RED AND BLACK REPORT 2024: EDITION NO.28
The Red and Black Report shines a spotlight on Canterbury Rugby League juniors featuring in Australia’s elite and lower-grade competitions.
Canterbury products were in action in the latest rounds of the NRL, NSW Cup, Queensland Cup, Jersey Flegg Cup (NSWRL under-21s) and NSW Women’s Premiership.
NRL
Aranui Eagles product Daejarn Asi’s Parramatta Eels came within an ace of pulling off one of the upsets of the season, ultimately run down 36-34 by three-time premiers Penrith Panthers.
The halfback had nine runs, a line-break assist, 15 tackles and 418 kicking metres in the thriller.
Hornby Panthers junior Jordan Riki and the Brisbane Broncos are still alive in the NRL finals race after a 42-18 victory over North Queensland Cowboys.
The industrious second-rower made 11 runs and 21 tackles without a miss in the Broncos’ timely form reversal.
West Coast Kiwi Griffin Neame, who turned out for Halswell Hornets in the juniors, contributed 84 metres and 26 tackles to the Cowboys’ losing cause from the bench.
Aranui Eagles product Jamayne Isaako and Burnham Chevaliers junior Kodi Nikorima played key roles in the Dolphins’ critical 34-32 golden point win over the Warriors at Suncorp Stadium.
Isaako kicked six goals from as many attempts – staying atop the NRL’s pointscoring charts with 197 in the process – and made 126 metres from 15 runs. Nikorima scored a try and produced three line-break assists and two try assists, just days before inking an extension with the club until the end of 2026.
Meanwhile, off-contract Chevaliers junior Jazz Tevaga continues to put himself in the shop window of rival clubs, chewing through 11 runs for 101 metres and 34 tackles in 39 minutes off the bench for the fading Warriors.
Match Highlights 🎥 – #NRLDolphinsWarriors
A Sean O’Sullivan field goal clinched the Dolphins a Golden Point win over the Warriors! pic.twitter.com/JHiYs3hfRN
— NRL (@NRL) August 11, 2024
Former Hornby winger and Super Rugby star Solomon Alaimalo made 13 runs for 87 metres in Wests Tigers 34-18 loss to Newcastle Knights, his seventh appearance in his first NRL season.
NSW CUP
Halswell Hornets prop Tanner Stowers-Smith started at prop and Linwood hooker Makaia Tafua came off the bench as the in-form Warriors overwhelmed South Sydney 28-10.
Stowers-Smith racked up 101 metres and 25 tackles in 46 minutes, while Tafua had a line-break assist, two runs and nine tackles in a 20-minute cameo.
QUEENSLAND CUP
Caius Faatili’s Sunshine Coast Falcons were soundly beaten by Northern Pride 38-18, but the ex-Hornby and Canterbury Bulls powerhouse impressed as a starting prop with 13 runs for 144 metres and 17 tackles.
Northern Bulldogs product and Redcliffe stalwart Sheldon Pitama topped the Dolphins’ tackle count from hooker with 30 in a 46-6 rout of Ipswich Jets, as well as running for 101 metres, making a line-break and producing a try assist.
Meanwhile, Halswell Hornets junior Montel Lisala made his third straight appearance for the Dolphins, scoring a try from the wing as well as 89 running metres.
After making his Queensland Cup debut off the bench for Western Clydesdales last week, Linwood premiership winner and Canterbury Bulls rep Etelani Pouli featured at halfback in a 26-10 loss to the Tigers. The playmaker made 26 tackles, five runs and had 215 kicking metres in another milestone outing.
JERSEY FLEGG CUP
West Coast and Halswell junior Callum Donaldson came off the bench as Canterbury-Bankstown outlasted St George Illawarra 32-22.
Hornby front-rower Felix Faatili was a tryscorer in Cronulla’s 54-16 defeat of a Melbourne side that included Riccarton forward K-CI Newton-Whare on the bench.
NSW WOMEN’S PREMIERSHIP
Papanui Tigers second-rower Jaydika Tafua, who is on an NRLW development contract with Cronulla, was back on deck for the Sharks in the NSW Women’s Premiership and scored a try in a 44-14 loss to Newcastle.
Sydenham Swans’ Isabella Waterman, who made her NRLW debut last month, was on the wing for the victorious Knights.
Canterbury rep and Woolston Rams star Cassie Siataga returned for Wentworthville Magpies, scoring a try and kicking two goals from halfback in a 26-16 win over Illawarra Steelers.
