Manly coach Anthony Seibold made a statement by dropping Josh Schuster and it seemed to work with the star five-eighth producing a huge performance to get Blacktown Workers into the New South Wales Cup finals.
Meanwhile, Te Maire Martin had a successful return from a horror leg injury — and is set to be parachuted straight into the Warriors’ NRL side.
Still on the Warriors, a couple of players put their hand up to replace the injured Tohu Harris, while the Storm will need to find a new plan to replace Jahrome Hughes after Jonah Pezet suffered a hamstring injury.
And a Blacktown Workers player — who was overlooked by the Eels last season — finished with a stunning tryscoring tally to top the competition.
And Queensland Cup kicked off finals with one elimination game being decided by a field goal after 93 minutes.
Read on for the latest Reserve Grade Wrap.
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ALL EYES WERE ON
If Seibold was looking for a response from Josh Schuster, he certainly got one. Schuster was dropped after taking zero runs in the second row for Manly in Round 25.
He played his preferred position of five-eighth to steer feeder side Blacktown to a crucial 32-22 win over the Bulldogs. The 22-year-old set up three tries, got a linebreak, two linebreak assists, three tackle busts and ran for 98 metres while also making 10 tackles with zero misses.
Unfortunately for Blacktown, he hasn’t played enough NSW Cup games this season to feature in finals.
Te Maire Martin is back after 19 weeks on the sideline with a broken fibula. He only played 51 minutes for the Warriors’ NSW Cup as part of his return to play plan but set up two tries, got a linebreak and ran for 61 metres in that stint.
Warriors NRL coach Andrew Wesbter was facing a tough call on his halves when Martin returned, but now he has no choice — Martin will be rushed back in at five-eighth after Luke Metcalf injured his hamstring over the weekend.
With Tohu Harris also sidelined with a back injury, Wesbter will be looking to fill a big hole in his forward pack. Tom Ale put his hand up, with two try assists and 205 running metres as well as 21 tackles — three misses — at lock.
Roosters star Angus Crichton played just the first half of the Cup side’s loss to the Magpies, finishing with three runs for 22 metres and six tackles, one miss. Meanwhile Naufahu Whyte celebrated his return from a MCL injury with a try, a linebreak, four tackle busts, 156 metres and 22 tackles — one miss.
Interestingly, winger Jaxson Paulo tried his hand at five-eighth and came up with a try assist, a linebreak assist, 84 running metres and made 13 tackles but did miss four.
The Storm may be looking for an alternate halfback to replace the injured Jahrome Hughes after Jonah Pezet picked up a hamstring injury 11 minutes into Brisbane Tigers’ win over Souths Logan.
Perhaps Tyran Wishart will come into contention after having his best performance of the season at five-eighth. Wishart, who has played hooker, lock, fullback and even prop in Queensland Cup over the last two seasons, steered Sunshine Coast to a 42-36 win over the Dolphins to keep their season alive. Wishart scored 22 of the points himself with a try and six conversions from seven attempts. He also set up two tries, got two linebreaks, three linebreak assists and ran for 181 metres, while also making 26 tackles with three misses.
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Danny Levi scored in his return game from a fractured jaw for the Raiders. Levi played 45 minutes off the bench and finished with 65 metres, a linebreak and 10 tackles to go with his try.
Veteran playmaker Anthony Milford dropped back to Queensland Cup but his experience wasn’t enough to seal the win for CQ Capras. Milford finished with 97 running metres, three tackle busts and 15 tackles — five misses.
Meanwhile, Jordan Rankin played his final game and went out on a high with a 34-24 win over Penrith in which he set up a try, got a linebreak and ran for 95 metres. Rankin became the youngest player in NRL history to debut at 16 years abd 238 days when he played for the Titans. He played 40 NRL games over stints with the Titans and Wests Tigers as well as 123 Super League games. The 31-year-old played 70 NSW Cup Games and will become the Eels’ Jersey Flegg head coach next season.
And Josh Rogers came up with the ultimate clutch play — a field goal in the 93rd minute to seal Wynnum-Manly’s 15-14 win over Northern Pride in an elimination final. Rogers was everywhere in the win, finishing with two linebreak assists, 138 metres and kicking three goals from three attempts.
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STANDOUTS
NSW Cup’s top tryscorer for 2023, Clayton Fualalo added two more to his tally over the weekend in Blacktown’s win to finish the regular season with 29 tries in 23 games — eight clear of the second-placed Junior Pauga. Incredibly, there was only one game Fualalo didn’t score in all year.
It’s an incredible effort in what was his first season in NSW Cup. Fualalo played for the Eels’ Jersey Flegg side in 2021 but couldn’t break into their Cup side last season so spent the year playing for Ron Massey Cup feeder side Wentworthville Magpies. He joined Manly’s feeder club Blacktown Workers this year and has been a revelation, switching between wing and centre.
Fualalo also finished the weekend’s game with four linebreaks and 133 running metres, while Jake Toby was electric at fullback with a try, a try assist, two linebreaks, three linebreak assists, seven tackle busts and 206 running metres.
The injury to Tohu Harris may open the door for 26-year-old Kalani Going to make his NRL debut after what’s been an impressive season in NSW Cup. Going bagged a double in the Warriors’ 42-12 win over the Dragons to make it six tries in his last seven games. Going, who has played both lock and second row this season, also finished with two linebreaks, six tackle busts and 97 metres as well as 21 tackles, three misses.
Taine Tuaupiki was also impressive for the Warriors, scoring a try, setting up two more, getting a linebreak, a linebreak assist, eight tackle busts and running for 235 metres at fullback.
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Eels young gun Arthur Miller-Stephen showed why club is so excited about his future with arguably his best performance of the season at fullback. Miller-Stephen, who is still eligible to play Jersey Flegg, scored a try, set up two more, got a linebreak, two linebreak assists, four tackle busts and ran for 169 metres. Zac Cini was also enormous for the Eels, bagging a double, getting two linebreaks, seven tackle busts and running for 122 metres in the centres.
Newtown’s barnstorming centre Kayal Iro scored a hat-trick in their 48-10 win over Newcastle. He also got four linebreaks, eight tackle busts and 221 running metres, while 21-year-old winger Sam Stonestreet bagged a double, got three linebreaks and ran for 217 metres.
Fullback Daniel Atkinson was busy in the win too with two try assists, a linebreak, two linebreak assists, five tackle busts and 155 running metres.
The Magpies finished the season on a positive note with a 44-32 win over the Roosters. Semisi Kioa scored a double in the centres, while Brandon Wakeham was everywhere, finishing with a try assist, a linebreak, two linebreak assists and 113 metres.
Teenage prodigy Chevy Stewart had a great game for the Raiders, scoring a try, setting up another, getting a linebreak, a linebreak assist, four tackle busts and 120 running metres.
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Brisbane Tigers winger Max Lehmann was a fan favourite after scoring an intercept try on the buzzer to seal his side’s 34-26 win over Souths Logan in a qualifying final.
After Jonah Pezet left the field, five-eighth Ryley Jacks stepped up to set up three tries, while veteran forward Tariq Sims led by example with a try, two linebreaks, seven tackle busts and 139 metres. Sims also made 29 tackles with just one miss.
Tristan Sailor was impressive at fullback in a losing side, finishing with three try assists, four linebreak assists and 179 metres. But he did miss four tackles.
Burleigh’s backs dominated in their 38-12 qualifying final win over CQ Capras, with players one to six all scoring a try and running over 100 metres. Halfback Guy Hamilton didn’t get a four-pointer but he did set up two tries, get three linebreak assists and five tackle busts. And Sam Coster got through a mountain of work in his 73-minute stint at lock, finishing with 193 running metres, four offloads and 39 tackles — one miss.
The Dolphins were knocked out of the finals, but Queensland Cup veteran Sheldon Pitama was all class at hooker, finishing with a try, two try assists, a linebreak, two linebreak assists, six tackle busts and 76 metres. The 26-year-old also made 36 tackles with four misses.
And Broncos prop Xavier Willison was outstanding for Wynnum-Manly, scoring a try, running for 285 metres — 129 post-contact — and making 23 tackles. He did, however, miss five.
SPOTTED
Broncos hooker Corey Paix was sin-binned for dissent in Souths Logan’s loss to Brisbane Tigers.
