Pathways Wrap: Round 4

Canberra proved too strong for St George's Lisa Fiaola Cup outfit running out 60-8 victors in the nation's capital on Saturday afternoon.

Renee Targett's Dragons managed to stay within reach going into the sheds with Brooke Carroll and Tameira Robertson-Wotton going bang-bang prior to the break to cut the deficit back to 10 points after a hot Raiders start.

A second-half Canberra blitz put the result beyond any doubt however with Kymiah Stewart nabbing a double before Jayda Cook, Paua-Lee Going, Maddison Higgins, Ocean Kaiwai-Rangikauhata, Layla Wellington and Nevaeh Peac all crossed.

An attacking avalanche spurred the Steelers to a comprehensive 60-0 win over South Sydney at Redfern Oval on Saturday.

An opening-set Halle Barrett try proved an indication of what was to come for the Steelers.

Mia Davis nabbed a first-half double with Manawa Jen Tukere, Ella Churchill, and Charlotte Nicolson also finding four-pointers to make it 36-nil at the half.

Nicolson grabbed a second on the other side of the break before Laila Poto, Soraya Amone, and Michala Hardy all crossed to keep the good times rolling.

Davis nabbed a late try to complete her hat-trick and put the icing on the cake in what was a superb afternoon for Illawarra.

HAROLD MATTHEWS CUP

A late Dragons fightback wasn't enough to chase down the Raiders at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium with the hosts falling 32-18.

Kodi Roberts got Canberra on the board early before Jack Lambert shot through to pounce on a Charlie Jones grubber and open the Red V's account.

Nioka Aldridge and Kye Anderson found tries for the visitors to give them a double-digit buffer prior to break.

Half-time did little to cool Canberra down with Kuluni Vaipuna, Joaz Ayamiseba, and Jezaiah Charles all finding quick tries to kick off the second stanza.

Steven Tamaseu and Iverson Pauga found back-to-back tries for St George entering the final stages, but their fightback proved short-lived with the Raiders holding on for a 14-point win.

Jamie Szczerbanik's Steelers flew home from Auckland with a valuable pair of competition points downing the Warriors 22-16 to stay undefeated on the year.

The Warriors were full of running early with Ronan Byford finding a try before the visitors hit back through fullback Ollie Burton who sliced through off a well-timed sweep to slam the ball down.

Illawarra hit the lead not long after with winger Jack Goulder pouring through to jump on Tayler Humphries grubber.

A spectacular individual effort courtesy of back rower Bishop Neal saw the Warriors tie things at 10-apiece headed into half-time.

Byford powered his way over for a second on the other side of the break to wrestle the lead back for the hosts.

Undeterred, the Steelers came roaring back with Goulder again the beneficiary of a nice grubber this time off the boot of second rower Creighton Meafou.

Humphries added the extras from the right touchline to lock things up at 16-all entering the final quarter of the contest.

A penalty goal put the Steelers ahead before Jaxon Ballinger finished things off in the final stages off some astute Jett Brookfield playmaking to wrap up a strong victory for the squad.

TARSHA GALE CUP

The Dragons managed their first Tarsha Gale Cup win in almost two calendar years taking down the Raiders 18-10 in Canberra.

Erin Sheehy got the Red V on the board in the opening minute burrowing her way over next to the sticks.

The Raiders went back-to-back soon after via Isabella Piper and Gabriella Savage to snatch the lead off the visitors.

The clash entered a stalemate of sorts soon after before Merinda Mihajlovic nabbed a dummy-half try of her own with Sky Antoniolli's conversion putting the Dragons back on top with less than 20 minutes to play.

Kamanu Li’i Dennis found St George's third moments later off a well-rehearsed dummy-half play to put her side ahead by more than a converted try and ice a phenomenal win.

The Steelers' Tarsha Gale Cup squad completed a comprehensive double at Redfern taking down South Sydney 40-10 on Saturday.

It was all Illawarra early with Tori Shipton and Maria Paseka crossing in the early goings before the former notched her second moments later.

A Billie Va’a try saw the Steelers take a 22-nil lead into the sheds before a powerful Seriah Palepale effort extended the buffer on the other side of the break.

A quick April Chappell double breathed some life back into South Sydney's odds, but their fightback was short-lived with Armani Taniora and Siu Richter grabbing late four-pointers to seal the win for the visitors.

SG BALL CUP

St George's SG Ball group had a day to forget at Kogarah falling to Western Suburbs 50-4.

The Dragons got on the board first through Taj Jelacic before the tide turned firmly the way of the visitors.

Heamasi Makasini, Saint Fuatimau, and Sonny Edwards-Moeke found tries for the Magpies before Fuatimau grabbed tries No.2 and No.3 prior to half-time.

Byronn Laupepa crossed to continue Western Suburbs' dominance after the break before Christian Taupau-Moors and Tye Bursill joined him on the scoresheet.

Fuatimau nabbed a fourth and Callum McMenemy scored to finish things off for the visitors.

A Charlie Heidke match-winner propelled the Steelers to a thrilling 28-26 win over the Raiders in Pukekohe on Sunday.

The Warriors struck first through Maui Winitana-Patelesio before the Steelers hit back through Saifiti Junior Saifiti who finished off a textbook right-side shift.

Connor Bowden put the hosts back ahead moments later before Paea Sikuvea joined him on the try-scorers list.

Daniel Meafou was inserted into the contest soon after for his first taste of action in close to a year.

The side's captain and Player of the Year in 2024, Meafou has spent the past year rehabbing a knee injury and has recently spent time training with the Dragons NRL squad.

Bowden found a second soon after to put his side up 20-6 a little over a quarter of the way in.

Illawarra found a response through Mason Phillips out of dummy-half before Lucas Borg sent Tom Kirk streaking down the left touchline and over off a perfect scrum play to eat into the lead further.

Beau Baldock, who stepped into the halves as a result of Kade Reed's promotion into the Dragons' Charity Shield squad, brilliantly dummied his way over to put the Steelers ahead entering the final stages.

The Warriors managed a hit-back late however through five-eighth Noah Jensen in what looked to be a potential heartbreaker for Shaun Timmins' Steelers.

The contest had one last twist however with Heidke steaming through to clean up a dropped Aaymon Fitzgibbon bomb and ground it to tie things up at 24-apiece with the clock winding down.

Kirk nailed the conversion from next to the uprights to put Illawarra back ahead and secure a memorable win.