Junior Reps Results | Sunday, 13th April, 2025

Four of the five Roosters junior representative teams have won week one finals in a great day for the club. Fortunately, the one loss suffered was not fatal, with the Sydney Roosters Harold Matthews Cup team getting a second chance next week.

 

S.G. Ball Cup (Men’s Under 19s)

 

The Sydney Roosters S.G. Ball Cup team have advanced to a preliminary final after a convincing 32-12 victory over the previously undefeated minor premiers, Parramatta in a qualifying final at Leichhardt Oval.

 

The Roosters scored six tries, with left second rower Darcy Smith scoring his sixth try from his last four games. The Roosters were far too powerful for the Eels and have now put themselves in a strong position to challenge for the title. The Roosters went into the match without fullback Rex Bassingthwaite (shoulder), centre Lachlan Dooner (knee), winger William Pappa (knee) and hooker and captain Jaxson Allen (jaw). Bassingthwaite and Pappas won’t play Ball again this year. However, the Roosters have a strong squad in 2025 and those filling in for these quality players were amongst the Roosters best on Sunday.

 

Jackson Stewart, who has taken over as fullback in recent weeks continues to impress and he was outstanding against the Eels. Left centre Lui Lee, halfback Toby Rodwell, Darcy Smith and prop Itula Seve had very strong games but the Roosters didn’t have a bad player as they became the first team to defeat the Eels in 2025.

 

The Roosters led 20-6 at half time after scoring four of their six tries through the first 31 minutes of the match. The dominance of the Roosters pack was evident once again and if the Roosters do go on and win their first title since 2014 it will be on the back of this highly talented and hardworking group of forwards.

 

The Roosters now have a week off before playing the winner of the Raiders/Bulldogs semi final in the preliminary final.

 

Harold Matthews Cup (Men’s Under 17s)

 

The Sydney Roosters Harold Matthews Cup team have been well beaten 20-4 by defending premiers New Zealand Warriors in a qualifying final at Leichhardt Oval. Despite beating the Warriors in Auckland last week, the Roosters failed to recapture that form and never seriously threatened the Warriors who were ferocious with their defence. The Roosters went into the game without captain Jeziah Papa (suspended) and star prop Charleston Te Rore (concussion) and they were sorely missed.

 

The Roosters will hopefully have both players back next week when they face fifth placed Central Coast Roosters in a sudden death semi final (the winner will then play the Newcastle Knights in a preliminary final).

 

The Central Coast Roosters Harold Matthews Cup team have kept their season alive with a come from behind 22-18 win over the Parramatta Eels in an elimination final at Leichhardt Oval. The Eels seemed to be in control of the game when they led 18-10 with six minutes remaining. However, Roosters captain and halfback Carter Mareko had other ideas. Mareko, who set up the Roosters first two tries of the game, split the Eels defence at the 54th minute mark (S.G. Ball Cup matches are 60 minutes long) to score a fine individual try and with his conversion the Roosters narrowed the Eels lead to 18-16.

 

However, the Roosters needed another try to complete the comeback but with minutes remaining the Eels had possession and appeared to be hanging on for the win. Then with the crucial play of the day Roosters left second rower Tulsyn McCulloch, the scorer of the Roosters second try, pulled off a sensational one on one steal 32 metres out from the Eels line to give the Roosters one last chance to remain in this year’s competition. In the ensuing set of six, Mareko, on the last tackle, threw a peach of a pass for left centre Eli Bennett to score and after Mareko’s conversion the Roosters led, for the first time since the 26th minute of the match, 22-18. The Roosters played out the final two minutes of the game to pull off a memorable win.

 

Mareko was the star of the match but special mention must be made on the contributions of Tulsyn McCulloch in the second row and bench prop Blessing Foini, who was a real handful for the Eels defence.

 

The Central Coast Roosters will now face the Sydney Roosters in a sudden death semi final (the winner will then play the Newcastle Knights in a preliminary final).

 

Tarsha Gale Cup (Women’s Under 19s)

 

The Sydney Roosters Indigenous Academy Tarsha Gale Cup team have kept their season alive with an extraordinary and highly dramatic come from behind 26-24 victory over the Newcastle Knights in an elimination final at the Windsor Sports Complex.

 

After conceding the first two tries of the match, the Roosters scored the next two (one to winger Manisha Seebeck and the other to interchange player Aaliyah Boland) to lead 10-8 at half time. The Roosters was able to stretch that lead to 14-8 when five eighth and captain Georgie Barrett scored early in the second half.

 

However, the Knights scored the next two tries (the second with just four minutes remaining in regular time) and appeared headed for victory when they led 20-14 so late in the game. The Roosters though weren’t giving up and in a perfectly executed short kick off, following the Knights 56th minute try (Tarsha Gale Cup matches are 60 minutes long) and with less than three minutes on the clock, the Roosters gained possession and would retain it for the remainder of regular match time. In what was to be the final play of regular time NRLW prop Aliyah Nasio scored the Roosters fourth try of the game, 20 metres in from the left touchline. Fullback Logan Fletcher kept her cool, under immense pressure, to land the conversion and send the match into extra time with the scores locked at 20-20.

 

In the first half of extra time the Knights left winger Ava Glassie scored in the corner to give the Knights a 24-20 lead and again it was the Knights who were favoured to advance to week two of the finals. With the clock ticking down, the Roosters received a penalty 10 metres out from their own line. A second penalty 35 metres out from the Roosters line mid set enabled the Roosters to set up for one final attacking raid before extra time was over. On the second tackle of what was to become the final set of extra time a lovely offload by lock Ellie Brander to second rower Zoe Lee was to send Grace Dabin, filling in for star right centre Tyra Ekipata, on a 40 metre dash to the tryline to lock up the scores once again, at 24-24. The conversion was missed and the match was now going to be decided in golden point extra time.

 

The Roosters received a penalty in the third set of golden point 42 meters out from their own line. A delightful long pass from hooker Mahlie Cashin early in the set sent right winger Manisha Seebeck, who did well to stay in the field of play, on a long run deep into Knights territory. The Roosters worked the ball in the ensuing tackles to close to the posts to set up for a field goal attempt for Logan Fletcher but unfortunately the attempt failed. However, a key reason for the miss was an illegal attack on the legs of Fletcher and the Roosters were awarded a penalty in front of the sticks. Fletcher landed the clutch penalty goal and the Roosters won the epic final 26-24. In the words of Roosters 1908 player, and later NSWRL official Horrie Miller, rugby league really is “the greatest game of all”.

 

The Roosters move on to played third placed Wests Tigers in next week’s sudden death semi final (the winner will then play the Illawarra Steelers in a preliminary final).

 

Lisa Fiaola Cup (Women’s Under 17s)

 

The Central Coast Roosters Lisa Fiaola Cup team have advanced to a preliminary final after a 24-10 victory over third placed Parramatta in a qualifying final at Leichhardt Oval.

 

The Roosters dominated the first half to lead 18-0 at the break. In fact, they led 18-0 after 13 minutes and such was their first half domination that the half time scoreline flattered Parramatta. The Roosters first half tries were all scored down Parramatta’s left side, the first by right winger Marley Gristwood, the second by right centre Talia Berryman and the third by five eighth and captain Mia Vaotuua. Vaotuua’s try, her 12th of the season through nine games, came as a result of a brilliant 50 metre run by star Roosters prop Kewa Kahuroa, who was just outstanding through her first, 16 minute, stint.

 

Hooker Meg McPhail landed all three first half conversions, one from the sideline and another from wide out.

 

The second half was a much tougher assignment for the Roosters. For just the third time all season, the Roosters conceded tries in this game (all three in the second half), and at one stage the Roosters lead was cut to just 8 points with the score at 18-10 with 21 minutes remaining. A converted try to second rower Aaliyah Temete with 15 minutes left gave the Roosters some breathing space and despite a third Eels try with 12 minutes left on the clock, the Roosters held firm to win the final 24-14.

 

The Roosters now have a week off before playing the winner of the Sharks/Tigers semi final in the preliminary final.

 

Laurie Daley Cup (Men’s Regional Under 18s)

 

Competition completed for 2025 (Premiers: IIlawarra South Coast Dragons)

 

Andrew Johns Cup (Men’s Regional Under 16s)

 

Competition completed for 2025 (Premiers: Newcastle-Maitland Region Knights)

 

See the latest results below for all the Junior Representative sides: