RED AND BLACK REPORT 2025: EDITION NO.9
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 latest round of the NRL, the NSWRL and QRL’s senior and junior competitions, and the European Super League.
NRL
Burnham Chevaliers junior Siua Wong continues to hold down a spot in Sydney Roosters’ pack, playing 66 minutes in their 30-12 loss to Gold Coast on Friday and racking up 37 tackles along with 14 runs for 120 metres.
Hornby Kiwi Jordan Riki had a massive game in Brisbane Broncos’ 20-12 victory over the Dolphins, making a line-break among 17 runs for 148 metres, and 33 tackles. But the second-row workhorse is set to miss the Broncos’ next two matches due to a high-tackle suspension.
Forced changes at the Broncos on Saturday, with Jordan Riki accepting a two-match ban. #9News @MyMateDobbo pic.twitter.com/Xvc4wg3xec
— 9News Queensland (@9NewsQueensland) March 31, 2025
Aranui Eagles product Jamayne Isaako kicked two-from-two and made 19 runs for 133 metres, and Burnham Chevaliers junior Kodi Nikorima chalked up a line-break assist and 27 tackles for the winless Dolphins.
West Coaster and former Halswell junior player Griffin Neame celebrated in North Queensland’s first win of the season, 30-20 over Canberra, making 10 runs for 110 metres and 23 tackles off the bench.
Burnham Chevaliers junior Jazz Tevaga played 30 minutes at hooker and had a short stint as a middle forward in Manly’s 26-12 defeat of Parramatta, getting through 19 tackles and five runs for 51 metres.
NSW CUP
Halswell prop Tanner Stowers-Smith made the most of a starting appearance for the NSW Cup-leading Warriors, scoring a six-minute double in the second half of their 34-20 victory over Western Suburbs Magpies.
The tyro forward, promoted to the club’s NRL top-30 roster earlier this year, also racked up 134 metres from nine carries and 27 tackles.
JERSEY FLEGG
Northern five-eighth Bronson Reuben kicked three conversions – including the match-winner in the 75th minute – as Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs edged Hornby prop Felix Faatili’s Cronulla Sharks 18-16.
Linwood Keas product Te Kaio Cranwell came off the bench in Newcastle Knights’ 24-22 loss to Kaiviti Silktails in Fiji.
Riccarton product K-Ci Newton-Whare and Hornby junior Josiah-Ekkehard-Neli came off the bench in Melbourne’s 26-all draw with St George Illawarra.
Linwood hooker Makaia Tafua captained the Warriors to a 20-all draw with Wests Tigers, while Papanui prop Jason Salalilo lined up at prop.
SG BALL
Hornby second-rower Sosaia Alatini played in Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs’ 36-4 loss to Sydney Roosters, who featured another Hornby junior, Jackson Stewart, at fullback after he had regularly lined up at centre so far in 2025.
Fellow Hornby product Ezekiel Faga-Ieti came off the bench for Newcastle and scored the match-winning try in a 22-18 defeat of Melbourne, while Halswell junior Xavier Lynch was a second-row starter.
Halswell’s Meihana Pauling featured on the wing and Linwood hooker Rico Lemalie scored a try off the bench in the Shannon Rushworth-coached Warriors’ 16-all draw with South Sydney at Redfern Oval.
Papanui Tigers junior Ezekiel Paulo featured in the second-row for Manly Sea Eagles in a 28-24 loss to Western Suburbs Magpies.
HAROLD MATTHEWS CUP
Riccarton Knights’ Christiano Elia was on the wing, while Aoraki product and Hornby junior player Dougal Grant, Celebration’s Amasio Tiatia and Sydenham’s Kenny Lafituanai all came off the bench in the Warriors’ last-gasp 20-18 victory over South Sydney.
TARSHA GALE CUP
Hornby three-quarter Manisha Seebeck’s stellar season on the wing for the Roosters continued with a first-half brace of tries in a 30-0 rout of Manly.
Linwood’s Te Koha Te Rito came off the bench in South Sydney’s 38-12 loss to Canberra.
LISA FIAOLA CUP
The Rabbitohs’ under-17s team went down to the Raiders 30-0, with Keas junior Ariana Te Rito – sister of Te Koha – coming off the interchange bench. Ariana made her debut for Souths in the centres in Round 5 against Manly.
MAL MENINGA CUP
Greymouth centre Antonio Verhoeven, who turned out for Eastern Eagles 18s and St Bede’s in 2024, is on fire for Burleigh Bears’ under-18s team, scoring three tries in a 30-20 loss to Redcliffe Dolphins.
SUPER LEAGUE
Ex-Hornby and Canterbury Bulls forward Caius Faatili celebrated in Wakefield Trinity’s resounding 40-14 win over Leigh Leopards, making 70 metres from nine runs off the bench.
Aranui product Daejarn Asi was again at five-eighth for Castleford Tigers as they went down 24-14 to Hull FC.
