Club Weekend Results | Saturday, 2nd August, 2025

Roosters NSW Cup team post a vital win at Brookvale to stay in the finals race.

NSW Cup

The 6th placed Sydney Roosters NSW Cup team have beaten the 12th placed Manly-Warringah 20-12 at Brookvale to keep their finals chances alive. In the first of their final five home and away fixtures, where the Roosters play the bottom five sides in the competition, the Roosters were forced to run into the stiffest of winds in the first half whilst the entire match was played in driving rain on a very heavy pitch.

Not surprisingly Manly dominated field position in the first half and led 6-0 after six minutes. Minutes later, Nat Butcher, in his return from a knee injury that had kept his sidelined for three and a half months, was the victim of a dangerous tackle and tragically re-injured his knee, forcing him off the field and leaving him to face another long period out of the game. The Roosters were forced to defend multiple sets on their own line through the first half and rarely had many attacking sets in Manly’s quarter. However, the Roosters defended stoutly throughout and were rewarded with their own try in the final minutes of the first half. After a nice run from five eighth Toby Rodwell down the left side, a hard running Xavier Va’a, continuing his very good recent form, took a short pass from hooker Zach Dockar-Clay close to the line to score a well-deserved try, and at the break the Roosters had managed to tie the scores at 6-6.

With the benefit of the wind in the second half, the Roosters were able to dominate proceedings and soon after half time a lovely grubber from Rodwell led to a try to lock Blake Steep and the Roosters led 12-6.

Just after the Roosters took the lead for the first time in the match, Toby Rodwell kicked a booming 40/20 to again put the Roosters in prime attacking position and from the following set it was Rodwell again with brilliant footwork, to beat multiple defenders to the tryline for a lovely individual try, and the Roosters led, after Rodwell’s conversion, 18-6. A penalty goal to Rodwell 13 minutes from fulltime was enough to secure victory for the Roosters, before a late Manly converted try gave us a 20-12 final score.

There were a number of fine performances from the Roosters, but none better than Toby Rodwell, who, for third match in succession, was the Roosters’ player of the match. He is now starting to get very comfortable playing in this higher grade and h has the brightest of futures ahead of him. Cook Island international prop Makahesi Makatoa was particularly busy, running for 180 metres in a 50-minute stint, whilst edge forward and captain Max McCathie, with 42 tackles, and a couple of try saving ones, was again amongst the hardest workers.

Right winger Fetalaiga ‘Junior’ Pauga, playing his first match since March, made a successful return from his back injury, running for a match high 224 metres.

The Roosters remain in 6th spot and still need 5th placed Penrith (who play teams 4, 1, 2 and 7 in their last four games) to drop at least two games to enable the Roosters to make the finals, but they are still a realistic prospect of being able to achieve that.

Next Sunday they return to Wentworth Park to play last placed South Sydney.

Jersey Flegg Cup (Men’s Under 21s)

The 8th placed Sydney Roosters Jersey Flegg Cup team’s match against the 13th placed Manly-Warringah was postponed and will now be played on Tuesday night.

NSW Women’s Premiership

The 10th placed Central Coast Roosters NSW Women’s Premiership team have beaten the 9th placed Wests Tigers 26-6 at Lidcombe Oval to post their second win of the season.

It was a most convincing win for the Roosters who scored five tries to lead 26-0 after 51 minutes before conceding a converted try right on fulltime. The Roosters fielded a team with two NRLW squad members in it (five eighth Jayde Herdegen and hooker Shawden Burton and three NRLW developments players (fullback Talea Tonga, halfback Sienna Thomas and lock Ellie Brander). Unfortunately, Brander was subject to an HIA early in the second half and was ruled out of the game.

The new halves combination of Thomas and Herdegen was the key in unlocking the Roosters attack on a day, due to poor weather and pitch conditions, where playing attractive attacking rugby league was very difficult.

The win has lifted the Roosters to 8th on the competition table ahead of next Saturday’s clash with 4th placed South Sydney at Redfern Oval.

Ron Massey Cup

The 5th placed Glebe Ron Massey Cup team’s match against the 8th placed Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs was postponed and will now be played next weekend.

Sydney Shield

The 7th placed Glebe Sydney Shield team’s match against the 9th placed Moorebank Rams was postponed and will now be played next weekend.

See the latest results below for all the Senior Representative and Affiliate club sides.