All Wests Tigers Pathways junior teams were in action this weekend, including the return of the Lisa Fiola and Tarsha Gale sides and the final regular season fixtures of both the Andrew Johns and Laurie Daley Cups.
There were mixed results across the board, with some memorable individual performances as the junior representative season heats up.
Macarthur Wests Tigers vs South Coast Illawarra Steelers
Both Macarthur Tigers sides finished their regular seasons undefeated, looking forward to semi-final action this coming weekend.
Andrew Johns Cup: 30-24 win
It was a tough start for Adam Whitelaw’s side as they went down 18-0 in the first 12 minutes, which extended to 24-6 midway through the first half.
A try from prop, Denham Tsagalas sparked a try scoring run for the Tigers, with tries from Siupeli Akau’ola and Billy Davis bringing the Tigers level.
Jesse Ropata scored a decisive try with five minutes remaining, putting his side ahead for the first time in the match.
Captain, Masen Mallia kept a perfect record in front of goal – a crucial factor in the Tiger’s win.
Laurie Daley Cup: 40-8 win
The undefeated Tigers continued their dominance with a convincing win over the Steelers.
After a slow start on the scoreboard, trailing 4-0 until the 26th minute, the Tigers found their rhythm, leading 16-4 at halftime.
Winger, Josh Vella had an outstanding performance, scoring a double and contributing with the boot, scoring half of his side’s 40 points.
After a consistently impressive season, Daniel Milford’s side will want to carry this momentum into this weekend’s semi-final.
Wests Tigers vs Melbourne Storm
The Wests Tigers travelled to Melbourne to take on the Storm, marking the first time that the club has hosted Tarsha Gale Cup and Lisa Fiola Cup games in its history.
Lisa Fiola Cup: 26-14 win
The Tigers delivered an impressive performance against a Storm side sitting above them on the ladder.
Coming off a bye in the previous round, Latu Fifita’s side went into the half with a narrow 6-4 lead courtesy of a try from Kalani Godinet.
The team put together a cohesive performance, which featured an eventful second half, with tries from Brianna Richards, Khiarna Munro, Remy Roper and two from Zaiah Williams.
The Tigers finished strongly with four tries in the final 10 minutes to run away with the win.
Tarsha Gale Cup: 18-18 draw
After falling 12-0 behind in the opening exhanges, it was an uphill battle for Taiana Waddell-Scanlan’s side.
Tries from Lusinita Taviliniu, Sienna Robertson and a double from Kalolaine Brown, brought the Tigers back into the contest and taking an 18-12 lead.
A converted Storm try with 10 minutes left levelled the scoreboard.
With only 12 players on the field in the last five minutes, the Tigers were unable to turn their final attacking efforts into points, ending the match in a draw.
Western Suburbs Magpies vs South Coast Illawarra Steelers
A strong effort across both grades saw the Magpies SG Ball side climb the ladder, while the Harold Matthews side showed promise heading into the second half of the season.
Harold Matthews: 30-22 loss
The Magpies found themselves trailing 20-0 early, as South Coast Illawarra made the most of their early opportunities.
Western Suburbs responded strongly with 22 unanswered points. Joshua Ratu scored a double, with Sebastian Taylor and Terowie Golding-Lyons also crossing over.
Despite the strong effort to turn the tide, the Magpies were unable to maintain their momentum, with the Steelers finishing the match strongly to claim a 30-22 victory.
SG Ball Cup: 22-18 win
The Magpies started well, leading 10-0 after 16 minutes. The match was interrupted by a lightning delay, leaving a soggy surface for the rest of the final game of the day in Wollongong.
After the delay, the Magpies then conceded 18 unanswered points, trailing 18-10 at the break.
James Lanyon gave his side a lift with a try on the wing, which he converted, reducing the margin to two points.
Then, with minutes left, Christian Taupau-Moors crashed over, securing the Magpies a 22-18 victory.
The win represents a big turnaround for Nathan Lakeman’s squad, who in recent weeks have converted strong performances into wins.
Balmain Tigers vs Melbourne Storm
Both Balmain sides were unable to secure a win over the weekend but showed a lot of promising signs for the weeks ahead.
Harold Matthews: 18-16 loss
The Tigers launched a strong attack from the outset, with James Kerr scoring the first two tries and winger Sione Maea made an impressive 40-metre run to score under the posts.
Balmain led 16-6 at half-time, but a quick try after the break brought the Storm back into the game.
With less than seven minutes to go, Melbourne scored a try from the wing, which was converted, snatching the lead at a crucial point in the match.
The Tigers showed plenty of promise in the close loss and will aim to build on this performance in the upcoming rounds.
SG Ball Cup: 34-20 loss
It was a tough loss for Balmain in SG Ball, with Roy Asotasi’s side opening the scoring, following a dummy half run from Ryan Mackander.
A second try from Ali Hicham Karnib on the wing pushed the Tigers ahead 8-6 in what had been a tense opening to the match.
However, the Storm eventually responded with 20 unanswered points to take control of the game.
Despite a double from Houma Fotu, the Storm ended the match with a 34-20 win.
