As it happened: Roosters, Raiders smash records; Titans deliver

Fulltime

Sydney Roosters scored 44 unanswered points in the second half as 2024 Golden Boot winner Tarryn Aiken sparked a record equalling 56-12 win against Parramatta at CommBank Stadium. The Eels dominated the first half and the teams went to the break level at 12-12 but the Roosters turned it on after the break to score a half century of points for the first time in the club's eight NRLW season. The win also bettered their 40-0 defeat of Cronulla last season and equalled the most points scored by any team in the NRLW - a feat achieved twice by the Sharks, who beat Parramatta 56-6 in 2023 and the Raiders 56-6 earlier this season. Aiken scored two tries and laid on three others in a performance worthy of a 10 in the old Rugby League Week rankings. Fijian winger Taina Naividi finished with a hat-trick just 24 hours after signing a contract extension - her third try coming in the second half after she had moved to dummy half. The 14th consecutive win by the Roosters improved the for-and-against for the 2024 grand final winners as they try to remain ahead of the Broncos in the race for 2025 minor premiership. 

80 min: Kelly has completed the scoring with a try in the dying seconds after Naividi combined with Kelleher to pull apart the defence for the NSW Origin captain to score. Kelleher converted. Roosters 56 Eels 12.

68 min: Aiken has again burst into clear before finding Sergis in support to extend the Roosters lead. Kelleher again missed the conversion attempt. Roosters 50 Eels 12.

64 min: Aiken strolled over for her second try as the Roosters show why they are the team to beat with a comprehensive second half performance. Kelleher missed her first conversion attempt. Roosters 46 Eels 12.

62 min: Rima Butler has scored her fourth try of the season after spinning off the goal post pad before crashing over as the Roosters have taken charge of the second half. Roosters 42 Eels 12. 

59 min: Aiken has put Sergis through a gap with a perfectly executed pass for the Roosters next try. Kelleher converted. Roosters 36 Eels 12.

53 min: Nasio crashed over off a set play involving Davis at dummhalf and Aiken receiving the ball near the line. Kelleher again converted. Roosters 30 Eels 12.

50 min: The Eels have won their third captain's challenge of the match after Zali Fahey successfully wrestled the ball from Jayme Fressard, but Tamika Toddhunter lost the ball over the tryline.

44 min: Naividi has her third try, this time racing over from dummy half, after interchange forward Amber Hall burst through the defence. Kelleher converted. Roosters 24 Eels 12.

41 min: The Eels started the first half like they began the first but the Roosters have again got the jump with Aiken dummying her way past Fluer Ginn and Lindsay Tui before beating Church to score. Kelleher converted. Roosters 18 Eels 12.

Halftime summary

After a good start, the Eels conceded two easy tries and the Roosters looked like they were going to extend their winning streak to 14 consecutive matches without much effort - and perhaps they believed that was the case. Besides a brief period early in the half when Taina Naividi scored two tries in five minutes, Parramatta have been the better team and can consider themselves unlucky not to be in front. Rachael Pearson is steering the team around the park, her kicking game has continually put them in good positions to attack and she is running the ball more than usual. Young forwards Tess McWilliams and Chloe Jackson have made an impact off the bench, while winger Martha Mataele is proving a handful every times she touches the ball. 

35 min: The Eels finished the half with another long range break but ran out of time before the siren sounded.

26 min: NSW Origin fullback Abbi Church has put the Eels on level pegging on the scoreboard after squeezing through some poor goal line defence to score. Pearson converted. Eels 12 Roosters 12.

25 min: Roosters forward Macie Carlile was held up over the line and the Eels counterattacked with a long range break by Chloe Jackson. 

21 min: Roosters forward Aliyah Nasio has been placed on report for a crusher tackle on Parramatta winger Zali Fahey. 

19 min: The Eels almost had another try when Mia Middleton leapt for a Pearson cross-field kick and came down with the ball over the line but replays showed she had lost it into Roosters centre Jess Sergis. 

17 min: Rueben Cherrington has put the Eels back in the game after dummying at dummy half and stepping over to score. Pearson converted. Roosters 12 Eels 6.

10 min: Naividi is in again after a cut out pass from hooker Keeley Davis to Kelly created an overlap out wide and the 24-year-old juggled the ball before crossing in the corner. Kelleher again converted. Roosters 12 Eels 0.

5 min: Fijian flyer Taina Naividi has made Parramatta pay when she crossed in the corner for her seventh try in as many games this season after halfback Tarryn Aiken picked the ball up in broken play and linked with Isabelle Kelly. Five-eighth Jocelyn Kelleher converted from out wide. Roosters 6 Eels 0.

3 min: Pearson has kicked a 40/30 but the Eels failed to capitalise and have compounded their error with a penalty.

1 min: The Roosters have kicked off and Elsie Albert has carried the ball up on the first tackle for the Eels. The PNG captain has had two runs in the first set before Rachael Pearson's clearing kick on the last tackle.

Late Mail

Eels: The Eels are 1-17 with no late changes. Centre Mia Middleton is set for her first game of the season having recovered from a facial injury. The versatile Fleur Ginn moves to five-eighth in place of Rosemarie Beckett. The 18th player is Ryvrr-Lee Alo.

Roosters: The ladder leaders line up 1-17 as named. Corban Baxter was ruled out after Friday's captain's run with a low-grade ankle sprain, with Brydie Parker confirmed to play fullback. Jayme Fressard will start on the wing after making her return via the bench last week and playing in the middle. Prop Macie Carlile is the new face on the bench. The Roosters are aiming for their 14th consecutive victory, a streak that started in Round 6 last year.

Numbers Game

• The Eels have lost their last seven games at CommBank Stadium.
• The Roosters have won four of their five games against the Eels.
• Eels lock Kennedy Cherrington will make her 30th NRLW appearance.
• The Roosters are aiming for their 14th consecutive victory.
• The Eels require one try for 100 NRLW tries since their inception in 2021.

Titans v Dragons at Cbus Super Stadium

Dragons outgunned: The Red V had only 45 per cent of possession and completed only 17 sets compared to the home side's 28 sets. No Dragons player ran for more than 100 metres and they missed 26 tackles on a disappointing afternoon on the Gold Coast.

Full-time: The Titans have their first home win of the season to keep themselves in the hunt for the top six. A hat-trick and 128 run metres from Georgia Grey was the catalyst for the Titans who also had fullback Lailani Montgomery (17 runs for 155 metres) and prop Jessika Elliston (16 runs for 145 metres) standing tall.

68 min: Titans centre Sarina Masaga leaves the field with a leg injury.

66 min: Lauren Brown goes to the right and tries to set up Phoenix-Raine Hippi but the pass goes astray and the Dragons come out of trouble.

64 min: The Dragons get a couple of repeat sets in close range and Zali Hopkins plunges over from dummy half but replays show she had fumbled the ball as she tried to pick it up.

58 min: Lauren Brown goes to the air and the ball comes loose after a contest between Jayme Millard and Phoenix-Raine Hippi. The Titans winger dives on the loose ball and the referee awards a try but replays show Hippi had knocked on in the contest and the try is ruled out.

51 min: Teagan Berry spills a Lauren Brown bomb and Lily-Rose Kolc pounces on the loose ball to dot down for another Titans try. Brown misses the conversion from close range. Titans 22-4.

50 min: The Titans launch a successful captain's challenge when the bunker rules Lailani Montgomery was stripped by Keele Brown. 

42 min: Dragons forward Madison Mulhall is placed on report for a dangerous tackle. Sienna Lofipo is sent for a HIA after the tackle. Lofipo passes her HIA and is able to return.

40 min: Taliah Fuimaono comes up with a superb long pass to put Georgia Grey over for her third try of the day. Grey becomes just the third Titan to score a hat-trick in the NRLW after Jaime Chapman and Emily Bass. Titans 18-4.

39 min: Dragons forward Jamilee McGregor is placed on report for a hip drop tackle on Shaylee Bent.

Half-time: The home side completed only 11 of 18 sets but missed only nine tackles as they assumed control with three first-half tries. Fullback Lailani Montgomery ran for 103 metres and broke two tackles while Jessika Elliston led the way in the middle with 81 metres from nine runs. 

35 min: Kasey Reh takes on the line from 10 metres out and leaves four Titans defenders clutching at thin air as she gets the Dragons on the board. Raecene McGregor misses the conversion. Titans 14-4.

33 min: The Titans knock the ball on from a scrum win with Tahlia Fuimaono coming up with the error at first receiver and the Dragons get a late shot at points.

29 min: Ivana Lolesio comes up with an error in the play the ball with the Titans on the attack again.

26 min: A line break from Tori Shipton sends the Dragons into the Red Zone but Charlotte Basham is caught on the last tackle as the Titans hold firm.

22 min: No mistake this time around as the Titans go left again and Georgia Grey completes her first career double after Georgia Hale and Taliah Fuimaono combine to put her into open space. Lauren Brown adds the extras. Titans 14-0.

19 min: Another chance for the Titans but Taliah Fuimaono's floating pass to winger Georgia Grey goes astray and the opportunity is lost. Titans 8-0.

14 min: Georgia Grey takes the final pass from Shaylee Bent and powers through Teagan Berry's tackle to post the Titans' second of the day. Lauren Brown can't convert from wide out. Titans 8-0.

12 min: Teagan Berry sweeps to the right but her flick pass to Tyra Ekepati goes astray and the Titans come away.

4 min: Phoenix Raine-Hippi grabs the opening try after a mistake by Tyra Ekepati handed the Titans possession inside the Red Zone and the ball was shifted quickly to the right wing. Titans 4-0.

Late Mail

Titans: The Titans are 1-17 with no late changes. Captain Georgia Hale will start at lock after playing hooker last week and youngster Lily Kolc comes from the bench to start at hooker. Sienna Lofipo, who was named at prop but started at lock last week, is again named to start up front, with Laika Clarke moving back to the bench. Veteran Niall Williams-Guthrie has dropped out on game day and will have to wait another week for her first appearance of the season.

Dragons: No late changes for the Red V. With Hannah Southwell serving a two-game ban, Bronte Wilson has been elevated from the bench to start as prop. There are further changes to the bench, with Tahlia O'Brien and Trinity Tauaneai added and Ahlivia Ingram out after suffering a head knock. Tauaneai completed a fitness test on Friday and is good to go. Nita Maynard-Perrin's return from a knee injury has been put on hold for another week after she dropped out of the squad in Friday's team update.

Numbers Game

• The Titans have won their last two games against the Dragons.
• Dragons fullback Teagan Berry has scored nine tries in five games against the Titans.
• The Titans have lost their last four games at Cbus Super Stadium.
• The Dragons have scored only six tries in their last four games.
• The Titans have lost their last four games without Jaime Chapman.

 

Bulldogs v Raiders at Belmore Sports Ground

Running riot: The Raiders had nine players who ran for more than 100 metres, led by centre Leianne Tufuga (14 runs for 169 metres) and Simaima Taufa (16 runs for 159 metres). Tufuga also came up with a stunning 14 tackle breaks while Taufa broke seven tackles.

Temara terrific: Raiders halfback Zahara Temara came up with four try assists and three line break assists to go with eight conversions - the most goals in a match by a Raiders player.

Full-time: An afternoon of records at Belmore as the Green Machine make it two wins in a row with a 10-try romp against the Bulldogs. The tally of 80 points is the most ever in an NRLW match and the Raiders smashed their previous highest score of 38 points and biggest winning margin of 22 points.

67 min: A consolation try for the Bulldogs through Andie Robinson which Tayla Preston converts. Raiders 56-24.

65 min: Raiders winger Mackenzie Wiki leaves the field with a rib injury.

60 min: Zahara Temara is tormenting the Bulldogs defence with her ball play and she puts Jordyn Preston over on the left edge as the onslaught continues. Temara pilots her eighth conversion of the day. This is now the most points ever scored in an NRLW game surpassing the tally of 72 points scored on three separate occasions - twice in 2024 and once this season. Raiders 56-18. 

57 min: Isabella Waterman makes it a quickfire double courtesy of a pinpoint cross field kick from Zahara Temara. The winger outleaps Elizabeth MacGregor and slams the ball down for Canberra's ninth try. Raiders 50-18.

54 min: Cheyelle Robins-Reti takes the final pass from Elise Simpson and explodes into the back field to snap an 18-game tryscoring drought. Zahara Temara converts. Raiders 44-18. 

52 min: Kiwi winger Isabella Waterman finishes a long sweep to the right by the Raiders and surges through Elizabeth McGregor's tackle to grab her first NRLW try. The Raiders have now equalled the highest score in their NRLW history with 38 points. Raiders 38-18.

46 min: Another power play from close range for the Bulldogs with Alexis Tauaneai making it a double to cut the margin to 16 after the conversion. Raiders 34-18.

43 min: Shaniece Monschau is sent to the sin bin for a late shot on Lili Boyle after she had passed the ball in the lead-up to Preston's try.

42 min: Great footwork by Jordyn Preston who takes the ball 25 metres out and bursts through Andie Robinson's tackle to extend Canberra's lead with her second try in as many weeks. Zahara Temara converts. Raiders 34-12.

37 min: A mistake by Monica Tagoai hands the Raiders an early chance but Cheyelle Robins-Reti puts the ball down and the Bulldogs come away.

Stats a fact: The Green Machine had 62 per cent of the ball and completed 16 of 17 sets at 94 per cent to set up their 16-point lead. Canberra had 22 tackle breaks to the Dogs' 12 and four line breaks to two.

Half-time: On the back of their first win of the season last week the Raiders are on track to go back-to-back thanks to the second double of Simaima Taufa's career - the other one coming in Round 1, 2019 for the Roosters. Taufa had 10 runs for 87 metres and broke seven tackles in a powerhouse first-half display while Sophie Holyman ran for 85 metres.

34 min: Kalosipani Hopoate gets over the line but the Raiders do a great job to hold her up but two tackles later the home side goes over through Alexis Tauaneai to make it 28-12 at the break.

32 min: Orange junior Marley Cardwell enters the game on debut from the Raiders bench.

30 min: Bulldogs forward Holli Wheeler is placed on report for high contact in a tackle.

27 min: Simaima Taufa makes it a double as she leaves four Bulldogs defenders in her wake to extend the Raiders' lead. Zahara Temara bangs over the easy conversion. Raiders 28-6.

24 min: A line break from Sereana Naitokatoka who then times her pass perfectly to Elise Simpson who races 40 metres to score the Raiders' fourth try. Zahara Temara converts. Raiders 22-6.

18 min: The Bulldogs hit back when Holli Wheeler goes to the line and pops a nice short ball to Angelina Teakaraanga-Katoa who powers over from close range. Tayla Preston adds the extras. Raiders 16-6.

14 min: Zahara Temara puts on two superb sidesteps and then grubbers into the in goal where Latisha Smythe spills it and Chloe Saunders follows through to score. Temara converts. Raiders 16-0.

9 min: Slick hands from the Raiders' forwards close to the line with Jordyn Preston and Chloe Saunders handling before Simaima Taufa crashes over next to the posts. Zahara Temara converts. Raiders 10-0.

8 min: Tayla Preston goes to the air but it's way too deep and Makenzie Wiki takes the ball on the full and the Raiders get a seven-tackle set.

2 min: The Raiders strike first courtesy of a sneaky left side raid with Zahara Temara finding Cheyelle Robins-Reti who sends it on to Mackenzie Wiki for her third try in her past three matches. Raiders 4-0.

Kick-off: The sun is shining in Sydney after a week of rain and Belmore Sports Ground looks magnificent for the Bulldogs' first ever game at the club's spiritual home.

Late Mail

Bulldogs: Adi Vani Buleki is a late inclusion on the wing in place of Simina Lokotui (hamstring). Five-eighth Ashleigh Quinlan dropped out of the side on Friday due to a hamstring injury so Anneka Wilson slides to five-eighth and Ebony Prior is the new hooker. Shaquaylah Mahakitau-Monschau has been added to the bench. Alexis Tauaneai returns after three games out with a hamstring injury so Hope Millard drops back to 18th player. Shannon Muru and debutant Leio Fotu-Moala are the new faces on the bench.

Raiders: No further game day changes after Marley Cardwell was added to the bench on Friday to make her NRLW debut. Kere Matua makes way. The loss of Monalisa Soliola to a leg injury sees Tatiana Finau promoted from the bench to start in the second row. Isabella Waterman has been elevated from 18th player to start on the wing while Grace Kemp and Lili Boyle are the new faces on the bench.

Numbers Game

• The Bulldogs will host their first NRLW game at Belmore Sports Ground.
• The Raiders have scored more points in their last two games than they did in their first five.
• The Bulldogs have not won at a home venue since Round 1 against the Knights.
• Raiders halfback Zahara Temara requires three goals for 100 NRLW goals.
• Bulldogs winger Elizabeth MacGregor has scored four tries in four NRLW games.