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NSWRL Competitions: Round 1 Review

Zero Tackle reviews the Laurie Daley, Andrew Johns, Harold Matthews, Lisa Fiaola and Tarsha Gale Cup.

Published by
Ethan Lee Chalk

The opening round of the NSWRL competitions has been completed, with several stars slowly making a name for themselves in the junior ranks as NRL scouts keep a close eye on them for the future.

Zero Tackle reviews the results and examines the top try-scorers, top-point scorers and tables of the Harold Matthews Cup, Tarsha Gale Cup, Lisa Fiaola Cup, Andrew Johns Cup and Laurie Daley Cup.

Harold Matthews Cup

Highlight: As Luke Keary nears his retirement, the Sydney Roosters may have just found his replacement for the future. Scoring 12 points, Lachlan Metcalfe was exhilarating to watch in the halves and played a pivotal role in all of the club's attacking plays. Only young, he could easily develop into Sam Walker's half-partner down the track.

Results

Newcastle Knights 28 def Canberra Raiders 20
Penrith Panthers 44 def St George Dragons 4
North Sydney Bears 12 drew with Melbourne Storm 12
Canterbury Bulldogs 30 def Sydney Roosters 16
South Sydney Rabbitohs 52 def Illawarra Steelers 6
Cronulla Sharks 32 def Balmain Tigers 6
Parramatta Eels 34 def New Zealand Warriors 6

Top Try Scorer

1. Darcy Feltham 3 (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
2. Cooper Johnston 2 (Canberra Raiders)
= Paul Johnson 2 (Canterbury Bulldogs)
= Luke Metcalfe (Sydney Roosters)
= Tanner Mahon (South Sydney Rabbitohs)

Top Point Scorer

1. Lachlan Metcalfe 12 (Sydney Roosters)
= Darcy Feltham (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
3. Lincoln Fletcher 10 (Parramatta Eels)
= Jayden Carter (Penrith Panthers)
= Hunter Bell (Penrith Panthers)

Table

1. South Sydney Rabbitohs
2. Penrith Panthers
3. Parramatta Eels
4. Cronulla Sharks
5. Canterbury Bulldogs
6. Newcastle Knights
7. Manly Sea Eagles
8. Western Suburbs Magpies
9. Central Coast Roosters
10. North Sydney Bears
11. Melbourne Storm
12. Canberra Raiders
13. Sydney Roosters
14. Balmain Tigers
15. New Zealand Warriors
16. St George Dragons
17. Illawarra Steelers

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Tarsha Gale Cup

Highlight: The Penrith Panthers may have just won three consecutive titles in the NRL, but their women's team's 40-0 dominance over the Dragons shows they are also a must-watch team. Seven different players crossed the try line, illustrating how well-rounded the team is as they set up a great base for their NRLW team that will enter the competition in the next few seasons.

Results

Canterbury Bulldogs 32 def Parramatta Eels 4
Sydney Roosters Indigenous Academy 38 def North Sydney Bears 4
Cronulla Sharks 22 def Wests Tigers 18
Illawarra Steelers 30 def South Sydney Rabbitohs 12
Penrith Panthers 40 def St George Dragons 0
Newcastle Knights 16 def Canberra Raiders 10

Top Try Scorer

1. Elizabeth MacGregor 12 (Sydney Roosters Indigenous Academy)
2. Pauline Suli-Ruka 8 (Canterbury Bulldogs)
= Tia-Jordyn Vasilovski (Cronulla Sharks)
= Abbie Ritchie (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
= Evan McEwen 8 (Newcastle Knights)

Top Point Scorer

1. Elizabeth MacGregor 12 (Sydney Roosters Indigenous Academy)
2. Evan McEwen 8 (Newcastle Knights)
= Ellyssa Myers (Penrith Panthers)
= Chelsea Savill (Illawarra Steelers)
= Abbie Ritchie (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
= Tia-Jordyn Vasilovski (Cronulla Sharks)
= Pauline Suli-Ruka (Canterbury Bulldogs)

Table

1. Penrith Panthers
2. Sydney Roosters Indigenous Academy
3. Canterbury Bulldogs
4. Illawarra Steelers
5. Newcastle Knights
6. Cronulla Sharks
7. Manly Sea Eagles
8. Wests Tigers
9. Canberra Raiders
10. South Sydney Rabbitohs
11. Parramatta Eels
12. North Sydney Bears
13. St George Dragons

Zero Tackle's 2024 NRL Season Guide is now live, and this year, it's FREE! Over 120 pages of content, with every player profiled, full team lists, stats and expectations for every team. Get your FREE DOWNLOAD now.

Lisa Fioala Cup

Highlight: As the Penrith Panthers get closer to introducing a team into the NRLW competition, the club have found two potential superstars in the making: fullback Jade Elford and centre Hannah Ison. The former illustrated rugby league is in her blood and showed shades of her father and former NRL premiership-winner Shane Elford.

Results

Penrith Panthers 36 def St George Dragons 0
Canterbury Bulldogs 36 def Parramatta Eels 10
Sydney Roosters 44 def North Sydney Bears 6
Illawarra Steelers 14 def South Sydney Rabbitohs 12
Wests Tigers 20 def Cronulla Sharks 18
Central Coast Roosters 12 def Newcastle Knights 6

Top Try Scorer

1. Hannah Ison 3 (Penrith Panthers)
2. Jade Elford 2 (Penrith Panthers)
= Fetuao Taito (Canterbury Bulldogs)
= Abbey Fuz (Canterbury Bulldogs)
= Nikita E. (Parramatta Eels)
= Lacey Cross (Sydney Roosters)
= Irae Savea (Sydney Roosters)

Top Point Scorer

1. Hannah Ison 12 (Penrith Panthers)
2. Olivia Vaalele 10 (Canterbury Bulldogs)
3. Jade Elford 8 (Penrith Panthers)
= Fetuao Taito (Canterbury Bulldogs)
= Abbey Fuz (Canterbury Bulldogs)
= Nikita E. (Parramatta Eels)
= Lacey Cross (Sydney Roosters)
= Irae Savea (Sydney Roosters)

Table

1. Sydney Roosters
2. Penrith Panthers
3. Canterbury Bulldogs
4. Central Coast Roosters
5. Illawarra Steelers
6. Wests Tigers
7. Manly Sea Eagles
8. South Sydney Rabbitohs
9. Cronulla Sharks
10. Newcastle Knights
11. Parramatta Eels
12. St George Dragons
13. North Sydney Bears

Zero Tackle's 2024 NRL Season Guide is now live, and this year, it's FREE! Over 120 pages of content, with every player profiled, full team lists, stats and expectations for every team. Get your FREE DOWNLOAD now.

Laurie Daley Cup

Highlight: Things couldn't have gone any better for the defending Laurie Daley Cup champions, the Illawarra South Coast Dragons, as they decimated the Riverina Bulls. Back-rower Dreau Clark and playmakers Aaymon Fitzgibbon and Levi Valesini led the team to victory as seven players crossed the try line.

Results

Central Coast Roosters 14 def Monaro Colts 0
NR Titans 38 def NMR Knights 14
Northern Tigers 36 def NC Bulldogs 6
Illawarra SC Dragons 48 def RD Bulls 6
Macarthur Wests Tigers 26 def Western Rams 22

Top Try Scorer

1. Robert Smith 2 (NR Titans)
= Tyler Jarvis (NMR Knights)
= Dylan Keane (Northern Tigers)
= Dreau Clark (Illawarra SC Dragons)
= Aaymon Fitzgibbon (Illawarra SC Dragons)
= Jordi Robertson (Western Rams)
= Archie Duncombe (Macarthur Wests Tigers)

Top Point Scorer

1. Levi Valesini 16 (Illawarra SC Dragons)
2. Dylan Keane 14 (Northern Tigers)
3. Jimmy McCombie 10 (NR Titans)

Table

1. Illawarra SC Dragons
2. Northern Tigers
3. NR Titans
4. Central Coast Roosters
5. Macarthur Wests Tigers
6. Western Rams
7. Monaro Colts
8. NMR Knights
9. NC Bulldogs
10. RD Bulls

Zero Tackle's 2024 NRL Season Guide is now live, and this year, it's FREE! Over 120 pages of content, with every player profiled, full team lists, stats and expectations for every team. Get your FREE DOWNLOAD now.

Andrew Johns Cup

Highlight: Central Coast Roosters winger Semi Leweniqila may have produced the best weekend performance with his hat-trick against the Monaro Colts. Leweniqila showed he has what it takes to be a future NRL player, as he easily got past the opposing defenders with his barn-storming runs and could be compared to a younger Semi Radradra.

Results

Central Coast Roosters 26 def Monaro Colts 10
NMR Knights 22 def NR Titans 12
NC Bulldogs 34 def Northern Tigers 10
RD Bulls 24 def Illawarra SC Dragons 18
Macarthur Wests Tigers 24 def Western Rams 20

Top Try Scorer

1. Semi Leweniqila 12 (Central Coast Roosters)
2. Triston Ross 2 (Western Rams)
= Aidan Langham (NC Bulldogs)

Top Points Scorer

1. Semi Leweniqila 12 (Central Coast Roosters)
2. Curtis Lakeman 8 (Macarthur Wests Tigers)
= Triston Ross (Western Rams)
= Dane Mott (RD Bulls)
= Bodhi Kennedy (NC Bulldogs)
= Aidan Langham (NC Bulldogs)

Table

1. NC Bulldogs
2. Central Coast Roosters
3. NMR Knights
4. RD Bulls
5. Macarthur Wests Tigers
6. Western Rams
7. Illawarra SC Dragons
8. NR Titans
9. Monaro Colts
10. Northern Tigers

Zero Tackle's 2024 NRL Season Guide is now live, and this year, it's FREE! Over 120 pages of content, with every player profiled, full team lists, stats and expectations for every team. Get your FREE DOWNLOAD now.

Published by
Ethan Lee Chalk