaotic with three field goal attempts, errors and line-breaks. But it was Bulldog Bailey Hayward’s field goal that forced the 15-all stalemate in the end.

What’s next?

The Magpies head to North Sydney Oval to take on the North Sydney Bears in Round 18, while the Bulldogs are back at Accor Stadium to take on the resurgent Newcastle Knights.

Newtown Jets v Parramatta Eels

Jets dominant against Eels at Henson Park

Pranav Harish

Game summary

The Newtown Jets notched up their third straight win in Round 17 of The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup, beating the Parramatta Eels 40-22 on Saturday at Henson Park.

The Eels had an early 6-0 lead with a try from Jack Murchie, but soon fell behind on the scoreboard as the Jets put on a try-scoring blitz in the opening half.

The Jets hit back through Jayden Berrell when the dummy-half scurried down the short side off a scrum play. Mawene Hiroti’s conversion evened the score-line.

Newtown ran in their next try a few minutes later when five-eighth Braydon Trindall crossed over from a Samual Stonestreet chip kick. Hiroti added the extras to lead 12-6.

Newtown looked more ominous as captain Billy Magoulias went over untouched moments later, before the conversion gave the home side an 18-6 lead.

Newtown sailed out to a 24-6 lead after Stonestreet scored a try of his own, with the Eels’ defence outnumbered on the edges.

The Eels found their way over the try-line again when Lorenzo Mulitalo dived over, with his acrobatic effort bringing the margin to 24-10.

In Parramatta’s next set, back-rower Matt Doorey was on the end of Jordan Rankin’s last-tackle grubber to help shorten the deficit. Rankin’s conversion had the Eels trailing 24-16.

Newtown rounded out the first half with a try through Jesse Colquhoun, putting the Jets 28-16 in front at halftime.

Samuel Healy opened the second-half scoring to take the Jets further in front at 34-16.

Then Zac Cini gave the Eels a fighting chance, replying with a try down the western touchline.

The Jets wouldn’t give their opponents another opportunity to score, before Connor Tracey produced Newtown’s seventh try for the afternoon. Hiroti’s conversion saw the Jets amass 40 points at home.

Talking points

Jordin Leiu proved a threat to Parramatta’s right-edge defence all afternoon. The Jets’ back-rower was hard to handle, overwhelming the Eels with his physicality.

Eels winger Lorenzo Mulitalo also had some great moments, showing glimpses of his speed, strength and finishing ability.

Key moment

Down 18-6, Mulitalo had an opportunity earlier in the first half to score a try for the Eels down the left sideline, but the edge defence of the Jets was enough to take the winger into touch.

What’s next?

The Jets will be back at Henson Park on Saturday to take on St George Illawarra Dragons, while the Eels have the bye in Round 18.

Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles v South Sydney Rabbitohs

Rabbitohs make it five straight

Alex Hrissis

Game summary

The Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles hosted the South Sydney Rabbitohs in Round 17 of The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup, where the away side produced a strong performance to win 16-30. It’s South Sydney’s fifth-straight victory, which sees them jump ahead of their opposition on the ladder.

The away side drew first blood when Tyrone Munro crossed over for a try after a stellar run from centre Joseph Karapani, where some fancy footwork beat the defenders and he passed it out wide for his winger to score with ease. Dean Hawkins scored to put his team ahead 6-0.

The Sea Eagles bounced back midway through the first half after sustained pressure on the Rabbitohs 10 metre line was rewarded with a try. Halfback Jakob Arthur eyed a gap in the defence and passed the ball to rising hooker Gordan Chan Kum Tong who crossed over to score. The try was converted to level the score to 6-6.

The Sea Eagles took the lead when a dodgy pass from the Rabbitohs was intercepted by Clayton Faulalo and the speedy winger entered full flight to run the length of the field and give his team the lead.

It was tit for tat at Blacktown on Sunday afternoon when fullback Jacob Gagai broke through the line with strength and grubber kicked the ball out to Tom Carr, who was tackled just before the try line. In the following set the ball found the hands of captain Hawkins who forced his way through the defence and crashed over for a try. Hawkins converted his own try to make the score 12-12.

The Rabbitohs took the lead early in the second half when Gagai broke through the line with pace and found Tyrone Munro who sped down the blind side before passing the ball back inside to his fullback for a tidy try.

The Sea Eagles bounced back once again after they found themselves with a fresh set of six just before the try line. The home side produced some slick passing along the left edge which resulted in Kaeo Weekes finding Clayton Faulalo who stepped past the defenders to score his second of the day. The conversion was sprayed wide by Cooper Johns to leave his team trailing 16-18.

South Sydney extended their lead over Blacktown after some hard tackling forced an error and they received possession. Front-rower Shaquai Mitchell ran a hard line to break through several defenders and flicked the ball out to Tom Carr who blitzed down the blind side to score himself a try. The try was converted to give South Sydney a lead of 16-24.

South Sydney put the final nail in the coffin with less than a minute on the clock when Dean Hawkins scored his second try of the day by running the line and crashing over. The conversion was converted to leave the final score 16-30.

Key moment

The scores were level heading into the sheds, but momentum swung early in the second half when Gagai broke through the line which eventually resulted in a try for the young fullback.

Talking points

Blacktown’s combinations down the left edge - particularly that of Fulton and Faulalo - are beginning to bear fruit with several tries scored today down that side.

South Sydney fullback Jacob Gagai produced a stellar performance which was crucial to his side’s win with several line breaks and a try.

The experience of big forwards such as Shaquai Mitchell and Siliva Havili proved important to the Rabbitohs win as they outmuscled the Sea Eagles’ forward pack.

What’s next?

In Round 18 of The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup the Rabbitohs will travel to Auckland to play the Warriors on Friday afternoon, while the Sea Eagles will host the Roosters on Sunday afternoon.

Sydney Roosters v Canberra Raiders

Raiders’ late surge prevents Roosters comeback

Ella Mullins

Game summary

The Sydney Roosters and Canberra Raiders faced off this afternoon at Wentworth Park to wrap up Round 17 of The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup. Sitting at the bottom of the ladder, the game was critical for the Roosters in their efforts to reignite their season. However, they were defeated once again, losing by 8 points after Canberra scored 2 tries in the final 10 minutes.

The Raiders gained early field position, pushing the Roosters forward line to breaking point. Within the first five minutes of play, winger Xavier Savage seamlessly shifted his way through the Roosters defence down the right wing to secure the first try of the afternoon. Captain Brad Schneider successfully converted, giving the Raiders a quick 6-point lead.

With their confidence running high, the Raiders did not shy away from producing hard hit-ups and unwavering defence that stopped the Roosters in their tracks. However, the Roosters eventually struck back after an effortless offload from the dummy half to Penioni Tohi gave them the perfect opportunity to score directly under the posts. Coby Thomas’ subsequent conversion was unsuccessful.

With only a two-point difference in the contest, tensions were running high as both teams attempted to gain ascendency heading into the sheds. It wasn’t long before the Raiders solidified their dominance. Forcing through four defenders, Ata Mariota scored the Raiders second for the evening, barging through the front line of defence and carrying them across the sideline with him. Schneider successfully made the conversion.

Each attempt by the Roosters to cross their opposition’s try line was demolished by the Raiders' stout defence. At the 38th minute, it was the battle of the halfbacks when ball-carrier Brad Schneider and defender Joseph Whitikama Temara Taipari went head-to-head in a mid-field dash. It was Schneider who came out victorious, securing his first for the night, before successfully converting his own try. Schneider’s efforts saw the Raiders take a 4-18 lead into the break.

The Roosters connection finally clicked early in the second half after a desperate dart for the try line by Coby Thomas ended their dry spell. Thomas’ successful conversion left only an 8-point difference between the sides with 30 minutes remaining. It was tit-for-tat for the following 15 minutes with each team displaying impressive defence and strong attacking sets. After multiple failures to cross the try line, the Roosters had a last minute resurgence through second-rower Corey Ross, who dove under the posts with 13 minutes remaining. After a successful conversion by Thomas, the score was 16-18.

The Roosters finally took over the lead when their other second-rower Riley Meyn lit up the left-edge, delivering a mid-air dive to secure a one-handed try. Thomas’ conversion gave the home side a 22-18 advantage.

This narrow lead was short-lived however, as moments later, Raiders’ winger Utuloa Asomua served a perfect offload to fullback Chevy Stewart who scored under the posts. The conversion by Schneider was successful and the Raiders took a 2-point lead with 3 minutes left of play.

A try to Xavier Savage in the final 20 seconds sealed a Raiders’ victory. After a successful conversion, the score was 30-22 at full time.

Talking points

The defence by Utuloa Asomua on the wing was relentless. Delivering merciless tackles and dangerous left-edge plays, he was a key player throughout the evening.

Raiders captain and halfback Brad Schneider had an impeccable game that was nothing short of consistent.

The determination displayed by the Roosters was extremely admirable. Their efforts were steadfast but unfortunately were not enough in the end.

Key moments

The mid-field dash by Schneider moments before the halftime siren was crucial in the Raiders eventual victory. In a riveting match-up, this moment proved to be one of the most memorable from this game.

What’s next?

The Canberra Raiders will host the Penrith Panthers at GIO Stadium next Saturday. Meanwhile, the Roosters will travel to 4 Pines Park on Sunday afternoon for a match-up with the Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles.