RED AND BLACK REPORT 2025: EDITION NO.23
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, Queensland Cup and the European Super League, as well as the NRLW and NSWRL Women’s Premiership.
NRL
Aranui Eagles product Jamayne Isaako extended his lead in the NRL’s pointscoring race, powering to 212 points with a try and seven goals in the Dolphins’ 43-24 victory over North Queensland.
Isaako, who is only 33 points away from breaking his own Dolphins pointscoring record, also ran for 156 metres, while West Coast Kiwi and former Halswell Hornets junior player Griffin Neame had 13 runs for 107 metres and racked up a mammoth team-high 44 tackles for the Cowboys.
Burnham Chevaliers junior Jazz Tevaga helped Manly to an 18-16 in Melbourne with a team-high 46 tackles in a 74-minute shift at hooker.
Halswell Hornets product Tanner Stowers-Smith continues to go from strength to strength from the Warriors’ interchange, racking up nine runs for 89 metres and 21 tackles in 31 minutes.
NRLW
Papanui Tigers junior Jaydika Tafua made her third NRLW appearance from Cronulla’s interchange bench, playing 44 minutes of a 16-14 loss to North Queensland and racking up 22 tackles, as well as making two strong runs.
Sydenham Swans winger Isabella Waterman made 10 runs for 100 metres in Canberra’s 46-12 loss to Parramatta.
NSW CUP
Linwood’s Makaia Tafua got a call-up at hooker for the Warriors and made eight runs for 75 metres, churned out 50 tackles and laid on a try in a 32-18 defeat of North Sydney.
Papanui product Jason Salalilo’s strong form off the bench for the Warriors continued with eight runs for 81 metres and 20 tackles in 37 minutes.
Hornby’s Felix Faatili earned another NSW Cup promotion with Newtown Jets, starting at prop and making nine runs for 83 metres and 28 tackles in a 26-24 loss to Sydney Roosters.
JERSEY FLEGG
Jackson Stewart scored a try from centre in Sydney Roosters’ 20-18 win over a Cronulla side that had fellow Hornby junior Richie Tupuailei coming off the bench.
Riccarton Knights’ K-Ci Newton-Whare came off the pine in Melbourne’s 48-12 drubbing of the Warriors.
Northern Bulldogs five-eighth Bronson Reuben came off the bench in Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs’ 36-16 win over Manly Sea Eagles, for whom Halswell Hornets’ Oliver Lawry scored a try from the wing.
Halswell Hornets’ Xavier Lynch was part of Newcastle’s interchange contingent in a 58-14 win over Kaiviti Silktails.
NSW WOMEN’S PREMIERSHIP
Hornby Panthers’ Manisha Seebeck made her second appearance for Central Coast Roosters in a 28-6 loss to Illawarra Steelers.
QUEENSLAND CUP
Northern Bulldogs product Sheldon Pitama toiled for 117 metres on 16 runs and 21 tackles in Redcliffe’s 30-24 loss to Souths-Logan.
SUPER LEAGUE
Aranui Eagles product and former NRL utility-back Daejarn Asi starred with a try and a try assist in Castleford Tigers’ 20-14 win over Warrington Wolves. The five-eighth also made 20 tackles.
Former Hornby Panthers and Canterbury Bulls forward Caius Faatili started at prop in Wakefield Trinity Wildcats’ thumping 46-10 win over Huddersfield Giants, chalking up 10 runs for 69 metres and 26 tackles.
