RED AND BLACK REPORT 2018: EDITION NO.25
Each week the Red and Black Report will keep you up to date with how our Canterbury Rugby League products are performing in Australia’s elite and lower-grade competitions.
NRL
Jamayne Isaako became the first rookie to top the premiership’s pointscoring table since Daryl Halligan in 1991, racking up a season-high 20 points from a try and eight goals in Brisbane’s 48-16 demolition of Manly in the final round.
Isaako’s haul saw him finish the regular season with 11 tries, 94 goals (at 84%) and a field goal for 233 points – just five clear of Sydney Roosters’ Latrell Mitchell. The Aranui Eagles junior’s tally is second only to Darren Lockyer (272 points in 1998) for the most points in a season for the Broncos.
Jamayne Isaako capped off his rookie season with 20 points against Manly, yet another stellar performance from one of our young stars, confirming himself as the comp's top point scorer, our first to do it.
Get your eyes around some numbers from the Iceman's rookie campaign 💪 pic.twitter.com/8bekCdIQtj
— Broncos Weekly (@broncosweekly) September 3, 2018
But Isaako and Kodi Nikorima have much bigger fish to fry as the in-form Broncos approach the finals. Halfback Nikorima was also superb against the Sea Eagles, scoring a try and laying another on as his maligned pairing with Anthony Milford begins to gather steam.
Nikorima has missed just one game in 2018 and has scored a career-high nine tries.
Jazz Tevaga helped the Warriors head into the finals with significant momentum, topping the tackle count with 29 and racking up 127 metres on 13 carries in a tense 20-16 win over Canberra.
The utility has played 19 games to become entrenched as a key man off the bench for the rejuvenated club.
INTRUST SUPER PREMIERSHIP NSW
Fa’amanu Brown lined up at halfback as Canterbury Bulldogs went down to Penrith Panthers 28-18 in a top-four finals showdown. The Bulldogs get another bite at the cherry this weekend against Wyong Roos in a sudden-death semi.
Pita Godinet donned the No.7 as Western Suburbs Magpies suffered a season-ending 18-14 loss to the Roos.
JERSEY FLEGG (NSW U20s)
Cruz Topai-Aveai’s Cronulla Sharks suffered an 18-10 loss to the Panthers in week one of the Jersey Flegg finals series.
Sua Aiiloilo came off the bench to help keep the Bulldogs’ season alive with a 22-18 sudden-death defeat of Parramatta.
Topai-Aveai, who was named in the Junior Kiwis’ wider squad on Monday, and Aiiloilo will square off in this weekend’s semi-final.
HASTINGS DEERING COLTS (QLD U20S)
Jordan Riki was named in the Junior Kiwis’ wider squad on Monday and is likely to line up in the second-placed North Devils’ Under-20s semi-final against Townsville Blackhawks on Saturday.
