THE NRLW’s Magic Round was plagued by bad weather, including the threat of lightning disrupting two games on the opening day.
Horrendous, wet conditions across the weekend hardly proved conducive to free-flowing rugby league at Newcastle’s McDonald Jones Stadium.
That being said, there was history in the opener with GOLD COAST TITANS and CANTERBURY BULLDOGS playing out the competition’s first-ever draw, 14-14, with both sides scoring three tries and converting just one.
Georgia Grey finished strongly for the Titans early on before Natasha Penitani grabbed a neat solo score to make it 10-0.
Elizabeth MacGregor did respond for the Bulldogs, but Jasmine Solia stretched the Titans’ lead to 14-4 at half-time.
Back came the Bulldogs, though, and a Monica Tagoai effort, coupled with another MacGregor four-pointer levelled proceedings with barely ten minutes gone in the second half.
And, despite Solia getting sinbinned for a high tackle, neither the Titans nor the Bulldogs could strike the decisive blow.
Things were more straight forward in game two as SYDNEY ROOSTERS racked up a 34-4 victory over a lacklustre WESTS TIGERS that could only muster an Emily Bass score for their efforts.
Jessica Sergis and Isabelle Kelly both dotted down twice whilst Amber Hall and Aliyah Nasio rubbed further salt into the Tigers’ wounds. The Roosters’ Jocelyn Kelleher, meanwhile, ended with five from six with the boot.
The game was delayed by 38 minutes during the second half due to lightning concerns, and the following match was also stopped for around 20 minutes in the first half.
BRISBANE BRONCOS were in fine form against CRONULLA SHARKS with Tamika Upton excelling, the fullback registering a hat-trick and causing all sorts of problems for the Sharks on a torrid evening.
Upton’s first-half double, alongside Julia Robinson and Destiny Brill tries, sent the Broncos into a 22-0 half-time lead.
Despite Upton grabbing her third try immediately following the resumption, Cronulla did rally through Grace-Lee Weekes, Georgia Ravics and Ellie Johnston, but the damage had already been done.
Conditions weren’t much easier on day two, with heavy rain and howling wind the backdrop to NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS’ 12-6 win over NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS.
Rosie Kelly’s tenth-minute try, converted by Emma Manzelman, gave the Cowboys a good start but a dogged Warriors defence refused to concede another point.
An Ivana Lauitiit’i try plus a conversion and penalty from Patricia Maliepo gave the New Zealand side a two-point half-time lead, before Payton Takimoana crossed in the 51st minute.
NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS were just as good defensively in the following game, shutting out bottom side CANBERRA RAIDERS in an 18-0 victory on home turf.
There wasn’t a single point scored in the first half as both sides trudged through the mud.
But Sheridan Gallagher, Tiana Davison and Olivia Higgins all touched down in the second half and Jesse Southwell added the goal each time.
PARRAMATTA EELS won the final game of the round, defying an eight-point deficit and a host of injuries to triumph 12-10 against ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS.
Although Rachael Pearson kicked the Eels in front with a penalty after Raecene McGregor was sent to the bin for a dangerous tackle, Margot Vella crossed on the stroke of half-time and McGregor kicked the goal.
Tyra Ekepati followed in shortly after the resumption to make it 2-10 to the Dragons, but two tries in five minutes – by Elsie Albert and Fleur Gunn, the first converted by Pearson – secured Parramatta’s victory despite the loss Cassey Tohi-Hiku, Rory Owen and Kennedy Cherrington.
Results
Saturday 2 August
Gold Coast Titans 14 Canterbury Bulldogs 14
Wests Tigers 4 Sydney Roosters 34
Brisbane Broncos 28 Cronulla Sharks 14
Sunday 3 August
North Queensland Cowboys 6 New Zealand Warriors 12
Newcastle Knights 18 Canberra Raiders 0
Parramatta Eels 12 St George Illawarra Dragons 10
Fixtures
Saturday 9 August
St George Illawarra Dragons v Cronulla Sharks (3.45am)
Newcastle Knights v Wests Tigers (6.15am)
Canterbury Bulldogs v New Zealand Warriors (8.15am)
Sunday 10 August
Gold Coast Titans v Sydney Roosters (2.50am)
Canberra Raiders v Brisbane Broncos (4.45am)
Parramatta Eels v North Queensland Cowboys (9.15am)
(All UK time, all on Sky Sports and Watch NRL)
Table
Sydney Roosters 10 pts
Brisbane Broncos 8 pts
Newcastle Knights 8 pts
North Queensland Cowboys 6 pts
Parramatta Eels 6 pts
Canterbury Bulldogs 5 pts
Gold Coast Titans 5 pts
Cronulla Sharks 4 pts
St George Illawarra Dragons 4 pts
New Zealand Warriors 4 pts
Wests Tigers 0 pts
Canberra Raiders 0 pts