Monaro Colts: Week One Wrap

The Monaro Colts endured a tough start to their campaign, going 0/3 against the Northern Rivers Titans in Round One of the Andrew Johns Cup, Laurie Daley Cup, and Regional Lisa Fiaola Cup.

The Titans dominated across all junior representative grades, handing the Colts a disappointing opening round.

The Colts will aim to bounce back this Sunday at NSWRL HQ Bruce when they host the Macarthur Wests Tigers.

Andrew Johns Cup (U16)

Northern Rivers Titans 30 d Monaro Colts 6

The Monaro Colts hosted the Northern Rivers Titans at NSWRL HQ Bruce in Round One of the SLE Andrew Johns Cup, with the visitors claiming a convincing 30-6 victory.

The first half was tightly contested, but the Titans were the only team to capitalise, taking a 10-0 lead into the break.

They shifted into another gear in the second half, racing out to a 30-0 lead before the Colts grabbed a late consolation try just before full-time.

Titans prop Charlie Wood opened the scoring in the sixth minute, spinning out of a tackle from close range to crash over.

Ten minutes later, Lex Izzard’s deep kick over the top sat up perfectly in the in-goal, with Jesse Cooper winning the chase to ground the ball just before it rolled dead.

The scoring stalled for the remainder of the half, with Northern Rivers holding a 10-0 lead at the break and the game still in the balance.

The Titans came out firing in the second half, scoring two quick tries off scrum plays. First, creating an overlap on the short side for Jay Walpole to dive over in the corner, before Parker Kemister hit a gap and scored under the posts, extending the lead to 20-0 within 10 minutes of the restart.

They didn’t let up, adding two more tries in quick succession. Walpole bagged his second off a quick shift to his wing, and Cruz Sewell darted over from dummy-half to push the score out to 30-0.

Monaro finally broke through just minutes before full-time, with Jack Ryan’s chip kick perfectly gathered by Marlowe Young, who scored between the posts to bring the final score to 30-6.

Laurie Daley Cup (U18)

Northern Rivers Titans 32 d Monaro Colts 12 

The Monaro Colts and Northern Rivers Titans faced off at NSWRL HQ Bruce in Round One of the SLE Laurie Daley Cup, with the Titans claiming a dominant 32-12 victory.

The long trip to Canberra didn’t affect their performance, as Northern Rivers came out firing in the first half, racing to a 24-0 lead. They maintained control in the second half, conceding just two tries while adding two more of their own to seal the win.

The Titans struck early, jumping to a 12-0 lead within the opening 10 minutes. Ryder Nelson capitalised on a loose Monaro pass to open the scoring, before Jimmy McCombie’s brilliant solo effort set up Kai Saric under the posts.

The visitors continued to dictate play, extending their lead 10 minutes later through a powerful burrowing run from Noah Vakararawa out of dummy-half.

Just before halftime, the Titans executed a slick left-side shift, creating an overlap for Tye Hogan-Collins to cross. A successful conversion sent them into the break with a commanding 24-0 lead.

Monaro needed to score first after the restart, and they did just that as Thomas Handsaker charged onto a short ball off the ruck, bulldozing through three defenders to score under the posts.

But the Titans hit back quickly, shifting left deep in their own half to exploit a congested Colts defensive line. Monaro winger Benjamin Kami produced a brilliant chase to stop the Titans’ centre just short, but the retreating defence couldn’t recover in time, allowing Saric to dive over for his second.

Zildjian Tafili added another for the Colts in similar fashion to Handsaker, but it was too little too late.

The Titans had the final say, with Jesse Whittick sealing their 32-12 victory.

Regional Lisa Fiaola Cup (U17) 

Northern Rivers Titans 38 d Monaro Colts 4

The Monaro Colts made the long trip to Murwillumbah for Round One of the Regional Lisa Fiaola Cup but fell to the Northern Rivers Titans 38-4.

The Titans set the tone early, racing to a 20-0 lead by halftime before sealing the result with three second-half tries.

Annika Parker opened the scoring, darting out of dummy-half to crash over from close range.

Moments later, Elise Wilkinson produced a brilliant solo effort, selling a dummy to slice through the line before fending off a defender and stepping past the fullback to score under the posts.

Northern Rivers kept the pressure on, adding two more tries before the break. Charlotte Hape powered through four defenders to plant the ball down, while a slick left-edge shift sent Sienna Hodges over in the corner.

Monaro hit back early in the second half when Kira Morison muscled her way over in the corner, giving the Colts a brief spark. But the Titans quickly extinguished any hopes of a comeback with three more tries.

Lillie-Lee Mumford wiggled her way through from close range, Ella Wood stepped inside and fended off two defenders to score, and Tanesa Browning put Starbella Tonkin into a gap before she beat the fullback to cap off the dominant win.