Mikaele Ravalawa made a thumping statement in what was his first New South Wales Cup game since 2019 after Dragons coach Shane Flanagan axed him from the NRL side.
Meanwhile, two teenagers touted for big things made their reserve grade debuts and the Panthers have snared and up-and-coming Cowboy.
Read on for the latest Reserve Grade Wrap.
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ALL EYES WERE ON….
The young Panthers outside backs stood no chance up against a rampaging Mikaele Ravalawa, who turned up to BlueBet Stadium on Saturday on a mission.
Ravalawa was dropped to NSW Cup for the first time since his first season with the Dragons — 2019 — after a poor defensive outing against the Bulldogs in Round 12.
NSW Cup coach Ben Woolf just wanted to see Ravalawa to bring all the good things to his game to the reserve grade team and the 26-year-old did exactly that.
With Flanagan watching on in the stands, Ravalawa took several tough carries, steamrolled a Panther to score and set up a try with a cross-field kick. He also finished with a linebreak, four tackle busts and a game-high of 232 running metres.
Also impressive in the Red V was teenage centre Hayden Buchanan. He was recently singled out by club legend Jason Nightingale on the Fox League Podcast as a future NRL player and the 18-year-old didn’t disappoint.
Buchanan, who captained the Steelers’ SG Ball side earlier this year and was a joint winner of their Player of the Year award, finished with a try assist, a linebreak and 128 running metres.
Broncos development player Coby Black also stepped up to make his Queensland Cup debut at halfback over the weekend for feeder side Souths Logan. 18-year-old Black is the player that made news in April for scoring 46 points in Burleigh’s 130-0 win in the Mal Meninga Cup (under 19s).
An injury to Albert Kelly opened the door for Karmichael Hunt to select Black, who held his own in the Magpies’ 48-36 win over PNG Hunters in Port Moresby. He set up two tries, had two linebreak assists, four tackle busts, ran 49 metres and made 11 tackles with two misses.
And speaking of emerging playmakers, the Panthers have picked up Zack Lamont mid-season. The 20-year-old was highly regarded in the Cowboys’ system. He played halfback in the under 19s Origin last year and was instrumental in the Townsville Blackhawks’ Hastings Deering Colts 2023 premiership win.
Lamont arrived to the Panthers ahead of Round 11 and made his NSW Cup debut off the bench a day after meeting his coach and teammates.
He got his first start in the halves in the Panthers’ loss to the Dragons over the weekend and had some nice moments, including a perfectly-weighted grubber to set up a try. The 18-year-old held his own defensively too with 18 tackles — two misses.
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NSW CUP
Tom Rodwell was busy on the wing in Newtown’s 34-18 win over the Eels, scoring a try, setting up another, getting a linebreak, a linebreak assist and running 159 metres.
Workhorse hooker Jayden Berrell was involved in everything on both sides of the ball with the reserve grade veteran setting up two tries and making 32 tackles, with four misses.
Zac Cini was impressive at fullback in a losing side, finishing with two try assists, two linebreak assists, nine tackle busts and 155 running metres. The 24-year-old started the season in the centres but has been unlocked ever since switching to fullback from Round 7.
The Knights broke a three-game losing streak with a 38-16 win over the Bulldogs. Kyle McCarthy bagged a hat-trick in the centres and ran over 250 metres, while Mat Croker was enormous in the middle, finishing with 174 running metres, five tackle busts and 26 tackles — one miss — at lock.
The Rabbitohs are also back in the winner’s circle after a five-game losing streak and hooker Ryan Gray had his best game as a Bunny to go with it. Gray, who joined the club from the Bulldogs ahead of this season, bagged a double and set up a try. He also got two linebreaks, a linebreak assist, six tackle busts and 80 running metres, as well as 38 tackles — but five misses.
Skipper Chase Chapman also played a big role in the win over the Western Suburbs Magpies. The 23-year-old scored in the 25th minute and finished with over 200 running metres as well as 18 tackles, two misses.
And Bayleigh Bentley-Hope was a handful at fullback with 252 metres — 87 post-contact — as well as nine tackle busts and a linebreak.
Michael Molo was rock solid on both sides of the ball with 151 metres and 49 tackles — one miss — in the Dragons’ 26-10 win over the Panthers.
And in a losing side Penrith duo Jordan Grant and Riley Price were very impressive. Grant, who took on the captaincy after Tyrone Peachey was called up to NRL, scored a try, ran 192 metres and made 26 tackles with two misses. Price was unstoppable with 203 running metres and 35 tackles — one miss.
Livewire Bears fullback Jake Toby ran amok once again in his side’s six-point win over Blacktown. The 27-year-old set up two tries, got a linebreak, three tackle busts and 170 metres.
And Storm utility forward Bronson Garlick was busy at hooker with a linebreak and 136 running metres as well as scoring what ended up being the matchwinning try. He also made 36 tackles with three misses.
For Blacktown, Clayton Faulalo gave Toby a run for his money, finishing with two try assists, a linebreak, two linebreak assists, eight tackle busts and 195 running metres.
Moala Graham-Taufa scored a double for the Warriors in their 24-16 win over the Roosters and also finished with two linebreaks, five tackle busts and 125 metres. The 22-year-old centre was busy in defence too, making 22 tackles with three misses.
Kalani Going was his usual reliable self at lock with a linebreak assist, 152 metres and 27 tackles — two misses — while 18-year-old second-rower Leka Halasima backed up his big Round 12 performance with another, finishing with a linebreak, six tackle busts, 177 metres and 30 tackles.
Turoa Williams, however, carved up on the wing for the Roosters, setting up a try, getting three linebreaks, eight tackle busts and 215 running metres.
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QUEENSLAND CUP
Kaleb Ngamanu had plenty of joy on the wing for Tweed in their 28-18 win over the Western Clydesdales, including a hat-trick, two linebreaks, four tackle busts and 188 running metres.Meanwhile, hooker Vaka Sikahele brought plenty of spark off the bench. He scored his first try of the season, had six tackle busts, ran 124 metres and made 25 tackles with one miss.
It was doubles galore for Souths Logan with Kienan Tempest, Radean Robinson and Blake Mozer all scoring two tries each. Robinson also set up a try, got two linebreaks and ran 91 metres at five-eighth, while Mozer got a linebreak, two linebreak assists and ran 92 metres at hooker. Fletcher Baker led from the front in the win to finish with a try assist, a linebreak assist, five offloads, 170 metres and 27 tackles, three misses.
Lachlan Hubner set up a try in the Capras’ win over Ipswich, ran 160 metres and made 24 tackles with one miss at lock.
Flynn Camilleri bagged a double on the wing for Sunshine Coast in their 28-20 win over the Dolphins, while five-eighth Luke Polselli set up a try and then scored the match-sealing try in the 74th minute.
But it was lock and skipper Sam Burns, who stole the show. The 27-year-old veteran, who has over 100 Queensland Cup games under his belt, punched out 80 minutes and was rewarded for his efforts with a try. He also finished with 149 running metres and a game-high of 51 tackles with just one miss.
Gehamat Shibasaki had a blinder for Townsville, scoring two tries, setting another up, getting two linebreaks, two linebreak assists, 11 tackle busts and running 161 metres.
Nich O’Meley — son of former NRL hardman Mark O’Meley — bagged a double and ran over 170 metres for Burleigh, while halves pairing Josh Rogers and Guy Hamilton both set up a try each and ran over 100 metres. The latter also scored a try of his own.
And Burleigh icon Sam Coster, who has played 142 Queensland Cup games for the club, ran 187 metres at lock and made 45 tackles with two misses. The 31-year-old workhorse
is averaging 39 tackles a game this season with an astonishing 98.4 per cent efficiency.
Source Agencies
