RED AND BLACK REPORT 2024: EDITION NO.29
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
Burnham Chevaliers junior Kodi Nikorima’s 200th NRL appearance finished in a tough 30-10 loss to Canterbury Bulldogs in Bundaberg, despite a busy game on both sides of the ball (including a hand in his side’s first try and 23 tackles) for the recently re-signed Dolphins five-eighth.
Teammate Jamayne Isaako, an Aranui Eagles product, scored the Dolphins’ first try and landed a conversion to pass 200 points for the season – but he slipped behind North Queensland Cowboys’ Valentine Holmes on the NRL’s pointscoring leaderboard. Isaako also racked up 149 metres from 18 runs.
Quick hands 🙌 #NRLBulldogsDolphins pic.twitter.com/n8RV3vfIHE
— NRL (@NRL) August 17, 2024
Later on Saturday, West Coast Kiwi and Halswell Hornets junior Griffin Neame produced a huge shift off the bench in the Cowboys’ 42-4 rout of Canberra Raiders. The front-rower churned through 13 carries for 142 metres and 28 tackles in 59 minutes.
As his tenure at the Warriors draws to a close, Burnham Chevaliers junior Jazz Tevaga continues to put in off the bench for the struggling side. In Friday’s 24-10 loss to Manly the compact forward made five runs for 54 metres and 18 tackles in 31 minutes off the bench.
Another Chevaliers junior, Siua Wong, earned a top-grade recall and was busy from the interchange. The tyro made eight runs for 66 metres and 10 tackles in just 18 minutes of Sydney Roosters’ 38-14 win over Parramatta Eels.
Aranui Eagles product Daejarn Asi made 13 runs, 16 tackles and kicked for 294 metres for the beaten Eels.
NSW CUP
Promoted to the starting line-up in a late change, Linwood Keas hooker Makaia Tafua played 69 minutes of the Warriors’ 28-22 loss to Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles – topping the tackle count with 34 and making eight runs.
Halswell Hornets front-rower Tanner Stowers-Smith racked up 91 metres on 12 carries and 12 tackles in 37 interchange minutes.
Ex-Hornby Panther and Super Rugby star Solomon Alaimalo scored a try in Western Suburbs Magpies’ 28-14 loss to South Sydney Rabbitohs. He has been named in Wests Tigers’ NRL line-up this weekend.
QUEENSLAND CUP
Hornby Panthers and Canterbury Bulls alumni Caius Faatili reverted to the bench for Sunshine Coast Falcons but certainly made his presence felt in a 30-18 loss to Souths Logan Magpies, recording 13 runs for 135 metres, a line-break assist and 19 tackles in 49 minutes.
Making his second start at halfback for Western Clydesdales, Etelani Pouli made seven runs and 21 tackles without a miss in a 54-18 loss to Mackay Cutters.
JERSEY FLEGG CUP
Riccarton Knights product K-Ci Newtown-Whare started at lock in Melbourne Storm’s 22-16 loss to Penrith Panthers.
Versatile Halswell Hornets junior Oliver Lawry returned in the centres for Manly’s 36-10 win over the Warriors.
Linwood Keas premiership winner Te Kaio Cranwell lined up in the second-row as Newcastle Knights went down 26-8 to Parramatta Eels.
Hornby Panthers juniors Felix Faatili and Richie Tupuailei teamed up on the interchange bench as Cronulla Sharks thrashed Kaiviti Silktails 62-2.
West Coaster and Halswell Hornets junior player Callum Donaldson came off the bench in Canterbury Bulldogs’ 40-20 defeat to Sydney Roosters.
NSW WOMEN’S PREMIERSHIP
Papanui Tigers junior Jaydika Tafua’s remarkable tryscoring run continued in Round 7 of the NSW Women’s Premiership, scoring Cronulla Sharks’ only points in a 22-4 loss to St George – the second-rower’s fourth of the season.
Sydenham Swans’ Isabella Waterman, who made her NRLW debut for Newcastle last month, featured in the centres for the Knights in their 22-16 loss to Illawarra Steelers.
Canterbury rep and Woolston Rams star Cassie Siataga slotted four goals from halfback in Wentworthville Magpies 40-6 demolition of South Sydney Rabbitohs.
