Wests Tigers recruit Taylan May is making a splash in New South Wales Cup… and it might be enough to force his way into the NRL side.
Sandon Smith was the man to make way for Sam Walker’s return from injury, but there was no kicking stones — the 22-year-old Rooster responded with a stellar performance.
FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every game of every round in the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership, LIVE with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer >
Meanwhile, rising playmaker Niwhai Puru starred in the Newtown Jets’ narrow win over Manly, a Broncos outside back dominated in Queensland Cup and a PNG fan favourite carved up against his former team
And Jake Arthur has quietly entered the Knights’ halves equation for the rest of this season and beyond after an impressive start to life in the Hunter.
All that and more in the latest Reserve Grade Wrap.
ALL EYES WERE ON….
Taylan May would’ve caught the attention of Tigers coach Benji Marshall with an impressive performance for feeder club Western Suburbs Magpies.
May — who recently joined the club on a train-and-trial for the rest of the season — bagged three tries in 10 minutes, while also finishing with three linebreaks, two linebreak assists, five tackle busts and ran 117 metres.
The 23-year-old was a mainstay in the Panthers’ backline until he and the club parted ways due to off-field issues.
May is the younger brother of Tigers prop Terrell and the pair have openly spoken about their desire to play NRL together. If Taylan was to break into the Tigers’ 17 it would be the third set of brothers to play for the Tigers together this year with the Fainu’s and Laulilii’s having featured already.
Sandon Smith was all class in his first NSW Cup game of the season. Smith has been the Roosters’ starting five-eighth all season, but that changed over the weekend off the back of Sam Walker’s return from an ACL rupture and thumb injury.
While the Roosters went down to the Dragons, Smith was a class above in attack, finishing with two try assists, a linebreak, a linebreak assist and 138 running metres.
It comes amid reports that Smith could make an early exit from the Roosters — despite contacted until the end of 2026 — should they sign Daly Cherry-Evans.
Peter Mamouzelos was meant to be Damien Cook’s successor at the Rabbitohs — and was to start the season — but has ended up being the collateral damage of Brandon Smith’s arrival.
Mamouzelos broke into the Rabbitohs’ best 17 last season and found a home playing off the bench. With Cook departing for the Dragons this year, the path was clear for local junior Mamouzelos to take over the No.9 jersey.
After an elbow injury sidelined him for seven weeks the 24-year-old returned via the bench. However the following week, he was dropped to make room for mid-season recruit Smith.
Mamouzelos has now spent the last fortnight in reserve grade and while he hasn’t set the world on fire — he finished with 93 running metres and 28 tackles, four misses on the weekend — it would feel like a step back after starting the year as the first-choice No.9.
‘Selfishly, I just wanted to move on’ | 01:42
Injuries have created some backline woes for the Dragons this season, but the silver lining is they’ve also created opportunities for players like Sione Finau and Nick Tsougranis.
Another player who could end up getting an opportunity is Hayden Buchanan — a 19-year-old centre, who is tipped for a bright future.
Buchanan starred in the Dragons’ win on the weekend with two tries, two try assists, seven tackle busts and 191 running metres. He also made 14 tackles but had two misses.
The Hurstville product captained the Steelers’ SG Ball side last year and is a former Under 19s Origin representative. He’s quick, athletic and a powerful carrier of the ball so ticks a lot of boxes.
With finals all but off the cards for 2025, it might be time for the Knights to start looking towards the future — just like Eels coach Jason Ryles.
Adam O’Brien shifted Dane Gagai to fullback last week in the absence of Kalyn Ponga and Fletcher Sharpe, but there’s an exciting player in their system by the name of Connor Votano, who is tipped to be a future first-grader.
Votano represented NSW in the Under 19s Origin earlier this year and is destined to break into the NRL.
This season might be earlier than expected but with the Knights sitting 13th and six points outside of the top eight, O’Brien really has nothing to lose.
Votano has scored five tries and set up five this season. He averages just under 100 running metres a game and is also a goal-kicker.
While Votano won’t be unseating Ponga in the near future, getting some NRL experience under his belt could prove to be handy when it comes to the Origin period next year.
Then there’s Jake Arthur, whose form in NSW Cup this year cannot be ignored. The Knights plucked Arthur from Manly mid-season and his arrival helped end a five-game losing streak.
Arthur has steered the Knights to back-to-back wins and on the weekend was particularly dangerous with a try, two try assists, a team-high of 150 running metres and 20 tackles — four misses.
Arthur is only signed until the end of the season but has already shown enough to warrant an extension. The 22-year-old leads the competition in try assists and is third in linebreak assists.
MORE NRL NEWS
TALKING POINTS: Galvin reality Ciraldo can’t escape; marching orders for $13m man
CRAWLEY: Why gutsy Ryles power play is just what Eels need
‘HIGH EMOTION’: Walsh’s ‘high emotion’ clash with teammate sparks Broncos to life
‘OUR FUTURE’S NOW’: Ryles explains Brown’s Eels hooker switch
STANDOUTS
Knights prop Jack Hetheringon is on a hot tryscoring streak, bagging four tries in four games since being dropped to NSW Cup.
Two of those tries came on the weekend, along with a linebreak, 100 running metres, four tackle busts and 26 tackles — three misses.
Niwhai Puru was instrumental in the Jets’ win, setting up a try, getting two linebreak assists and 116 running metres. The 23-year-old playmaker was also busy in defence with 27 tackles and one miss.
But it was his boot that got his team over the line. Puru nailed all four of his conversion attempts, as well as a penalty goal which proved to be the difference.
Sam Stonestreet returned from an ankle injury with ease. The 23-year-old, who missed seven weeks after underdoing surgery, scored a try for Newtown, set another up, got four linebreaks and ran 149 metres.
Jordin Lieu was also enormous in the win with the prop racking up 130 metres and 20 tackles, no misses.
Broncos claim 5th-straight win | 02:01
The Warriors have a good one in emerging hooker Sam Healey. The 22-year-old made his NRL debut in Round 9, but has also been key to the Warriors’ dominant NSW Cup season.
Healey was everywhere in their 12th-straight win, finishing with a try assist, a linebreak, 139 metres and 44 metres — two misses.
The Bears put 50 points on the Bulldogs with Ethyn Martin and Coby Thomas bagging doubles. The latter also notched up 172 metres.
Phil Makatoa and Ofahiki Ogden produced big performances up front with both forwards getting a try assist and linebreak assist, while finishing with 200 and 161 metres respectively.
Dolphins young gun James Walsh had a day out for feeder side CQ Capras. The 19-year-old centre/second-rower scored four tries, got four linebreaks, 11 tackle busts and 154 running metres in the Capas’ win over PNG Hunters.
PNG product Morea Morea also put on a show against his former club. The 24-year-old fullback joined the Capras mid-season and went up against the Hunters for the first time on the weekend.
Morea Morea, who made his international debut last year, shone with a try, four try assists, four linebreak assists, one linebreak and 87 metres.
Elsewhere, Broncos back Delouise Hoeter had a stunner for Wynnum Manly, finishing with a hat-trick as well as two linebreaks, seven tackle busts and 215 metres.
