RED AND BLACK REPORT 2024: EDITION NO.26
The Red and Black Report shines a spotlight on Canterbury Rugby League juniors featuring in Australia’s elite and lower-grade competitions.
Canterbury products were in action in the latest rounds of the NRL, NRLW, NSW Cup, Queensland Cup and NSW Women’s Premiership. The Jersey Flegg Cup (NSWRL under-21s) had a competition-wide bye.
NRL
Proud Burnham Chevaliers junior Jazz Tevaga produced another high-octane cameo in the Warriors’ 28-16 victory over Wests Tigers on Friday.
The interchange forward got through 16 tackles and four runs for 38 metres in just 18 minutes.
Aranui Eagles product Daejarn Asi slotted in at halfback for the injured Mitchell Moses in Parramatta Eels’ 32-14 loss to ladder-leading Melbourne Storm.
Asi made nine runs, 12 tackles and 415 kicking metres.
West Coast-bred Kiwi and former Halswell Hornets junior player Griffin Neame churned out a game-high 177 running metres in North Queensland Cowboys’ important 30-22 defeat of Cronulla Sharks.
The Dolphins’ slide continued with a 21-14 loss to Gold Coast Titans, but Aranui Eagles product Jamayne Isaako stayed atop the NRL’s pointscoring table – with three goals taking him to 169 points – as well as running for 129 metres.
Burnham Chevaliers junior Kodi Nikorima produced a line-break assist but was particularly strong defensively, making 24 tackles.
NRLW
A tryscorer in Sydenham Swans’ 2023 CRL Women’s Premiership grand final loss, Isabella Waterman made her NRLW debut for defending two-time premiers Newcastle Knights in Round 1.
The Christchurch-born 23-year-old made seven runs from the wing in a 12-10 defeat of Sydney Roosters.
NSW CUP
Linwood hooker Makaia Tafua racked up a game-high 45 tackles in the Warriors’ 20-14 loss to Western Suburbs Magpies on Friday, as well as making a 92 metres and a line-break from eight runs.
Halswell front-rower Tanner Stowers-Smith contributed six runs for 63 metres and 16 tackles in 27 metres off the bench.
Former Hornby winger and Super Rugby star Solomon Alaimalo made 11 runs for the victorious Magpies.
West Coast and Halswell junior Callum Donaldson, a Jersey Flegg regular for Canterbury-Bankstown, made his third appearance for the Bulldogs’ NSW Cup side in a 32-10 drubbing of North Sydney Bears. The tyro made eight runs off the bench.
Burnham Chevaliers junior Siua Wong returned to Sydney Roosters’ line-up at prop, chewing through 16 runs for 166 metres and 14 tackles.
QUEENSLAND CUP
Promoted to the starting line-up for the first time this season, former Hornby Panthers and Canterbury Bulls powerhouse Caius Faatili scored two tries in a 66-8 defeat of PNG Hunter in a catch-up match on July 21, as well as running for a game-high 191 metres.
Faatili returned the front-row berth and was a first-half in Sunshine Coast Falcons’ 32-16 win over Ipswich Jets on Saturday. He also toiled for 112 metres on 10 carries in 38 minutes on the park.
Northern Bulldogs product Sheldon Pitama got on the scoresheet during the second half, but his Redcliffe Dolphins side was thumped 38-10 by CQ Capras.
The versatile club stalwart also chalked up 32 tackles after starting at hooker.
NSW WOMEN’S PREMIERSHIP
Papanui second-rower Jaydika Tafua was a second-row starter for Cronulla Sharks in a 40-12 loss to Illawarra Steelers, the teenager’s fourth run-on appearance in as many rounds.
