Penrith’s New South Wales Cup team sent out an S.O.S to the Dolphins-bound Isaiya Katoa after most of their regular players were on NRL duties.
Ivan Cleary’s decision to rest 12 players last week significantly impacted the Cup side, who despite being made up of Jersey Flegg and Ron Massey Cup players still produced a stunning qualifying final upset over the North Sydney Bears.
One of the players called into the reserve grade side was Penrith’s SG Ball grand final man-of-the-match, Isaiya Katoa.
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The teenage playmaker is off to the Dolphins next season and because of his decision to sign with the expansion club, Penrith stopped investing in him once the SG Ball season was over.
Instead he’s been playing local league for Glenmore Park Brumbies and rugby union for Barker College… until last weekend.
Read on for the latest Reserve Grade Wrap following week one of finals.
ALL EYES WERE ON…
Isaiya Katoa made his NSW Cup debut for the Panthers in Saturday’s qualifying final and showed exactly why the Dolphins pounced on him.
The 19-year-old scored Penrith’s first try after a show-and-go 10 metres out from the line before setting up two more, while also getting a linebreak, two linebreak assists, two tackle busts and 74 running metres.
Elsewhere, Eels star Nathan Brown returned from a finger injury via NSW Cup. Parramatta are now out of the finals after an 18-6 loss to the Bulldogs but Brown was solid in his 46 minutes off the bench. He ran for 120 metres, got a tackle bust and made 26 tackles.
Fellow Eel Bailey Simonsson will keep the pressure on the first grade backline with a dominant performance in the centres — his preferred position. Simonsson set up a try, got four tackle busts and ran for 138 metres.
The Bulldogs got their money’s worth out of hooker Zach Dockar-Clay, who scored his first NRL try in Friday’s 21-20 win over Manly and then starred for the NSW Cup side the next day. The 27-year-old started the game in the second row but shifted to five-eighth after an injury to Bailey Biondi-Odo in the ninth minute and set up a try, got a linebreak, a linebreak assist, four tackle busts and 192 running metres.
Meanwhile, axed Titan Toby Sexton was instrumental in Tweed’s win over Brisbane Tigers to progress through to week two of finals. Sexton set up two tries and ran for 86 metres in the 24-18 victory.
And Trai Fuller, who inked a train-and-trial deal with the Dolphins for next season, starred with three linebreaks, 11 tackle busts and 284 running metres in the Queensland Cup side’s 22-16 win over the Sunshine Coast Falcons.
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STANDOUTS
The Bears were stunned by a heavily depleted Panthers outfit but will take some confidence out of Sandon Smith once again delivering at halfback. Smith, who was named the Roosters’ junior representative player of the year in 2021, set up all three of North Sydney’s tries. He’ll need to deliver once again when they take on the Bulldogs in a do-or-die final on Sunday.
Speaking of the Dogs, Creedence Toia proved to be a handful at fullback up against the Eels. The 21-year-old was just about everywhere, finishing with a try, a try assist, a linebreak, two linebreak assists, three tackle busts and 250 running metres.
His teammate Brandon Wakeham was also key to the win with a linebreak, a linebreak assist, three tackle busts and 99 running metres to go with his try just after half time.
After being dropped to 18th man in the final game of the regular season, Isaac Lumelume returned to the Dogs’ starting side in style with a try, two linebreaks and 203 running metres, while the next generation of forwards also impressed. Jayden Tanner notched up 198 running metres and made 32 tackles with just one miss, Kurtis Morrin got 170 metres and made 26 tackles with zero misses, while fan favourite Jackson Topine finished with 142 running metres, a linebreak, a linebreak assist and 31 tackles with one miss.
SPOTTED
Saturday’s win was bittersweet for Bulldogs playmaker Bailey Biondi-Odo, who unfortunately suffered a season-ending ACL injury as the result of a hip-drop tackle.
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