Red and Black Report: Edition No.3
Each week we’ll be keeping you up to date with how our Canterbury Rugby League products are performing in Australia’s elite and lower-grade competitions.
Here’s how they went in Round 3:
NRL
Halswell product Matt McIlwrick was powerless to stop the attacking might of the Canberra Raiders on Sunday, but the Wests Tigers hooker was nevertheless solid in 33 minutes of game-time in the 46-6 loss, making 16 tackles (no misses) and three dummy-half runs.
Kiwis Test utility and ex-Riccarton and Canterbury Bulls star Lewis Brown played his part in Manly’s stunning 30-8 upset of North Queensland in Townsville on Saturday night, coming off the bench to make 10 tackles and three runs for 33 metres during 25 minutes in the back-row.
INTRUST SUPER PREMIERSHIP
Burnham Chevaliers junior Jazz Tevaga and Hornby Panthers and Canterbury Bulls livewire Tevin Arona shared the dummy-half duties during the Warriors’ 36-0 rout of Wests Tigers at Campbelltown, Tevaga starting in the No.9 and Arona coming off the bench.
Cronulla Sharks-contracted Fa’amanu Brown dropped back to NSW Cup duty with Newtown Jets, partnering fellow Hornby Panthers junior Penani Manumalealii in the halves in a 22-12 loss to Illawarra.
Pita Godinet featured at halfback for a Blacktown Workers side that was on the wrong end of a 52-10 scoreline against Wentworthville, while Jayden Nikorima helped steer Wyong Roos to a 24-6 win over Canterbury from five-eighth.
INTRUST SUPER CUP
Central Queensland Capras got off the mark for 2017 with a 12-10 win over Burleigh Bears, and ex-Canterbury duo Ken Tofilau and Phil Nati played a key role. Tofilau took his season tally to six tries in three games after crossing for one of the Capras’ four-pointers, while Nati was a late addition to the starting back-row after being named on the bench.
Sheldon Pitama was at hooker for a brave Redcliffe Dolphins side, who went down 18-10 to an Easts Tigers outfit stacked with Melbourne Storm fringe players.
A Mackay Cutters side captained by Setaimata Sa and featuring Nathan Saumalu on the wing was humbled 30-6 by the Townsville Blackhawks.
NYC
Impressive South Sydney forward Cruz Topai-aveai made his first start in the Under-20s, playing 49 minutes at lock in the Rabbitohs’ 26-22 loss to Newcastle. Topai-aveai is averaging 95.3 metres and 24.3 tackles per game, and has scored a try and made two line-breaks in three appearances.
