Gordon Chan Kum Tong was once a cult hero and considered the next big thing at Manly, but now he’s fallen down the pecking order of hooking options.
However, the 22-year-old sent a big reminder to coach Anthony Seibold with a blistering performance in NSW Cup.
Meanwhile, the Bulldogs will need to plug a hole at fullback this week and an unexpected player has shot himself into contention after an outstanding fortnight in the No.1 jersey.
Elsewhere, veteran Dolphins duo Anthony Milford and Jarrod Wallace turned back the clock, while a young Knight is pushing for another opportunity in first grade.
Read on for the latest Reserve Grade Wrap.
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Hunt: Latrell not in Maroons heads | 04:30
ALL EYES WERE ON
While David Armstrong mulls over his immediate future, the Knights’ rising talent has been busy starring in NSW Cup.
Armstrong agreed to an extension with the Knights but now wants out to join Super League club Leigh Leopards. Although named at wing, the 23-year-old played fullback and finished with a try, a try assist, a linebreak, seven tackle busts and 99 running metres in his side’s 36-0 win over the Roosters.
Pint-sized No.9 Gordon Chan Kum Tong has fallen down the pecking order of hookers at Manly since Jake Simpkin arrived but he sent coach Anthony Seibold a strong reminder of what he can do.
Chan Kum Tong, who has dropped back to feeder side Blacktown Workers after a month in NRL, ran amok in the Sea Eagles’ 42-20 win over the Rabbitohs. He scored two tries, got a linebreak, a linebreak assist, five tackle busts and ran 142 metres. The 22-year-old also made 25 tackles with no misses.
Also starring for the Sea Eagles was the versatile Jamie Humphreys. The 22-year-old was developed as a half but was transitioning to hooker this season until injuries struck. He’s since spent the last six weeks in the halves and looks right at home.
Humphreys scored 18 points with a try and six conversions from seven attempts, while also setting up two tries, getting a linebreak, making over 100 metres and 20 tackles — three misses.
He was included in the NRL extended squad last week with Daly Cherry-Evans on Origin duties but Seibold opted to play Karl Lawton in the halves instead. There’s rumours doing the rounds suggesting he’s joining a rival club next season.
The Bulldogs will need to find a new fullback after Connor Tracey suffered a head knock last week and while Blake Taaffe is the obvious replacement, Cameron Ciraldo might even consider Hayze Perham after yet another stunning performance in the No.1 jersey.
Perham had a hand in five of the Dogs’ seven tries by scoring one and setting up four. He also had six linebreak assists and ran 137 metres.
In his last two games at fullback, Perham has notched up seven try assists and has averaged over 200 metres per game.
What could help Perham’s cause is also the fact that Taaffe has been playing in the halves in NSW Cup.
And with Jack Bostock unavailable due to a concussion also, Dolphins outside back Tesi Niu will likely come into contention for an NRL recall. Niu scored a try, set one up, got a linebreak, a linebreak assist, nine tackle busts and ran 140 metres.
Meanwhile, if Tom Dearden needs a rest after Origin II, Jake Clifford is ready to step in after starring for Cowboys feeder side Northern Pride. Clifford bagged a double and also set two tries up, while also getting two linebreaks, two linebreak assists, six tackle busts and 121 metres.
Marshall not surprised young guns | 06:04
NSW CUP STANDOUTS
The Knights have a boom back-rower coming through in Thomas Cant. The 22-year-old, who is on a development deal, made his NRL debut in Round 3 of last season but has come leaps and bounds since then.
Cant produced his most dominant performance to date on the weekend, scoring 24 of the Knights’ 36 points with three tries and six conversions from six attempts.
Cant, the captain of the Cup side, also finished with two linebreaks, six tackle busts, 146 metres and 19 tackles, two misses.
Five-eighth Zach Herring was also instrumental in the win with two try assists and two linebreak assists, while Jack Hetherington got through 70 minutes at prop and finished with a game-high of 226 metres, as well as 29 tackles, four misses.
Towering Bulldogs centre Jordan Samrani had a day out in his side’s 38-16 win over the Magpies. Samrani, who stands at 190cm tall, scored two tries, got three linebreaks, six tackle busts and 241 running metres.
The 22-year-old joined the Bulldogs from the Sharks on a development deal ahead of last season and was upgraded to the Top 30 this year. He had a stint in Ron Massey Cup earlier this season but has been in red-hot form over the last few weeks.
Hard-running centre Moala Graham-Taufa shone in the Warriors’ win over the Dragons, scoring two tries, getting a linebreak, six tackle busts and running 239 metres. Meanwhile Ben Farr was his usual electric self at five-eighth with a try, a linebreak, a linebreak assist and 143 metres. He also made 22 tackles bust did miss six.
And up-and-coming second-rower Leka Halasima gave Warriors fans something to cheer about with a dominant game, finishing with a linebreak assist, 13 tackle busts and 149 running metres. He also made 24 tackles but did miss seven.
The 18-year-old is considered one of the club’s most exciting prospects. He was the Warriors’ SG Ball Player of the Year in 2023 and made his NSW Cup debut later that season at just 17-years old. Halasima is currently on a development deal, but will move into the Top 30 in 2026.
While Toby Couchman has nailed down a spot on the Dragons’ NRL bench, his twin brother Ryan is pushing hard for a recall in NSW Cup. The 20-year-old earned NRL selection in Round 13, was 18th man in Round 14 and has since returned to Cup.
Couchman was once again the Dragons’ biggest workhorse in the loss with 269 running metres — 114 post-contact — as well as four tackle busts and 37 tackles, five misses.
19-year-old five-eighth Lyhkan King-Togia also had some nice moments with two linebreak assists, 148 running metres and 21 tackles, one miss. Kyng-Togia graduated from the Illawarra Steelers’ SG Ball side earlier this year.
It was three tries a piece for the Panthers and Jets, but the boot of centre Mawene Hiroti proved to be the difference as he slotted three conversions from three attempts as well as a penalty goal to secure a 20-16 win. Hiroti also scored a try, got a linebreak, five tackle busts, ran 149 metres and made 22 tackles but had two misses.
NSW Cup’s leading pointscorer Adam Cook added another 18 points to his tally via two tries and five goals, while he also got two linebreak assists and ran 91 metres in the Raiders’ 30-0 win over the Eels.
Mitchell Spencer was unstoppable in the second row with 197 metres and 38 tackles, one miss, while Hohepa Puru — who had to fill in at hooker — produced a captain’s knock with a try assist, a linebreak assist, 104 metres and 44 tackles, one miss, while playing out of his regular position.
Blacktown Workers prop Zane Dunford got his first start in NSW Cup and made the most of it, punching out 75 minutes and finishing with 141 running metres as well as 43 tackles, one miss.
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QUEENSLAND CUP STANDOUTS
Anthony Milford turned back the clock in the CQ Capras’ 30-18 win over Mackay, setting up two tries and also scoring one for himself in the final two minutes. The 29-year-old also finished with three linebreak assists and 93 running metres.
Winger Bob Tenza topped the running metres for the Capras with 208 off 20 runs. He also scored a try, got five tackle busts and a linebreak.
Speaking of turning back the clock, veteran prop Jarrod Wallace was at his best in the Dolphins’ 38-8 win over Wynnum Manly. The 32-year-old scored a try, got a linebreak, ran 175 metres and made 21 tackles with just one miss.
But it was five-eighth Joshua James who stole the show with four try assists and three linebreak assists.
The Dolphins’ wingers also shone with Brenton Baira bagging a double and nailing five conversions from five attempts, while Will Dobson scored and ran a game-high of 283 metres.
Julian Christian was everywhere for Norths Devils with the five-eighth setting up three tries, getting two linebreak assists and 90 running metres in their 38-10 win over Souths Logan.
Fullback Jordan Lipp left his mark on the game too with two tries and five conversions from seven attempts.
But Oryn Keeley was the talk of the game after notching up 300 metres from 21 runs — and 122 of those were post-contact metres. The Dolphins Top 30 second-rower also made 18 tackles but missed three.
Burleigh halfback Guy Hamilton celebrated his 150th Queensland Cup game in style, setting up three tries, getting a linebreak and two linebreak assists as well as 93 running metres in his side’s 56-14 win over Tweed Seagulls.
His halves partner Josh Rogers was just as busy, scoring 20 points on his own with a try and eight conversions from 10 attempts, while Josh Patston was enormous in the second row, scoring two tries, getting two linebreaks and running 142 metres. He also made 22 tackles with one miss.
Elsewhere, Sunshine Coast halves Cody Hunter and Luke Polselli steered their side to a 52-22 win over Western Clydesdales. Hunter set up a try and kicked eight conversions from nine attempts, while Polselli scored a try and set up two mires.
Source Agencies
