RED AND BLACK REPORT 2025: EDITION NO.6
The Red and Black Report shines a spotlight on Canterbury Rugby League juniors featuring in Australia’s elite and lower-grade competitions.
A host of Canterbury products were in action in the opening round of the NRL, NSW Cup and Jersey Flegg (NSWRL under-21s) competitions, the sixth round of the NSWRL’s junior competitions – the SG Ball Cup (men’s under-19s), Harold Matthews Cup (men’s under-17s) and Tarsha Gale Cup (women’s under-19s) – as well as the fourth week the English Super League.
QRL’s competitions, including the opening round of the Queensland Cup, were postponed due to the extreme weather that state endured over the weekend.
NRL
Hornby Panthers junior and 2024 Kiwis debutant Jordan Riki featured Brisbane Broncos’ 50-14 rampage against Sydney Roosters on Thursday night.
The second-rower, who is closing in on 100 NRL games, shone with 13 runs for 145 metres and a team-high 34 tackles.
Burnham Chevaliers junior Siua Wong was promoted to the Roosters’ starting side at lock and reeled off 41 tackles in a tough night for the Tricolours.
Aranui product Jamayne Isaako was one of the Dolphins’ standouts in a narrow 16-14 loss to South Sydney Rabbitohs, scoring two tries, kicking a conversion and racking up 176 running metres in a clash that was moved from Brisbane to Sydney due to the impending arrival of Cyclone Alfred.
Former Warriors fan favourite and Burnham Chevaliers junior Jazz Tevaga enjoyed a memorable club debut for Manly Sea Eagles, starting at hooker and spending a second-half stint as a running forward in a 42-12 defeat of North Queensland Cowboys.
Tevaga racked up eight runs and 20 tackles in 51 minutes. Greymouth product, Halswell Hornets junior player and Kiwis rep Griffin Neame made six hit-ups and 31 tackles off the bench for the Cowboys.
NSW CUP
Fresh from being elevated into the Warriors’ top 30, Halswell Hornets prop Tanner Stowers-Smith produced a strong display from the interchange in the club’s season-opening NSW Cup win over Canberra.
The great-grandson of legendary former Canterbury and New Zealand captain Pat Smith chewed through 123 metres on 12 carries and 22 tackles in the 18-16 comeback.
Another Halswell junior, centre/five-eighth Oliver Lawry, was the unused 18th man for Manly Sea Eagles as he pushes for a NSW Cup debut, having earlier featured in the Jersey Flegg match.
JERSEY FLEGG
After starring for Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in the SG Ball Cup’s early rounds, Northern five-eighth Bronson Reuben marked his Jersey Flegg debut in the No.6 jumper with a first-half try in a 34-22 win over St George Illawarra Dragons.
Hornby Panthers junior and Cronulla Sharks engine-room mainstay Felix Faatili started in the front-row in a 30-0 defeat to Penrith Panthers to kick off 2025.
Linwood Keas CRL premiership winner Te Kaio Cranwell, a regular for Newcastle in 2024, featured in the second-row as the Knights opened their campaign with a 34-26 win over Wests Tigers.
Linwood hooker Makaia Tafua, who spent the majority of 2024 in the NSW Cup, captained the Warriors in a 50-4 loss to Canberra. Graduating from the SG Ball ranks, Papanui’s Jason Salalilo made his Flegg debut for the Warriors off the bench.
Halswell’s Oliver Lawry starred at centre in Manly’s 38-8 thrashing of South Sydney, scoring the opening try and kicking five conversions.
SG BALL CUP
Hornby second-rower Sosaia Alatini started and Linwood’s Genesis Ah Kam Sherlock was 18th man as Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs went down 30-22 to Wests Tigers.
Hornby product Ezekiel Faga-Ieti came off the bench to score a try in Newcastle Knights’ 44-6 win over Manly Sea Eagles.
Linwood Keas’ Rico Lemalie came off the bench to score a try for the second week in a row as the Warriors were edged out 22-18 by Western Suburbs Magpies. Hornby’s Isaiah Savea was at hooker and Halswell’s Meihana Pauling returned on the wing for the Shannon Rushworth-coached Warriors.
HAROLD MATTHEWS CUP
Sydenham Swans junior Evander Tafua came off the bench in Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs’ 40-12 loss to Central Coast Roosters.
Defending champions the Warriors moved to third on the ladder with a 34-10 win over Western Suburbs Magpies.
Hornby second-rower Bishop Neal completed the Warriors’ scoring with a try from an interchange bench that also included Sydenham prop Kenny Lafituanai.
TARSHA GALE CUP
Hornby Panthers’ Kyra-Lee Westland was at lock and Linwood Keas’ Dejah Tuliau lined up at centre in Penrith’s 20-14 victory over Parramatta.
Hornby’s Manisha Seebeck was on the wing again for Sydney Roosters as they went down 22-18 to Canberra.
SUPER LEAGUE
Former Hornby and Canterbury Bulls star Caius Faatili returned to Wakefield Trinty’s bench and contributed 17 tackles and 10 runs for 67 metres in a 30-16 victory over Warrington.
Aranui product and ex-NRL journeyman Daejarn Asi also tasted his first Super League victory, courtesy of Castleford’s 22-14 defeat of Salford City. The five-eighth made 20 runs for 98 metres in a strong all-round performance.
