The Red and Black Report focuses on Canterbury Rugby League youngsters competing in Australia’s elite and lower-grade championships.
Several Canterbury players competed in the NSWRL’s youth competitions, including the SG Ball Cup (under-19s), Harold Matthews Cup (under-17s), and Tarsha Gale Cup (women’s under-18s), which began last weekend.
SG BALL CUP.
The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, who began a development and pathways collaboration with CRL in 2023, began their SG Ball season with a tough 36-26 loss to the Sydney Roosters.
Linwood’s Chelden Hayward, a Canterbury age-group rep who appeared in St Thomas’ NZSST victory last year, made his Bulldogs debut on the wing, while Hornby forward and 2023 Harold Matthews Cup grand final winner Sosaia Alataini scored a second-half try off the bench.
Jason Salalilo, a Papanui junior and St Thomas’ star, began at prop for the Warriors in their hard-fought 32-20 loss to Parramatta on Sunday. The Warriors led 20-14 in the second half until losing the final three tries of the game.
Dakota Kakoi, Saalilo’s Canterbury 18s teammate and Linwood clubmate, played centre for the winning Eels.
Second-rower/centre Te Kaio Cranwell, who was named to the NZRL 20s Tournament Team after starring for the South Island Scorpions, represented Canterbury 18s, and played in Linwood’s CRL Premiership grand final victory in a whirlwind 2023, was part of the Newcastle Knights’ 56-10 thrashing of the Canberra Raiders in the SG Ball Cup’s first round.
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