Recap | The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup - Round 26

Panthers hold off determined Rabbitohs to secure finals spot

Stewart Moses

Game Summary

The Penrith Panthers have secured a Knock-On Effect NSW Cup finals spot after holding off a determined effort from the defending premiers South Sydney, with a 32-28 win at BlueBet Stadium tonight.

Star of the show was veteran centre and skipper, Tyrone Peachey, who scored two tries, and set another as the Panthers scored four first half tries, as well as providing a line break assist for Isaiah Iongi.

Souths shocked the home side early in the 2nd minute, spreading the ball quickly out to the winger Leon Te Hau, to make the break down the western touchline from halfway, before firing the pass back inside for the five-eighth Dion Teaupa to score next to the posts and with the simple conversion from fullback Bayleigh Bentley-Hope, the visitors led 6-0.

Penrith hit back in the 13th minute when a quick shift right inside Souths’ 20m enabled Tyrone Peachey to score out wide to trail 6-4.

The Panthers were on the attack again however a indiscretion in back play by Leon Te Hau, saw the Souths winger sent to the bin for 10 minutes.

The Panthers scored their second through Peachey, courtesy of a deft pass from the fullback Isaiah Iongi that created the overlap for the skipper to score out wide to give the home side a 8-6 lead midway through the first half.

The Panthers soon extended that lead to eight after 27 minutes off a long-range line break from Iongi that ended with the fullback being tackled short of the line, only for a quick play the ball that allowed Peachey to put interchange forward Austin Dias over next to the posts.

The Panthers then scored their fourth unanswered try, Luke attacked the blind side, putting Iongi into a gap before the fullback produced an audacious flick pass outside to Hassett who crashed over out wide to give the home side a 18-6 lead despite Scott having a difficult day with the goalkicking.

Souths went into the main break buoyed by a late first half converted try to trail 18-12 after a quick shift right on the last tackle ended with centre Izaac Tu'itupou Thompson powering his way over the line.

Souths started the second half the better side and rewarded for their enterprising play when Dean Hawkins produced a cross-field kick from 25m out for Te Hau to score unmarked in the southeast corner levelling the scores at 18-all.

Penrith retook the lead with 15 minutes remaining when lock forward Luke Sommerton produced a show and go from 35m out to break the line to score next to the posts to give the Panthers a 24-18 lead.

From the kick off, the home side scored again through backrower Mavrik Geyer to score behind the posts (32-18).

But Souths mounted another comeback to almost steal the game. Having earned another penalty from a successful short kick-off and getting another six again inside Penrith's 20, the visitors hit back with a second try to Thompson after the kick through was fumbled by Penrith to trail 32-22 after 74 minutes.

With 90 seconds remaining, the Rabbitohs, inside the Panthers 20, kept play alive on the last before winger Richie Kennar proved far too strong for his opposite to score in the southwest corner and with Bentley-Hope landing the conversion from the western touchline, the gap was reduced to 4.

A linebreak from dummy half soon after the kickoff, resulted with Panthers backrower Zac Lipowicz being sent to the sin-bin with 50 seconds remaining and the visitors on the attack- with the game finishing at 32-28.

Key Points:

• The 32-28 win means that the Panthers remain unbeaten in their last seven games and will qualify for the finals in either fourth or fifth position depending on results.
• Tyrone Peachey’s double means the veteran centre finished the regular season as the team’s top try scorer with 12.
• Souths’ Leonard Skelton, Brock Gray and Adam Christensen were all placed on report as was Penrith backrower Harrison Hassett.

Play of the Game

The Panthers looked under siege midway through the second half but two back-to-back tries ultimately gave the home side enough breathing space to hold onto a win that seals their place in the NSW Cup Finals. The first courtesy of a brilliant individual effort from Luke Sommerton who fooled the Souths’ defence with a show and go from 35m out to score before Daine Laurie went into open space from the kickoff linking up with Iongi before the fullback found Geyer in support to score and suddenly give the Panthers a 12 point lead, a lead they were able to hold onto against the fast-finishing Rabbitohs.

What's Next

Season 2024 is over for the South Sydney Rabbitohs while the Penrith Panthers look set to play finals football next Saturday at Leichhardt Oval with their opponent to be determined, most likely the loser of the Jets v Warriors game.

Parramatta Eels v St George Illawarra Dragons

Dragons Leave Their Mark At CommBank Stadium  

Ella Mullins

Game Summary

The St George Illawarra Dragons have finished the season on a high after defeating the Parramatta Eels 38-12 at CommBank Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The Dragons were the first to add points to the scoreboard through Ashton Ward, who stepped his way through Parramatta’s defensive line (4-0).

Dragons cracked the Eels again in the 15th minute through Declan Purcell who carried three defenders with him over the line to add four points (10-0).

Parramatta hit back and were on the board through Ethyn Martin who broke down the right wing to score to take the score to 10-4 at half time.  

The Dragons wasted no time in the second half, with two tries to Jonah Glover and Dylan Egan to extend the Dragons lead.

Ashton Ward scored his second of the day in the 63rd minute to give the Dragons a strong lead with only 24 minutes remaining.

Parramatta halfback Ethan Sanders hit back in the 68th minute for the home team, crossing for a try.

Despite Parramatta’s best efforts the Dragons were too good for the Eels, with Shadi Hammoud and Alec Tuitavake crossing for another two tries for the red v to see the score finish at 38-12.

Talking Points

• Ashton Ward’s efforts mark three tries in just two games of the KOE NSW Cup. Ward scored on debut against the Newtown Jets last weekend and has now cemented consecutive points for his side.
• Parramatta had a batch of poor luck in the second half after failing to ground the ball on multiple occasions. Additionally, forward pass calls amid their attacking sets shifted their momentum.
• Benjamin Johnson was a standout player today with 2 try saving tackles and tenacious defence.

Key Moment

Moments before halftime, Benjamin Johnson from the Dragons was unmarked. He successfully covered a lot of ground before encountering the Eels. To keep the momentum high, Johnson’s grubber kick was chased down by Glover, but Eels defence squashed this chance before it could come to fruition.

What’s Next

With the regular season now complete, both teams have now missed the finals and will put their focus onto the 2025 season.

Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs v Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles 

Bulldogs finish season on a high with victory of Sea Eagles

Anthony Eltarraf

Game Summary

Belmore Sports Ground hosted a highly entertaining affair between The Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs and the Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles, with the Bulldogs coming away with a 40-30 victory this afternoon.

It was a horror start for the Sea Eagles as Jaxson Paulo’s offload found the grass, before the ball was collected by Jonathan Sua who raced away to score inside the first minute (6-0).

Lipoi Hopoi then doubled the lead when he burst through a hole in the opposition defence, before Sua’s second try extended the Dogs’ lead to 18-0.

It took 24 minutes for the Sea Eagles to finally get on the scoresheet, scoring one back through Aaron Woods who found himself on the end of a perfectly placed grubber from Gordon Chan Kum Tong (18-6).

The hosts regained their 3-try lead however just four minutes later when the Sea Eagles failed to diffuse a kick, which allowed Lipoi Hopoi to claim the ball and offload to Trentham Petersen to score. The Dogs’ fourth try of the afternoon saw them take a healthy 22-6 lead at half time.

The second half saw plenty of exciting footy, with the Sea Eagles starting strong and scoring just two minutes in through a brilliant solo effort from Jamie Humphreys. The young halfback put a grubber in for himself to bring his side within ten points of the home side (22-12).

It was a different Sea Eagles side that came out for the second period as they dominated both with and without the ball, and they would convert another opportunity through Jaxson Paulo who scored from dummy half following a line break.

It looked as if the Sea Eagles were heading towards a third consecutive try, however another loose ball allowed Jordi Mazzone to pick up the ball and showcase his speed, running 35 metres to score.

The Bulldogs regained momentum off the back of the Mazzone try and it didn’t take them long to score again through a third try for Jonathan Sua who finished off a left side shift with an extravagant dive in the corner.

The Bulldogs then went three in a row with another runaway try for Mazzone off the back of yet another loose ball from the Sea Eagles to extend his side’s lead to 40-18.

Two late consolation tries for the Sea Eagles through Watson Heleta and Brad Parker saw the Bulldogs come away a 40-30 victory in a high-scoring and entertaining bout at Belmore Sports Ground.

Talking Points

• The Sea Eagles dominated the second half but couldn’t seem to ice their opportunities as poor handling and passing saw the game slip away from the visitors.
• Jonathan Sua’s hattrick proved the difference in the end for the Bulldogs as the young winger showcased his speed and agility throughout the game.
• Despite the loss, Jamie Humphreys continued to show his potential as he led his side around the pitch and put on a strong solo display.

Key Moment

The Sea Eagles looked to secure a huge comeback as they dominated the second half, however a loose pass allowed Bulldogs flyer Jordi Mazzone to pick up the ball and race 35 metres to score and swing momentum back the way of the home side.

What’s Next?

Both sides played their final game of the season as they failed to make the finals of The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup.

Newtown Jets v Warriors

Jets Hold on After Soaring Out to a Massive Lead 

Mason Cernoy

Game Summary

The Jets have come away with a close 39-36 win over the Warriors today at Henson Park to cement them in the Top Three.

In an extremly windy affair at Henson Park, the New Zealand Warriors started incredibly fast, when Edward Kosi scored off a Paul Roache crosskick in their first attacking set of the game (4-0)

The Warriors went back-to-back through centre Setu Tu who jumped out of dummy half to score (8-0).

The Jets found momentum and crossed for their first try of the day through Jayden Berrell who scored off a richocheted kick (6-0)

Newtown then went on to score another four tries in the opening half – Berrell bagging a double, Billy Burns, Siteni Taukamo and Tom Rodwell all crossing for four pointers (28-8).

Warriors hit back right on half time with five-eighth Luke Hanson passing a short ball to Zyon Maiu’u to score next to the posts (28-14).

Warriors started the second half how they finished the first, a crossfield kick from halfback Paul Roache to Edward Kosi saw the winger score in the opening minutes of the second 40 (28-20).

The Jets went back-to-back through fullback Liam Ison who set two tries for Taukamo and Jordan Swann with both outside backs crossing for Newtown (38-20).

Despite trailing by 18 points, the Warriors refused to give up and scored three unanswered tries in nine minutes to now only trail by two points with five minutes remaining.

Jets halfback Niwhai Puru took matters into his own hands and iced a one point field goal to bring the score to 39-36 at the full time buzzer.

Talking Points

• Liam Ison had an absolute blinder, setting up three tries for his side,and making plenty of strong kick returns
• The two halfbacks both showed what they could do with the boot, with Paul Roache creating 2 tries for winger Ed Kosi off the back of his boot, and Niwhai Puru kicking a brilliant 40/20 to keep the Jets momentum rolling in the first half, as well as the field goal that put them too far out of reach for New Zealand
• This match gave us a taste of semi finals, with a seemingly down and out Warriors side making the Jets play to the

Key Moment

As much as it came down to the wire, this match was won in the first half. The most significant period in this game was Newtown’s four try haul between the 20th and 33rd minute. What started as an opportunistic play from Liam Ison, just became more and more points, with the tackle in the lead up to Berrell’s try, and the 40/20 kick in the lead up to Taukomo’s first all being crucial moments in the sides success this afternoon

What’s Next?

With finals starting next week, New Zealand have held onto their position of fourth by two for and against points, whilst the Jets have temporarily moved to first, but wins to the Bears later today or the Raiders tomorrow will be enough for them to overtake Newtown.

North Sydney Bears v Newcastle Knights 

Bears Back in Minor Premiership Contention After Home Ground Victory

Ella Mullins

Game Summary

North Sydney prevailed at home 30-24 in a crucial match-up against the Newcastle Knights.  Bears will be relying on a Roosters triumph tomorrow at Wentworth Park to secure the Minor Premiership.

The Bears were first to capitalise at home. Kieran Hayman set up the play with a chip and chase. Pursuing his own ball, the fullback notched his eigtth try for the season. Hayman stepped up to the plate to convert his own try (6-0).

Another ruck infringement saw a set restart for the Bears but soon after, the Knights conceded a penalty for interfering. Taking the two, Hayman’s penalty kick was a straight shooter and found the posts (8-0).

In the dying minutes of the first half, luck was on the Knights side, with centre Logan Aoake catching an offload to score in the corner (8-6).

The Knights took an unexpected lead just shy of halftime. A short ball from captain Jackson Hastings to Reid Alchin gifted the visitors a two point (10-8).

The Knights started the second half strong, with Hayden Sutton jumping on a loose ball before passing it to fullback David Armstrong to score (14-8).

The Bears found their feet in the second half, with a cross field kick from Hayman found Katoa who added four points (14-12).

The Bears went on to score back-to-back tries to take the lead through Ben Talty and Hayman who crossed for his second of the night (24-14).

An intercept saw Trey Peni gifted the Bears with a great opportunity now sit 16 points in front of the Knights with only minutes on the clock remaining.

The Knights didn’t back down, with Laitia Moceidreke and Tom Jenkins scoring two late tries to bring the visitors trailing by only six points at full time.

Talking Points

• Ben Stringer made a great impression on home turf with multiple heavy tackles that resulted in turnovers.
• Reid Alchin was incredibly impactful off the interchange bench, notching his squads second try in the first half securing them the lead before heading into the sheds.
• Knights captain Jackson Hastings was pivotal for his side with two try assists and a hand in majority of attacking plays.

Key Moments

• Bailey Hartwig was put on report for a careless tackle in the 20th minute. He avoided a sinbin after a short and sweet scuffle with the Bears.
• Kieran Hayman has celebrated 200+ points this season post tonight’s match-up.  
• Hayman scored 18 points consisting of 2 tries, 4 conversions and 1 penalty goal.

What’s Next?

The 2024 season for the Knights has come to an end after failing to finish in the top five. The North Sydney Bears will advance to the finals starting next weekend.

Sydney Roosters v Canberra Raiders 

Roosters spoil Raiders’ Minor Premiership hopes

Tayla Micallef

Game Summary

The Sydney Roosters turned around a 21-6 deficit at halftime to beat the Canberra Raiders 34-21 in the final fixture of the regular season, spoiling Canberra’s hopes of claiming the Minor Premiership.

Off the back of two sets on their line, the Raiders opened the scoring in the fifth minute through back-rower Noah Martin who crossed just right of the posts (6-0).

Following three consecutive penalties, the Raiders opted to take the two from 30 metres out with halfback Mitch Henderson successfully converting (8-0).

Rooters prop Dylan Napa was sent to the bin for 10 minutes in the 16th minute for ill-discipline. The Raiders capitalised off playing against a man down, scoring off the next play through forward Trey Mooney who crashed over for a four-pointer (14-0).

The Roosters found their first points of the day in the 22nd minute with the ball being shifted out to the left to centre Billy Smith who offloaded it to winger Fetalaiga Pauga to score in the corner (14-6).

A 40/20 in the 36th minute for the Raiders gifted the visitors prime field position. Noah Martin bagged his second of the day before Mitch Henderson slotted a field goal from 20 metres out to bring the score to 21-6 at halftime.

The Roosters came out of the blocks firing in the second half, marching their way down into Raiders territory before fullback Ethan King stepped past Canberra defenders to score (21-12).

Off the back of a penalty, the Roosters found themselves close to their line once again and went on to score back-to-back tries with centre Robert Toia crossing left of the posts (21-16).

Roosters took the lead in the 59th minute, with Pauga diving over in the corner and halfback Sandon Smith converting from the sideline (22-21).

Off the back of ill-discipline defence from the Raiders, Canberra prop Jordan Martin was sent to the bin for 10 minutes with 10 minutes remaining.

Roosters took full advantage of playing against 12 men, creating an overlap on the left edge for prop Siua Wong to cross in the corner (28-21).

The Roosters put the nail in the coffin for the Raiders’ Minor Premiership hopes through a great cross-field kick from winger Mark Nawaqanitawase for Sandon Smith to regather and score to see the game finish at 34-21.

Talking Points

• The 34-21 loss for the Raiders places them third on The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup ladder heading into finals next week, with the North Sydney Bears (first) and Newtown Jets (second) finishing above them.
• The Roosters finish their season on a high winning their last four games straight – including two impressive wins over the Raiders and Bears.

Key Moment

The Roosters had all the momentum in the second half leaving the Raiders scoreless and going on to score 28 unanswered points in the second 40. The Roosters’ try in the 59th minute was the turning point, with quick hands shifting the ball left, creating an overlap for Pauga to score his second of the afternoon.

What’s Next?

The Raiders will now turn their attention to the opening week of the finals where they will face the Newtown Jets in the Qualifying Final at Leichhardt Oval next Saturday.

Despite the win today, the Roosters’ season comes to an end for 2024 after failing to make the top five.