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

Penrith put Manly to the sword with dominant performance

Stewart Moses

Match summary

The Penrith Panthers have bounced from last Saturday’s shock 26-24 loss to the North Sydney Bears in style, shutting out the Manly Sea-Eagles with a ruthless performance to run out 56-0 victors at Parker St Reserve this afternoon.

Penrith enjoyed the better of early proceedings and off the back of a six again awarded deep inside Manly’s 20, the Panthers scored first in the 15th minute when a quick shift left and beautifully timed pass from Trent Toelau put prop Luron Patea over next to the posts to give the home side a 6-0 lead.

The Panthers made it back-to back tries in consecutive sets, taking full advantage of a kick-off error to extend the lead out to 12 after winger Asu Kepaoa finished off another left field shift to score out wide, converted by five eighth Zac Lamont.

Penrith soon had a third try in just six minutes when a long range break down the western touchline by centre David Fale ended with Kepaoa backing up inside to score out wide and with Lamont again converting, the visitors were suddenly in trouble trailing 18-0 after 23 minutes.

More Manly errors enabled the Panthers to enjoy several sets inside their 20 and inevitably they scored again down the left edge when quick hands from the halves and Mavrik Geyer allowed Fale to score out wide and with Lamont continuing his fine form with the boot,  the home side pushed out to a 24-0 lead after 33 minutes.

Penrith capped a dominant first half performance when late inclusion, fullback Daine Laurie stepped through the line to score from 20m out, the Panthers went into half-time with a commanding 30-0 lead.

Penrith picked up where they left off the first half with an early second half try when Geyer burst into the clear from inside his own half before providing Fale with the perfect pass to score his second try of the afternoon to push the score out to 36-0.

Penrith took the score line into the 40s when a quick shift right took advantage of the fact Manly were down to 12 after Aitasi James was sent to the sin bin, resulted in a try in the southwest corner to Jesse McLean.

A second try to the home side quickly followed when Manly were still down to 12, when quick hands found Fale crossing over for his third try of the day, converted by Toelau to continue the point scoring spree for Penrith, leading 46-0 after 61 minutes.

Penrith hit the 50-point mark with James still in the bin when Patea broke through the line from 40m out and found Daine Laurie in support to score next to the posts, to lead 52-0.

Penrith weren’t done with and another shift to the right from close range, ended in a try to interchange forward Riley Wake.

Manly’s afternoon was best summed up late in the game when centre Jordan Swann only had to catch a pass to score out wide only to drop the ball over the line with the defensive line all but beaten, which meant the visitors were held scoreless, going down 56-0.

Talking points

• Penrith were boosted by the late inclusion of Daine Laurie and Matt Eisenhuth, along with the return of injury of half Trent Toelau.
• Conversely the Sea-Eagles were hampered by the withdrawal of Jake Arthur and Aaron Schoupp from this week’s team.
• Key Manly forward Aitasi James was placed on report and sent to the sin bin midway through the second half for an indiscretion.
• Penrith’s outside backs enjoyed a field day with David Fale (3), Asu Kepaoa, Daine Laurie (2 each) and Jesse McLean among the try scorers while Zac Lamont kicked six from six before handing over the kicking responsibilities to Trent Toelau.

Key moment

The opening fifteen minutes was evenly poised but three tries in six minutes to Patea and Kepaoa (2) swung the momentum firmly in Penrith’s hands and were never headed in a lopsided contest few if any predicted.

What's next?

The Panthers will be looking to build on their fourth win of the season to date when they travel to Wentworth Park where they will take on the Sydney Roosters for the second time in five weeks on Good Friday. 

Meanwhile it doesn't get any easier for the Sea Eagles as they look to bounce back quickly, with a daunting road trip to Belconnen on Easter Sunday to take on the Canberra Raiders. 

Warriors v Newtown Jets 

Jets bounce back to end Warriors’ unbeaten run

NSWRL

Match summary

The Newtown Jets have quickly recovered from last week’s 28-point loss to hand the Warriors their first defeat of The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup season, claiming a 28-20 in Auckland.

The Jets kicked things off in the sixth minute when Kade Dykes – wearing the fullback jersey – accelerated onto a pass from halfback Niwhai Puru to score in the left corner.

In a matter of minutes the hosts hit back, sweeping to the right for winger Deaon Amituanai to dive over. They pushed further ahead 20 minutes later when Will Fakatoumafi pounced on Te Maire Martin’s grubber, the centre converting his own try to give his side a 10-6 lead at half-time.

The visitors went up a gear in the second half scoring three tries in 15 minutes to lead 24-10, with Niwhai Puru darting through first (41’), then Felix Faatili off the bench (51’), and centre Michael Gabrael soon after (54’).

Just after the 60-minute mark the Warriors fought back as Edward Kosi scored untouched off a floating ball from Martin, before prop Tanner Stowers-Smith hit and spun for a try (24-20).

With 13 minutes remaining the Warriors had their opportunities to overcome a four-point deficit, but two late penalty goals helped the Jets hang on for a 28-20 victory as Newtown bounced back from a disappointing Round Five defeat.

Talking points

• The victory by the Jets marks their fifth win for 2025, the most of any team this season.
• Jets halfback Niwhai Puru continued his strong form so far, scoring a try and assisting two, and having a perfect day off the kicking tee with six goals from six attempts.

Key moment

Felix Faatili muscling his way over for Newtown in the 51^st minute, followed up by Puru’s conversion, gave the Jets a crucial eight-point buffer at 18-10. The visitors proved too hard to stop from there as they claimed the 28-20 win over the ladder-leaders.

What’s next?

The Warriors take on fourth-placed St George Illawarra Dragons at Go Media Stadium on Saturday 19 April, while the Jets head to McDonald Jones Stadium on Easter Sunday to face the Newcastle Knights.

St George Illawarra Dragons v Sydney Roosters 

Dragons dominate Roosters at home

Bailey Whitton

Match summary

The St George Illawarra Illawarra Dragons put on a dominant performance to beat the Sydney Roosters 44-12 in Round Six of The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup.

The Roosters started the game with the ball and the Dragons met them with an iron wall of defence, refusing to let them out of their own 30 let alone their half.

Both teams ratcheted up the pressure trying to find ways over the line – the Dragons’ forwards trying to peek through the line, and Chad Townsend trying to create opportunities for the Roosters, but none were successful.

After almost 25 minutes the Dragons were on the Roosters’ line and looked like they were going to be held out yet again when the Roosters’ defence put a shot on Jonah Glover, seemingly killing their attack for the set. But Glover rose to his feet and played the ball and Michael Molo rocketed through a gap securing the first try of the game for the Red V.

Before half-time the dragons attacked left and in a well-deserved moment, Lykhan King-Togia scored to put the Dragons on double digits to end the half with the momentum heavily in their favour (12-0).

The second half didn’t start as kindly for them, however, with the Roosters coming out all guns blazing and tearing through the Dragons’ defence. They quickly turned it into points with Townsend holding up a pass to get the Dragons to bite, before sneaking it on to Tyreece Tait down the wing to bring the Roosters back into the game (12-6).

This didn’t turn out to be a good thing for the Roosters, however, waking the Dragons from their slumber to score five answered tries. First was Faitala-Mariner, scoring off the back of two 50-metre runs – Cody Ramsey returning a kick and dancing between players, then the left edge making the rest of the distance. Faitala-Mariner then threw himself at the line to power over the tired defenders and score. Sione Finau scored the next two tries including an intercept from halfway, followed by Isaiah Fagalilo off another Ramsey break and Glover’s ball-playing.

Nick Tsourgranis then carried three players over the line with him to score in the 66^th minute, which brought the Dragons’ lead up to 38-6.

The Roosters weren’t ready to give up yet, taking advantage of sluggish defence down the wing to get on the board for the first time in the second half through Tom Rodwell.

But the Dragons wanted the last laugh, rushing up on the Roosters right from the kick-off before Jarrah Gaia Treweek scored an intercept try by Jarrah to end the game, 44-12.

Talking points

• The Dragons’ halves stunned while Chad Townsend and Jake Elliott couldn’t create the attack the Roosters needed despite their best efforts.
• The Dragons’ defence was incredible, constantly swarming to cover for any mistakes and refusing to relent. It shined best when they aggressively went after the Roosters’ attackers, not giving them time to plan and forcing several errors throughout the game.
• Cody Ramsey was dancing through the opposition whenever he touched the ball. He moved with confidence, eating up metres at every opportunity.

Key moment

In the dying minutes of the second half Lykhan King-Togia saved what could’ve been yet another dead end to a set with a phenomenal kick from a poor pass, with the entire team backing him up to keep it going and ending with a repeat set. That moment is what finally broke open the Roosters’ defence which had been growing shakier by the set, giving the Dragons the confidence to win. King-Togia scored soon after.

If the King-Togia try gave the Dragons the confidence to win, Sione Finau’s interception of Townsend’s pass confirmed it. The Roosters never recovered from that moment and the Dragons didn’t relent.

What’s next?

The Dragons look to continue their momentum next week against the Warriors in Auckland, while the Roosters host Penrith Panthers as they look to return to winning ways.

Parramatta Eels v Canberra Raiders 

Eels seal win over Raiders in tale of two halves

Ellery Behan

Match summary

The Parramatta Eels notched up a 28-20 triumph over the travelling Canberra Raiders at Lidcombe Oval on Saturday afternoon, blitzing through a first-half onslaught and absorbing a valiant comeback from the visitors in the second half.

The Raiders found some early territory off the back of an offside penalty, and a quick play-the-ball through the middle from Myles Martin saw Canberra swing the ball out the back, with five-eighth Jalen Afamasaga tiptoeing through the line to score his second try in as many weeks. Adam Cook slotted the conversion from out wide for an early 6-0 advantage.

But it wasn’t long before the home side returned serve, advancing upfield with a six-again and executing a slick back-line move that left Haze Dunster one-on-one with his opposite number, blowing by the defender with a dazzling sidestep and diving over in the corner. Joash Papalii impressively converted from the sideline to lock it up at six points apiece after 10 minutes.

Driving hard into the opposing half, the Eels capitalised on prime attacking territory. Shifty halfback Ronald Volkman swept around to the left and threw an arching cut-out ball to winger Alfred Smalley who beat desperate defenders to the corner post to put the blue and gold in front

Behind enemy lines once more, Parramatta elected to tap despite receiving a penalty in front of the posts and were rewarded for their courage. Skipping across field, Volkman played a short ball to a determined Bryce Cartwright who was met by two defenders but magically flicked an offload towards Joash Papalii, who flung a spiral pass out to Dunster, once again stepping inside his opposite winger and diving over.

With their relentless forward pack bringing them into Canberra’s half once more, Parramatta found their way over the line again as Volkman dug into the defensive line and shot a pass to centre Samuel Loizou who charged through a gaping hole.

The blue and gold ruthlessly struck again before the half-time hooter, forcing an error from Canberra deep in their own half, and capitalising through Papalii who took the defence on out wide and tenaciously carried a defender over the stripe as he reached out and planted the ball down to bring a 26-6 lead into the sheds.

The Raiders came crusading into the second half, forcing an Eels error from the kick-off and capitalising as they swung the ball left with Ethan Alaia floating a cut-out ball to Michael Asomua who crossed for his seventh try in five games, closing the deficit to 16.

The cogs were turning on the Green Machine as they marched to Parramatta’s 30-metre line off a penalty and made full use of the territory, working the ball to the left once more as Adam Cook found formidable back-rower Noah Martin on his outside who wasn’t going to let four defenders stop him on his way to the try-line.

With just seven minutes to play and a 14-point deficit to close, the Raiders gave themselves a lifeline as Cook snatched a Bryce Cartwright chip-and-chase out of thin air and set sail down the western touchline to make it 28-20. In the end, it was too little, too late for the visitors with Parramatta cruising through the closing exchanges to seal their third win of the campaign.

Talking points

• Parramatta’s young halves Ronald Volkman and Joash Papalii put on an attacking masterclass in the first half, engineering five tries in 40 minutes.
• Bryce Cartwright was placed on report for high contact after he flew out of the line and jammed Raiders enforcer Mitchell Prest.
• Parramatta failed to score a try in the second half but did enough to defend an intrepid Raiders outfit that refused to accept defeat.

Key moment

With the scores tied at 6-6 20 minutes into the first half, the Raiders looked destined to regain their lead as Mitchell Prest exploded onto a short ball one out from dummy-half. However, a desperate effort from the Eels forwards forced the ball from Prest’s hands over the line. The blue and gold hammered through their next set to charge upfield and notched up a four-pointer of their own through Alfred Smalley, effectively opening the floodgates for them to establish a 20-point lead at half-time – a mountain which proved too hard to climb for their opposition in the second stanza.

What’s next?

Parramatta return to the iconic Lidcombe Oval in Round Seven against the Western Suburbs Magpies, and the Raiders will host the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles at Belconnen as they search for their second win of the season.

Newcastle Knights v Western Suburbs Magpies 

Magpies swoop on rusty Knights to claim second victory of the season

Mason Cernoy

Match Summary

The Western Suburbs Magpies head home with a convincing win this afternoon, taking down a Knights side who were riddled with errors and disciplinary issues.

The Magpies wasted no time getting to work, rolling up the field after a penalty in the first set of the match. Eiden Ackland strolled through a massive gap with ease and found Luke Laulilii on the outside to claim a 4-0 lead two minutes into the match.

A few massive plays from Connor Votano helped the Knights withstand a mountain of pressure put on them from errors — stripping the ball from Alex Lobb in the act of scoring, and then escaping the in-goal after a really well-placed grubber. Off the back of this Houdini-esque effort, Wilson De Courcey busted upfield with a great scoot before Liam Sutton scored off a chip-and-chase to bring his side up 6-4.

Following the try, the Knights came up with a strong set and looked certain to force a dropout, but Heath Mason replicated Votano's efforts from earlier and escaped the in-goal. Holding momentum from the previous play Tristan Hope slotted an outstanding 40/20 and set up a try for Tony Sukkar a few plays later in a massive passage of play from the Wests hooker.

After an error-riddled sequence from the Knights, the Magpies found themselves back on the attack. Hope took a menacing scoot from dummy-half and managed to offload the ball to Kurt Falls right before being taken to ground. Falls then slid a short ball to Reuben Porter, who crossed under the posts untouched.

Looking to cap off the half, Kurt Falls attempted a field goal right on half-time and was collected late. The Magpies wanted one point but got two after being awarded a penalty as a result.

It didn't take long for the away team to pick up from where they left off in the second half, when an energetic run from Heath Mason resulted in a penalty due to a second effort from Newcastle defenders. Falls felt no need to reinvent the wheel, sliding a simple face ball out to Solomona Faataape, who was too powerful to be stopped one-on-one at the line.

After a goal-line dropout, the Knights got a set 20 metres out which they were able to convert into points when Connor Votano iced a shift pass out to the right to send his winger Logan Aoake over for a try. They made the most of some lucky field position but weren't able to go on with the job, coming up with yet another error in their own half in the set following the try. Tristan Hope continued to deliver, putting a grubber through for Reuben Porter to pounce on; instantly punishing Newcastle for their mistake.

The Knights kept their chances alive after Votano was awarded a penalty try. A towering bomb from Sutton led to some second-phase play from Riley Jones, who put a grubber through for him, and he showed his soccer skills; dribbling his way to the line, with the only thing stopping him being some illegal contact from the Wests defenders.

The Knights put together a much better set following this try, but unfortunately Votano knocked on the kick from Kurt Falls when the Magpies returned serve. When this resulted in a try from dummy-half for Tristan Hope, the match had been well and truly decided.

A late charge down from Fletcher Hunt resulted in a consolation try for the Knights when he raced away to score, but on the buzzer Kurt Falls showed some soccer skills of his own to cancel that one out and finish the game with the Magpies taking home a 40-24 win over the Knights.

Talking Points

• Tristan Hope was the best on ground without a doubt, setting up two tries and scoring one of his own alongside an instrumental 40/20 early in the match.
• Connor Votano did everything in his power to keep Newcastle in the match, coming up with some huge plays in defence including his strip on Lobb and his impressive escapes from the in-goal. Throw in a try and an assist and you've got a great performer in a losing side.
• The Knights’ errors and discipline truly kept victory out of reach across the match. They simply gave the Magpies far too much attacking ball to win the game. If it weren't for some of Votano's efforts, this scoreline could have been a lot bigger.

Key Moment

Tristan Hope's try out of dummy-half sealed the victory for the Western Suburbs Magpies, taking them up by 16 points with 15 to play. This deficit was simply too large for a Knights side who struggled to build momentum or pressure throughout the match.

What’s Next?

The Magpies will return to Lidcombe Oval to host the Eels, and the Knights have another home fixture against the defending premiers, the Newtown Jets.

North Sydney Bears v South Sydney Rabbitohs 

Defence propels Bears over Rabbitohs in 2023 Grand Final rematch  

George Al-Akiki 

Match Summary 

After starting the 2025 Knock-On Effect NSW Cup season with a trio of defeats, the North Sydney Bears have made it three wins in a row after their comfortable 30–12 victory against the South Sydney Rabbitohs this afternoon.

North Sydney struck first after six minutes through their left edge when Jesse Marschke took advantage of an overlap to send his winger Terrell Neiufi over untouched (6–0).

The Rabbitohs had their fair share of threats early in the game but coughed up possession softly multiple times while deep in Bears territory. The North Sydney side capitalised on their own chances to extend their lead to 8–0.

The Bunnies' luck went from bad to worse after a professional foul in the ruck by Daniel O’Donnell in the 19th minute gave the Bears a one-man advantage. The home side capitalised in the very next set down the middle as tackle-busting lock Coby Thomas put Regan Hughes through for his first four-pointer of the year (14–0).

But even with 12 men, the Rabbitohs quickly bounced back, coincidentally as Josh Schuster made his much-awaited return to rugby league off the bench. The former Manly man floated a rushed pass to winger Max Lehmann, who dragged a few defenders over the tryline with him to put the Rabbitohs onto the scoreboard (14–4).

South Sydney came flying out the second-half gate, gaining significant field possession in the opening sets and playing almost five consecutive minutes on the Bears’ tryline, but couldn’t come up with points.

The Bears then showed South Sydney how to do just that in their next set, as Jake Toby perfectly held up the ball to release his centre Israel Ogedn through a small hole, putting North Sydney more than two converted tries ahead (18–4).

The halves combined for the Bears in a silky last-tackle play, Harryden Wilson catching out the defence with a deft grubber that landed perfectly on the chest of number six Marschke under the post (24–4).

An early kick by the Bunnies on their own 40-metre line caught out the Bears' outside backs as Lehmann sprinted down the right touchline to score his second of the afternoon. A looping ball late in the game by halfback Ashton Ward put Lehmann over in the corner to complete his hat-trick (24–12).

But South Sydney’s lamented late effort wasn’t enough in the end, as they fell to their fifth consecutive defeat, the Bears icing off the win with a last-play try by 18th man Zac Makelim to finish 30–12.

Talking Points

• In his return, Josh Schuster was the main man for the Rabbitohs. Despite the number 23 on his back, the half had his hands on the ball for most of his 30-minute stint, changing the game to play at his pace. He set up the first of South Sydney’s three tries, however, concerningly came off in the 63rd minute with ice to his knee. 
• The Bears suffered two HIA’s as Regan Hughes came off in the 58th minute after a nasty head clash and didn’t return, followed by lock Coby Thomas. Though Thomas returned, North Sydney were forced to activate their 18th man. 
• Despite their intense possession on the opponent’s tryline, South Sydney often looked flat and lacked genuine shape and structure. The famed outfit struggled to convert stats into points and will need to find a way to punish opponents when it matters most if they’re to break their losing streak.

Key Moment

The Bears’ defence was impeccable despite a multitude of tirades by the Rabbitohs. The home side at one point in the second half made 38 consecutive tackles on their own tryline to shut their opponents out, propelling them on to clinch the win convincingly.

What’s Next?

The Rabbitohs, now alone in last place on the ladder, will face the Bulldogs in a must-win classic Good Friday clash in Round 7, while the Bears will take the two points into next week’s bye.