20 major talking points Rnd 5
Author : Jason Hosken and Sean Teuma NewsCorp Sport & Steve Montgomery OurFootyTeam
20 major talking points Rnd 5
WITH round five of the NSWRL junior representative season in the books, it’s time to look back on a massive weekend that was.
Here are the 20 major talking points from the round:
SHARKS PULL A HOUDINI ACT
It was the weekend of comebacks for the Sharks in their three fixtures against South Sydney.
The Harold Matts came back from 18-0 down to force a draw, the Tarsha Gale women were down six with 13 minutes to play, and SG Ball were down 10-0 early before powering home for a big win.
It was a memorable weekend for the Shire teams with some blistering footy played.
In the Harold Matthews Cup match, the Sharks were 0 – 12 down at half time
Cronulla pulled off their Houdini act with some devestating football in the second half scoring 2 tries to South Sydney’s one to bring the score to 12 – 18 with a minute 20 to go,
From deep in their own line the Sharks ran the ball 90 meters for Oliver Lester to smash his way through the South defence to score next to the posts.
Nikora Williams needed to convert Lesters try to tie the game from 20 meters directly in front, the rest is history
Ocean Vaivela. Picture: Thomas Lisson
OCEAN ARRIVES IN PARRA
Big Harold Matts front rower Ocean Vaivela was a class above on the weekend against Canberra.
He scored two barnstorming tries, and something always looked like it would happen when he charged at the line.
With a well-rounded side, there’s no reason this Eels team can’t dare to dream.
CENTRAL COAST ON THE BOARD
It took five rounds and the very last moments of their game against North Sydney, but the Roosters are on the board in Harold Matts.
They have been playing well without that reward for effort, and got their just desserts in thrilling fashion.
Samisoni Talakai brought up his double, and most important try of the year, with less than a minute on the clock to snatch victory at the death.
WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN FOR BUNNIES
It’s a tight squeeze to get into the junior reps finals, and Souths’ Harold Matts team is likely to just miss out.
They’ve shown great promise against quality teams like Canterbury, and held a massive lead against a fellows finals contender in Cronulla, but pulled just one point from those games.
If they cane somehow sneak into the finals, they’ll cause headaches for opponents.
Sydney Roosters Indigenous Academy (Photo ; Steve Montgomery)
CAN ANYONE STOP INDIGENOUS ACADEMY?
The Roosters Indigenous Academy made it five wins on the bounce with a resounding success against Norths, and it begs the question, can anyone knock them off the throne?
It looks like we won’t get that answer until the finals, with Canterbury looking the most likely contender at this stage.
Even then, the way the Roosters have been able to blow teams off the park is an imposing prospect for any team.
PARRA WOMEN SIZZLE IN BELCONNEN
Talk about impressive displays. Perhaps there were none better than the Eels Tarsha Gale Cup side this week.
They clicked as a unit, piled on sustained pressure and looked classy against a good Raiders side.
Tallara Bamblett did a great job of controlling the game, whiel Debbie Doueihi’s brilliance shone with one of the tries of the season.
BELL THE SUPERBOOT
Sticking with that fixture, and is Alysha Bell the best goalkicker in the competition?
We’ve seen her week after week come up with some great conversions.
She slotted all five attempts at the weekend, and who could forget her memorable sideline conversion to snatch a draw on the buzzer in round three.
ILLAWARRA RUNS RAMPANT
The Steelers women were in a unforgiving mood after going so close to knocking off the Roosters Indigenous Academy a week prior.
Illawarra was dominant in recording a 46-0 win over St George in the Tarsha Gale Cup.
They improve up to fourth and their points differential received a massive boost ahead of the home stretch of games.
RAIDERS FINISH WITH A BURST
They’re the only remaining undefeated team in the SG Ball, and Canberra showed why with an impressive second half blitz of Parramatta.
Three tries in an eight-minute span turned a tie game into a one-sided affair as the Raiders shut the gate in the blink of an eye.
This year’s U19s competition is hot, but they’ve earned favouritism with their form through five rounds.
KNIGHTS REMAIN IN THE HUNT
While Canberra deserves top spot, Newcastle is hot on their tails after moving up to second at the weekend.
They handed the Warriors their first loss of the season at St Johns Oval, piling on four tries in the first-half to make the task difficult for the visitors.
If they can get through this weekend’s clash with Wests, they have a nice run home and every chance to secure a top-two spot.
STEELERS SEASON ON THE EDGE
One half of footy has put Illawarra’s SG Ball Cup season in massive jeopardy.
Needing a victory over the winless Dragons to keep their finals hopes intact, a 10-0 advantage was squandered and they now find themselves in 11th.
With a run home of Canberra and Cronulla, they need wins in their next two to have any chance of advancing.
BALMAIN FLYING UNDER THE HAROLD MATTS RADAR
It took a massive effort for Balmain to protect their two-point lead in the closing minutes of their Harold Matts clash with the Roosters, and it could shape their campaign.
After a slow start to the season, that included a narrow loss to heavyweights Parramatta, the ninth placed Tigers have now won two on the trot. And next week in Wollongong they have a chance to enhance their growing reputation against the fifth ranked Steelers.
MAGPIES TUMBLE IN MATTS LOGJAM
It was only Wests’ second defeat of the season, but in a Harold Matts logjam, the loss to Penrith saw the Magpies tumble to seventh on the ladder.
But with each of the top six sides all on one loss, if Wests knock over Newcastle next week, their rebound could be just as quick.
ROOSTERS READY TO CROW
There’s lots to like about the Roosters in the run to the finals of the SG Ball. Currently stuck in eighth spot, the Tricolours face a relatively friendly draw and with the third best attacking record in the comp they have the firepower to turn a few heads.
DAY OUT TAKES TIA TO THE TOP
Speaking of Roosters firepower, how about gun SG Ball playmaker Cassius Tia?
With a 22-point rampage against the Tigers, the five-eighth became the competition’s leading point scorer in a season where he only took over the goal kicking duties in round three.
WESTS REBOUND IN EPIC CLASH
After their heavy round four defeat in Canberra, questions were raised about Wests’ credibility in the SG Ball.
They left it late, but a four-point win over the previously unbeaten Panthers was the perfect response. Faced with a tough schedule, they get another chance to thumb the critics in round six against the second placed Knights in Campbelltown.
SEA EAGLES AND DRAGONS READY TO GO BACK-TO-BACK
Both Manly and St George finally opened their SG Ball account in round five.
Winless over the opening four weeks, Manly rounded out a consistent performance to blitz the Bulldogs, while the Dragons delivered on their early season promise against the Steelers.
This week they face-off at Mascot, where a win could prove the impetus for a late finals charge.
PANTHERS START CLIMB FROM FOOT OF THE MOUNTAINS
Two weeks is a long time in the junior reps, with only nine rounds there’s little time to waste.
Following two defeats and a draw, Penrith’s season looked cooked after just three rounds in the Tarsha Gale Cup. Now with two straight victories, the seventh placed Panthers are poised to pounce again in round six against the struggling Rabbitohs.
QUIRKY DRAW
They’re the only two unbeaten teams in the Tarsha Gale Cup, but they won’t play each other until a possible finals match up.
But the way it’s shaping, the Roosters Indigenous girls and Bulldogs are on track for a grand final showdown.
MATTS LADS TAKE A BREATHER
After a hectic five weeks of Harold Matts action, five sides now have the luxury of a well earned week off.
In a shortened weekend of matches, Norths, Parra, Canberra, Cronulla and the Roosters will dust themselves off before returning to the field in round seven.
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