The Sea Eagles and Dragons unleashed their new recruits after finalising a swap deal, while several Storm players impressed in their respective Queensland Cup feeder sides.
Two Tigers forwards produced a statement performance that should give coach Tim Sheens plenty to think about and the brother of an Eels star carved up.
A Roosters outside back and Bulldogs forward both made timely returns and Ken Maumalo made a big first impression in his new colours.
Read on for the latest Reserve Grade Wrap.
Watch every game of every round of the 2023 NRL Telstra Premiership Season LIVE on Kayo Sports. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >
Wests Tigers Press Conference | 08:56
ALL EYES WERE ON
Dragons and Manly fans got a look at their new recruits after the swap deal between the clubs was confirmed last week.
Aaron Woods played 33 minutes off the bench for Manly’s feeder side Blacktown Workers, finishing with 110 running metres and 15 tackles with zero misses.
Viliami Fifita played 28 minutes off the bench for the Dragons, finishing with 89 running metres, three tackle busts and eight tackles with zero misses.
Alec Tuitavake, who also joined the Dragons, is in the final stages of recovery from an ACL injury. He’s dived back into skills with his new team this week and is looking at a Round 8-10 return.
New Bulldogs recruit Andrew Davey returned from a concussion suffered during the trials, playing 28 minutes off the bench in the NSW Cup side’s win over Newtown, finishing with 48 running metres and 19 tackles with zero misses.
Roosters outside back Paul Momirovski also returned from a concussion he suffered during the pre-season and celebrated it with a try in the second minute for the Bears. He finished the game with a linebreak, three tackle busts, 68 metres and 13 tackles with two misses while playing in the centres.
Veteran winger Ken Maumalo played his first game for Burleigh in the Queensland Cup after making a mid-season switch to the Titans. He made an impact on his new team, scoring in the sixth minute, getting a linebreak, two tackle busts and 206 running metres in their 14-12 win.
After being dropped to 18th man for the Storm’s Friday night clash with the Rabbitohs, star forward Tariq Sims made the dash to Brisbane on Saturday to play 70 minutes for feeder side Brisbane Tigers. Sims ran for 115 metres, got two tackle busts and made 19 tackles with two misses.
Meanwhile, Joe Ofahengaue and Alex Seyfarth sent a message to Tim Sheens while playing for the Magpies with both forwards making over 200 running metres and over 30 tackles. Ofahengaue made the most metres of any player on the field — 240 — in his 65-minute performance. That came after sitting on the bench as 18th man the night before in the NRL side’s loss to the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium. He made the dash to Sydney the next morning to play for the Magpies at Lidcombe Oval.
MORE NRL NEWS
TALKING POINTS: Latrell’s Achilles heel emerges; Ciraldo’s shock role for Dogs hero
TEAM TIPS: Dogs’ forwards crisis; Eels’ timely boost; Dolphins’ fix for halves woes
‘LONELY AT THE TOP’: Latrell takes criticism ‘on the chin’ amid Souths’ struggles WHISPERS: Storm star mulling code switch as Panthers, Sharks look to lock down guns
STANDOUTS
There were nine different tryscorers in the Brisbane Tigers’ 54-20 win over Ipswich — and seven different players set them up — but the combination of Storm duo Marion Seve and George Jennings particularly fired. Seve, who returned from a knee injury in the previous round, scored a try, set up another, got a linebreak, three linebreak assists and ran for 174 metres. Meanwhile, Jennings, who is now two games into his return from an illness and knee injury, got a try, three linebreaks, a linebreak assist, six tackle busts and 175 running metres.
Still on the Storm, their most versatile player, Tyran Wishart, played hooker for Sunshine Coast and scored 18 points after bagging a double and kicking five conversion from six attempts. He also got a linebreak, two tackle busts and 134 running metres, while making 22 tackles with one miss.
Jayden Nikorima was just as busy, scoring a try and setting up two more while also getting a linebreak, two linebreak assists and 108 running metres at five-eighth.
And young gun Jack Howarth continues to be a handful in the second row, scoring a double, getting two linebreaks, 10 tackle busts and 198 metres. The 20-year-old also made 25 tackles with three misses.
Jack Cole — Penrith’s Matt Burton 2.0 — was busy in their 24-16 win over Canberra, scoring a try, setting up another, getting a linebreak assist, four tackle busts and 156 running metres. 19-year-old Cole, who also sports a headgear, has played a lot of footy at five-eighth but has been playing in the centres for the Panthers. He was upgraded to the Top 30 and extended through to the end of 2026 in February.
Young prop Liam Henry was enormous for Penrith too. The 21-year-old scored in the second minute and finished the game with 22 runs for 214 metres and five tackle busts, while also making 48 tackles with zero misses.
Bulldogs take out Golden Point thriller | 02:51
Rugby Sevens convert Jeral Skelton ran amok in the Bulldogs’ win over Newtown, finishing with a try, a linebreak, eight tackle busts and 201 running metres.
Hooker Brandon Clarke impressed in the same game — his NSW Cup debut — scoring a try, getting four tackle busts and making 32 tackles with zero misses.
Jack Murchie scored a double in the Eels’ 26-All draw with the Dragons on Saturday, while Jake Arthur had his fingerprints on just about everything, scoring a try, setting up two more, getting a linebreak, a linebreak assist, three tackle busts and running for 98 metres.
Will Smith’s short kicking game was on fire in the Magpie’s 22-10 win over the Warriors. The 30-year-old grubbered for two tries and his cross-field kick played a role in another.
Blacktown’s Dean Matterson is just as versatile as his star brother, Ryan. He filled in at five-eighth while Cooper Johns was on NRL duty and carved up in the side’s first win of the season. Matterson set up two tries, got three linebreak assists, two tackle busts and 122 running metres. He also forced two dropouts and made 14 tackles.
His teammate Josh Stuckey also had plenty of joy, scoring a double, getting two linebreaks, four tackle bustsm four offloads and 144 running metres, while also making 21 tackles.
The Bears came out on top in a clash with the Roosters’ other feeder side with halfback Ben Stevanovic having a day out. The 23-year-old played a role in four of North Sydney’s five tries, scoring two and setting up two. He also got two tackle busts and made 21 tackles with just one miss.
Towering second-rower Dane Aukofalau was all class for the Bears too, setting up a try, getting a linebreak assist, three offloads and 104 running metres, while also making 32 tackles with zero misses.
Get all the latest NRL news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports Sportmail. Sign up now!!
‘Love who he is’ Reynolds praises Burton | 01:58
Exciting Titans prospect Keano Kini was electric at fullback for Burleigh. The 18-year-old set up a try, got a linebreak assist, four tackle busts and ran for 226 metres.
Experienced halfback Guy Hamilton also played a key role in their win, scoring a try, getting four tackle busts and 189 running metres.
Toby Sexton was impressive on the other side of the ball in a losing side, setting up a try, getting two linebreak assists, running for 117 metres and making 17 tackles with zero misses.
Evan Child’s boot proved to be the difference for Northern Pride with the five-eighth slotting the matchwinning field goal in the 79th minute.
CQ Capras halves Bayley Gill and Adam Cook stepped up with both setting up two tries each in their win over Mackay.
Dolphins halfback Cody Hunter scored 24 of his team’s 36 points after bagging a hat-trick and kicking five conversions from six attempts. Winger Jeremy Hawkins also had a busy afternoon, scoring a try, setting up two more, getting a linebreak, a linebreak assist and running for 129 metres.
Elsewhere, Kobe Hetherington is continuing to impress since returning from a biceps injury. In his second game back, the 24-year-old got through 80 minutes and finished with a try, a linebreak assist, three tackle busts and 164 running metres, while also making 31 tackles with two misses.
SPOTTED
The Jacks brothers faced each other in Queensland Cup for just the third time. 30-year-old Ryley had a 2-0 jump on his older brother going into it and extended that to 3-0 bragging rights after captaining Brisbane Tigers to a 54-20 win. 33-year-old Rhys captained Ipswich and to celebrate the occasion, their dad Terry did the coin toss with the duo.
