Roosters and Broncos maintain unbeaten records
The Sydney Roosters and Brisbane Broncos have continued their strong starts to the season, both remaining unbeaten after impressive performances. The Broncos, the reigning premiers, secured their fourth consecutive win by defeating the Knights at Totally Workwear Stadium. Despite the Knights matching them in the first half, the Broncos pulled away with three unanswered tries after the break, concluding the match with a 30-12 victory.
Tamika Upton, the team’s fullback, was a key player for the Broncos, contributing significantly in both attack and defence. She recorded 217 run metres during the game.
The Roosters closed out Round 4 with a decisive 48-10 win over the Wests Tigers at Leichhardt Oval. Five-eighth Jocelyn Kelleher was instrumental in the Roosters’ success, providing five try assists. Millie Elliott also made a notable impact, running for 153 metres and breaking six tackles. Additionally, Aliyah Nasio, in her first game since the previous year’s grand final, came off the bench to run for 138 metres.
Several players reached significant career milestones during the Roosters and Wests Tigers match. Sarah Togatuki of the Tigers played her 50th NRL match, making 154 metres from 14 runs and completing 27 tackles. Her teammate Holli Wheeler also reached 50 games, as did Rooster Jess Sergis, who scored a try in her milestone game.
Warriors secure close victory against Eels
At Eric Tweedale Stadium, the One New Zealand Warriors narrowly defeated the Parramatta Eels with a score of 14-12. The Eels were denied their first win of the season due to a forward pass in the final play of the game. Abbi Church, the Eels’ fullback, delivered a strong performance, scoring two solo tries and accumulating 231 run metres. However, the Eels were without Rory Owen, who was ruled out with a HIA, impacting their attacking options.
The Warriors saw the return of several key players from injury for this match. Gayle Broughton, who missed two games due to a quad injury, was confirmed to start at halfback, partnering with Emmanita Paki at standoff. Patricia Maliepo, who had played halfback in the first three matches, moved to the interchange bench.
Other returning players for the Warriors included winger Payton Takimoana and back rower Kaiyah Atai. Takimoana, who had scored 15 tries in 11 games in her rookie season, returned after a shoulder injury sustained in the season-opening win against the Bulldogs. Atai, the 2025 players’ player of the year, made her first appearance of the season at loose forward after recovering from a broken thumb suffered during a preseason trial against the Broncos.
The Warriors’ backline, apart from the changes involving Takimoana and Broughton, remained consistent with the lineup that achieved a 42-4 victory over North Queensland. There were also two changes to the starting pack, with prop Annetta Nuuausala moving to the interchange and Mya Hill-Moana starting in her place. The match against the Eels marked the first of two consecutive road trips for the Warriors, with their next game scheduled against the Titans in Wagga Wagga on August 2.
Heading into Round 4, the Warriors were positioned sixth on the ladder, one of five teams with four points, trailing the unbeaten Roosters and Broncos. The Eels entered the match following a 12-50 loss to the Titans, and previous defeats in the first two rounds against the Wests Tigers and St George Illawarra.
During the Roosters’ dominant performance against the Wests Tigers, Isabelle Kelly, the Roosters’ captain, was a significant force, contributing 87 run metres, two try assists, one line break, and two tackle breaks. She collaborated effectively with Jayme Fressard, who ran for 70 metres and scored a double. The Roosters maintained 57 per cent of possession and an 85 per cent completion rate in the first half, leading to a 22-0 advantage. They also had six line breaks compared to none for the Tigers and ran for 229 more metres.
The match also saw some disciplinary actions, with Brook Talataina of the Tigers sent to the sin bin for a hip drop tackle on Jess Sergis. Shortly before this, Roosters’ captain Isabelle Kelly was also sent to the sin bin for a hip drop tackle on Harmony Crichton. Shaylee Bent was placed on report for a hip drop tackle on Aliyah Nasio. Amber Hall, in her first game back from a calf injury, scored a try from close range for the Roosters.
The Roosters’ scoring continued into the second half, with Sariah Paki scoring the opening try of the second term from a precise kick by Jocelyn Kelleher. Jayme Fressard completed a hat-trick with another cross-field kick from Kelleher, who had two try assists and four conversions in the absence of her halves partner Tarryn Aiken due to a shoulder problem. Emily Bass scored the Tigers’ first try in the 53rd minute.
Aliyah Nasio scored her first try since the 2025 grand final, powering through a gap on the right edge. Lily Rogan also crossed for a try for the Tigers in the 68th minute, following a kick from Raecene McGregor. The final try of the match for the Roosters came in the 70th minute, with Jess Sergis scoring in her 50th game after a contested bomb by Mia Wood, bringing her career total to 32 tries.
Source: nrl.com
