Dragons Pathways Wrap: Rd 8

The Dragons will appear in the SG Ball postseason after coming out on top of the Raiders 54-16 at Forshaw Park on Sunday.

It took just two minutes for hooker Isaiah Fagalilo to burrow his way over off a threatening Shadi Hammoud carry and kick-off the scoring for the Red V.

Finau Latu then powered his way over off a shrewd Ryan Hutchinson offload to continue the hosts' strong start.

An enterprising piece of final-tackle play paved the way for the Dragons' third with Hammoud taking off and finding Hutchinson who sent a pristine cut-out the way of David Afu which Jesse Williams finished off.

The Raiders came up with a response soon after through Xavier Cacciotti but that did little to slow the Red V attack down.

Halfback Brandon Tikinau showed the ball and darted over moments later before a rampaging Corey Ackers steamed his way over to score.

A brilliant link-up between Hammoud and Williams ensured the Dragons finished the first half on a high with the former executing a pinpoint chip into the arms of the latter to make it 36-6 heading into the break.

The opening points of the second stanza came through Raiders second rower Mahonri Tiotala before Hammoud's boot again produced a result with right winger Lennox Jensen pouncing on a Raiders drop to snag himself a try.

Samuel Gash notched another for the visitors 55 minutes in before the Dragons capped the afternoon off with a pair of late tries.

A beautiful exchange of passing saw halves Hammoud and Tikinau link up to put Cyrus Stanley-Traill into some space who in turn found Lyric Craft-Te Moananui with a crafty offload to improve the lead.

Loko Pasifiki Tonga barged his way over under the sticks with five minutes remaining to bring up the half-century for the Dragons and ensure that their season will continue into the finals.

The Steelers SG Ball Cup outfit went down to the Bulldogs 46-16 at Hammondville Oval on Sunday.

A hot start saw the Bulldogs leap out to a 28-0 lead heading into halftime courtesy of tries to Logan Spinks, Sosaia Alatini, Bryan Jorgensen, Sosefo Finau and Ratu Rinakama.

Steelers skipper Daniel Meafou burrowed his way over in familiar fashion out of acting half to get the visitors on the board early in the second half.

Jarrah Treweek followed his captain's lead moments later finding a four-pointer of his own out of acting half to eat into the deficit further.

Their comeback attempt was dealt a blow soon after with Patrick Young crossing for the Bulldogs before Kade Reed sent centre Bailey Marks steaming through off a scrum from inside the Steelers half for their third try.

Unfortunately, that was the last of the scoring for the Steelers with the hosts nabbing a pair of late four-pointers to seal the victory.

TARSHA GALE CUP

A late surge powered the Raiders to a 34-10 win over the Dragons Tarsha Gale Cup unit on Sunday at Forshaw Park.

Early tries to Claudia Finau and Elise Simpson put the visitors on the front foot in the opening stages before Dragons No.9 Dalia Nabhan found her way over for the response.

Simpson grabbed a second moments later for the Raiders to propel them to a 10-point halftime edge.

Manaia Maxwell-Puohotaua scored her second try of the season on the other side of the break to pull the Red V back into the contest.

The Raiders weathered the fightback however with Finau grabbing a second before winger Lara Cosgrove crossed for a late double to seal the win.

The Steelers’ Tarsha Gale Cup minor premiership chances were dealt a huge boost on Saturday with Courtney Crawford’s squad coming away with a comprehensive 62-0 win over the Panthers at St Marys.

A quartet of Steelers secured multiple tries as they charged towards a 13 tries to 0 victory at the foot of the mountains for their seventh win on the trot.

Skipper Kasey Reh kicked off the scoring three minutes in for the visitors before back rower Rhian Yeo scored back-to-back tries as the Steelers looked to keep up with the clock.

Brielle Luccitti, Darcy Eade, and Indie Bostock etched their own names on the scoresheet soon after before five-eighth Evie McGrath scored a pair of tries in just three minutes to add to her impressive try tally and make it 38-0 heading into the sheds.

Winger Sienna Leslie managed a double of her own on the other side of the half before front rower Hope Millard joined the try-scorers party with a deserved four-pointer 49 minutes in.

Darcy Eade grabbed her second moments later before capping the afternoon off with her third on the stroke of fulltime.

HAROLD MATTHEWS CUP

A late flurry spurred the Raiders to a 34-14 win over the Dragons at Harold Matthews Cup level at Forshaw Park on Sunday.

Dragons lock Matthew Hayek got the hosts on the board just two minutes in before the Raiders snagged a trio of tries in the space of 10 minutes to race out to a 16-6 advantage.

The Dragons hit back on the stroke of halftime through Ahmad Assaad before the talented winger grabbed a second on the other side of the break to cut the deficit to just two.

Unfortunately for Frank Pritchard’s squad, the tide turned back the way of the visitors from that point on with Kruger Roache nabbing a double and Preston Smallwood crossing to cap off a Raiders victory.

It proved a day to forget for the Steelers Harold Matthews Cup unit going down 52-6 to the Bulldogs at Hammondville Oval on Sunday.

A pair of Steelers sin bins laid the platform for the Bulldogs to pour on five first half tries – two of which coming through winger Jope Rauqe – to take a 28-0 advantage into the sheds.

The scoring continued for the hosts to start the second half – with Rauqe notching a third – before Leeroy Weatherall crossed to stop the bleeding momentarily for the Steelers.

LISA FIAOLA CUP

The Dragons Lisa Fiaola Cup side fell to the Central Coast Roosters 42-4 at Forshaw Park on Sunday.

Roosters centre Breanna Bigeni crossed for four tries for the visitors whilst her centre partner Mia Vaotu’ua managed two of her own.

Mercedez Lisone Siaea got the Dragons on the board 35 minutes in, but it did little to deter the Roosters who raced away to their fifth win of 2024.

The Steelers Lisa Fiaola Cup group secured their sixth win of the season downing the Panthers 30-6 at St Marys on Saturday behind a trio of try doubles.

Both sides went toe-to-toe early with Steelers centre Halle Barrett getting the visitors on the board just two minutes in before Savannah-June Lealaiauloto responded for the Panthers the following set.

From that point on, however, it was all the Steelers – captain Tahlia O’Brien scored back-to-back tries before lock Michala Hardy got on the board soon after.

Barrett’s second came 24 minutes in before Hardy grabbed her second on the stroke of halftime to make it 30-6 which proved the winning score.