RED AND BLACK REPORT 2024: EDITION NO.3
The Red and Black Report shines a spotlight on Canterbury Rugby League juniors featuring in Australia’s elite and lower-grade competitions.
Several Canterbury products featured in the third round of the NSWRL’s junior competitions – the SG Ball Cup (under-19s), Harold Matthews Cup (under-17s) and Tarsha Gale Cup (women’s under-18s) – and the second round of the QRL’s Cyril Connell Cup (under-16s).
There was also notable senior breakthroughs for a couple of forwards during the weekend’s NRL trial action.
NRL TRIALS
Former Hornby Panthers and Canterbury Bulls game-breaker Caius Faatili’s 2024 move to Sunshine Coast Falcons from Queensland Cup rivals Wynnum Manly Seagulls has already paid dividends.
The Falcons have a long-standing feeder arrangement with Melbourne Storm – and Faatili featured in the Storm’s trial against Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs on Thursday night alongside the likes of Ryan Papenhuyzen, Reimis Smith, Trent Loiero and Aaron Pene.
Faatili made an industrious impression off the bench, racking up eight runs for 61 metres, two tackle-breaks and 22 tackles in the 24-12 loss.
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The Warriors’ SG Ball captain this time last year before forging a regular NSW Cup spot, Halswell Hornets junior Tanner Stowers-Smith enjoyed another career milestone in front of family and friends last Sunday.
Stowers-Smith, the great grandson of Canterbury legend and former Kiwis captain Pat Smith, received a pre-match cheer to rival that afforded Roger Tuivasa-Sheck when the line-ups were read out over the PA at Rugby League Park before the Warriors clash with Wests Tigers.
The 19-year-old was injected off the bench by Andrew Webster during the second half and the crowd roared as he made several line-bending runs, his distinctive orange headgear making him easy to spot.
Meanwhile, another Hornets junior, Cooper Te Hau, played in Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs’ Jersey Flegg trial on the weekend.
Te Hau was selected in the New Zealand Secondary Schools team in 2022 and represented South Island Scorpions 20s in 2023, while his dad, Kevin, is a former Canterbury Bulls rep.
SG BALL CUP
Linwood’s Chelden Hayward, a Canterbury age-group rep who featured in St Thomas’ NZSST triumph last year, and Hornby forward and 2023 Harold Matthews Cup grand final winner Sosaia Alataini have again contributed strongly as Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs’ promising start to their SG Ball campaign continues.
Winger Heyward got on the scoresheet for the second week in a row, crossing for the opening try against Penrith in the fifth minute, while Alatini was in the second-row as the Bulldogs came from 12 points down to snare a 22-all draw.
CANTERBURY JUNIORS HAYWARD AND ALATINI THRIVING AS BULLDOG PUPS
Papanui junior and St Thomas’ star Jason Salalilo was a starting Warriors prop for the third straight week, playing in a 32-16 loss to Sydney Roosters in Gosford.
Parramatta Eels have made a flying 3-0 start to the season, and Canterbury 18s rep and Linwood junior Dakota Kakoi was again in the centres for their emphatic 38-12 victory over Wests Tigers on Saturday.
Te Kaio Cranwell, who was named in the NZRL 20s Tournament Team after starring for South Island Scorpions, represented Canterbury 18s and featured in Linwood’s CRL Premiership grand final victory in a whirlwind 2023, was back in Newcastle Knights’ line-up after missing Round 2.
Cranwell started in the second-row in the Knights’ 36-26 defeat of Western Suburbs Magpies.
HAROLD MATTHEWS CUP
Halswell stalwart Shannon Rushworth’s Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs are staking their claim early for back-to-back Harold Matthews Cup titles. The Bulldogs are on top of the table after a dominant 46-10 victory over Penrith Panthers in Round 3.
Coach Rushworth has Northern Bulldogs mainstay Kyle Reuben as an assistant this season.
Linwood’s Lennox Tuiloma, a Canterbury 16s rep and NZSST selection as part of St Thomas’ title-winning team in 2023, featured at lock in the Warriors’ 28-18 loss to Sydney Roosters on the Central Coast.
TARSHA GALE CUP
Papanui second-rower Jaydika Tafua was a Round 3 standout despite Cronulla Sharks suffering their first loss of the Tarsha Gale Cup campaign, 16-10 to Canberra.
Tafua scored a powerful second-half try and almost set up a last-gasp chance to pull off a draw with a break and offload, only for a Sharks teammate to lose the ball over the line.
Ex-Canterbury rep, Linwood women’s coach and CRL Development Officer Kylie O’Loughlin is an assistant coach for the Sharks.
Catch highlights of Tafua’s performance below
Relive all the NSWRL TV action from round three of the Westpac Tarsha Gale Cup 👏
📺 Full match available at https://t.co/gBo4wwgBXR#TarshaGaleCup #NSWRLTV
— NSW Rugby League (@NSWRL) February 18, 2024
CYRIL CONNELL CUP
Ex-Hornby and St Thomas’ Donte Tahuhu-Wilson made his Cyril Connell Cup debut in Brisbane Tigers’ 26-10 loss to Tweed Seagulls, the fullback enjoying a personal highlight by scoring his team’s first try during the first half.
Tahuhu-Wilson is also part of Gold Coast Titans’ development squad.
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Image Credit: Cronulla Sharks
