Red and Black Report: Edition No.11
Each week we’ll be keeping you up to date with how our Canterbury Rugby League products are performing in Australia’s elite and lower-grade competitions.
Here’s how they went in Round 11:
NRL
Burnham Chevaliers junior Kodi Nikorima had another blinder in the Brisbane Broncos’ No.7 jumper, laying on two tries with beautiful passes and backing up to finish off a long-range effort in a 36-0 shutout of Wests Tigers. He also made 25 tackles and 127 running metres. Ben Hunt is set to return from injury this weekend, but Anthony Milford’s selection in the Queensland Origin team should see Nikorima retained in the halves for their road trip to take on the Warriors. Even at full strength, Wayne Bennett will have to find somewhere in his 17 for the in-form utility.
Matt McIlwrick was on the receiving end of Nikorima’s and the Broncos’ dominance, playing 33 minutes for the struggling Tigers and making 23 tackles and running for 40 metres.
Lewis Brown came off the bench for 22 minutes of injury-hit Manly’s gutsy 30-10 upset of Gold Coast, the 185th appearance of the Riccarton Knights junior’s NRL career.
INTRUST SUPER PREMIERSHIP
Newtown halfback Fa’amanu Brown, who last week penned a two-year deal with Canterbury Bulldogs from 2018, kicked five goals in the Jets’ 38-34 loss to Illawarra.
Jayden Nikorima landed four goals as Wyong Roos played out a 30-all draw with Canterbury Bulldogs.
Jazz Tevaga returned off the bench in the high-flying Warriors’ important 20-18 defeat of Wentworthville Magpies at Ringrose Park.
Pita Godinet, a teammate of Brown’s in the Toa Samoa side that faced England earlier this month,steered Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles to a much-needed win over North Sydney Bears, scoring the final try of a 22-6 success.
INTRUST SUPER CUP
Setaimata Sa and Nathan Saumalu were in the Mackay Cutters’ backline again as they went down in a hard-fought clash with Sunshine Coast Falcons.
Halswell Hornets product Ken Tofilau’s prolific tryscoring form on the end of the Central Queensland Capras’ backline continued, crossing for a meat pie in a 26-all draw with Townsville Blackhawks.
Northern Bulldogs junior Sheldon Pitama came off the bench again for ISC ladder leaders Redcliffe Dolphins as they accounted for Norths Devils 22-12, with Benji Marshall making a tryscoring return for the in-form Dolphins.
