RED AND BLACK REPORT 2025: EDITION NO.18
The Red and Black Report shines a spotlight on Canterbury Rugby League juniors featuring in Australia’s and Britain’s elite and lower-grade competitions.
A host of Canterbury products were in action in the latest round of the NRL, NSW Cup, Jersey Flegg Cup and the European Super League.
NRL
Burnham Chevaliers junior Jazz Tevaga made 27 tackles in 31 minutes off the bench as Manly Sea Eagles crashed to a 28-8 loss to Gold Coast Titans on Friday.
As well as making a mammoth game-high 57 tackles and 12 runs for 130 metres, Burnham junior and Sydney Roosters second-rower Siua Wong scored the match-winning try in a 12-8 result in Newcastle – a somewhat controversial four-pointer from a James Tedesco kick with 10 minutes remaining.
The Dolphins’ recent pointscoring spree continued with a 58-4 rout of North Queensland Cowboys – and two Canterbury juniors were again at the forefront.
Aranui Eagles winger Jamyane Isaako kicked nine conversions from 10 attempts, as well as making a line-break among a 199-metre performance. Burnham Chevaliers five-eighth Kodi Nikorima starred with a try, two line-breaks and two try assists, as well as making 21 tackles and 120 running metres.
West Coast Kiwi and former Halswell junior player Griffin Neame toiled for 32 tackles and seven hit-ups in 52 minutes off the bench for the overwhelmed Cowboys.
NSW CUP
Papanui’s Jason Salalilo made another strong impression off the bench in the ladder-leading Warriors’ 46-22 defeat of Parramatta, producing 11 runs for 135 metres in 38 minutes of game-time.
Salalilo, Linwood’s Makaia Tafua, Halswell’s recent NRL debutant Tanner Stowers-Smith and Hornby’s Harold Matthews Cup-winning star Bishop Neal all secured contract extensions with the Warriors until the end of 2028 over the past week.
JERSEY FLEGG
Northern Bulldogs five-eighth Bronson Reuben kicked five goals and Hornby Panthers second-rower Sosaia Alatini came off the bench in Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs’ 34-30 win over South Sydney Rabbitohs.
Hornby’s Jackson Stewart scored a try after starting in the centres as Sydney Roosters edged out Newcastle Knights 30-28. The Knights side featured Linwood second-rower Te Kaio Cranwell, and bench debutants Xavier Lynch (Halswell) and Ezekiel Faga-Ieti (Hornby).
Hornby junior and Cronulla Sharks front-row mainstay Felix Faatili featured in a 46-10 win over Kaiviti Silktails.
Linwood product Dakota Kakoi lined up in the centres as his Parramatta Eels side went down 32-20 to the Warriors.
Riccarton product K-Ci Newton-Whare and Hornby junior Josiah–Ekkehard–Neli teamed up in Melbourne Storm’s starting pack as they went down 46-4 to Canberra Raiders.
SUPER LEAGUE
Aranui Eagles product and Castleford Tigers halfback Daejarn Asi scored a try and laid on another in a 22-14 victory over Hull FC.
Coming off the bench for Wakefield Trinity in a 24-20 loss to Leigh Leopards, former Hornby Panthers and Canterbury Bulls powerhouse Caius Faatili chewed through 119 metres on 17 carries and 20 tackles.
