2024 NRL: Magic Round Recap and Key Stats

Check out what happened in round 11 (Magic Round) of the National Rugby League competition.

Final Scores

RAIDERS 24 d BULLDOGS 20
BRONCOS 13 d SEA EAGLES 12
KNIGHTS 28 d TITANS 24
SHARKS 38 d ROOSTERS 30
COWBOYS 28 d RABBITOHS 22
WARRIORS 22 d PANTHERS 20
STORM 48 d EELS 16
DOLPHINS 24 d TIGERS 12

Current Ladder

Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks (Position: 1) 20 pts (124), Melbourne Storm (Position: 2) 18 pts (81), Penrith Panthers (Position: 3) 16 pts (70), Dolphins (Position: 4) 16 pts (69), Brisbane Broncos (Position: 5) 14 pts (59), Canberra Raiders (Position: 6) 14 pts (-10), Sydney Roosters (Position: 7) 12 pts (107), Newcastle Knights (Position: 8) 12 pts (-9), St George-Illawarra Dragons (Position: 9) 12 pts (-56), Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles (Position: 10) 11 pts (30), Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (Position: 11) 10 pts (15), North Queensland Cowboys (Position: 12) 10 pts (-12), New Zealand Warriors (Position: 13) 9 pts (-7), Parramatta Eels (Position: 14) 8 pts (-103), Wests Tigers (Position: 15) 6 pts (-81), Gold Coast Titans (Position: 16) 6 pts (-91), South Sydney Rabbitohs (Position: 17) 4 pts (-186).

Review

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Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks has retained top spot after Magic Round at Suncorp Stadium.

The Sharks versus Sydney Roosters clash lived up to the hype – with 11 tries in total. Trailing 24-18 at half-time, Cronulla dominated the second half (tries to Siosifa Talakai, Ronaldo Mulitalo, Thomas Hazelton). Fetalaiga Pauga scored a double as the Roosters took the lead at the break.

Melbourne are in outright second after belting Parramatta. They scored eight tries in their biggest win of 2024 (doubles to Harry Grant and Reimis Smith), accelerating from a 16-10 half-time lead. Though the win was soured by Cameron Munster’s groin injury. As well as Melbourne, this injury will have massive implications for the Queensland Origin side.

The New Zealand Warriors broke a five-game losing streak and celebrated Dallin Watene-Zelezniak’s 200th NRL game. Shaun Johnson’s injury forced a reshuffle, with Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad moving to five-eighth and Taine Tuaupiki to fullback. It proved a masterstroke, as Tuaupiki scored the try to tie the game at 20-20, and then kicked the conversion to put the Warriors in front (he finished with three goals from four). Penrith had a chance to tie the game in the final minute, but Dylan Edwards missed the 35-metre penalty goal attempt.

The Dolphins stayed in the top four with a win over the Wests Tigers. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow scored two second half tries as The Dolphins built on a 12-6 half-time lead. Api Koroisau (in his 200th NRL game) scored a try and kicked two goals for the Tigers. It’s The Dolphins’ second win over the Tigers this season – both at Suncorp Stadium.

Newcastle had a high-scoring win over the Gold Coast. Unfortunately, an entertaining game was overshadowed by more Bunker controversy. The Knights led 28-24 when Brian Kelly appeared to score for the Titans in the corner with four minutes left. But the Bunker ruled that there was separation before Kelly grounded the football and the try was denied (despite the evidence looking inconclusive and ‘try’ being awarded on field). David Armstrong scored a hat-trick for the Knights while Alofiana Khan-Pereira scored a double for the Titans.

Canberra finally turned up for a milestone game, with a dramatic win over Canterbury-Bankstown. It’s been a big week for the Raiders: Ricky Stuart extending until 2029, Trey Mooney re-signing, and the club celebrating the 1994 Grand Final win with an “old boys” day at Suncorp Stadium. Leading 12-6 after 30 minutes, the Raiders lost Jordan Rapana (late tackle) and Josh Papalii (hip drop) to the sin bin. The Bulldogs took advantage of an 11-man Raiders, with tries to Stephen Crichton, Matt Burton, and Jacob Kiraz giving them a 20-12 lead. But the Raiders came back, with a double to Hudson Young – and then defending a four-point lead for the last 18 minutes – sealing their ninth straight win over the Bulldogs.

Brisbane continued their strong “away” Magic Round record against Manly Warringah, with their fourth win in five attempts. In a tight clash, a Jock Madden field goal broke a 12-12 deadlock with five minutes left, as Manly came back from a 12-0 half-time deficit.

Braidon Burns scored two tries (on his Cowboys debut) as North Queensland held off South Sydney. With North Queensland leading 28-18, Damien Cook scored in the 75th minute to close the gap to six points. But the Rabbitohs (celebrating Jack Wighton’s 250th NRL game) couldn’t find another try to potentially send the game to Golden Point.

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Players Making Their NRL Debut

Josaiah Karapani (Broncos) vs Sea Eagles, May 17
Sione Fainu (Tigers) vs Dolphins, May 20

Key Stats

• 381 points were scored in Magic Round, the second highest aggregate in the event (highest 422 in 2021).
• This year’s Magic Round had the lowest average margin in the event’s history at 8.63 points. The previous mark was an average of 12 points in 2023.
• South Sydney Rabbitohs lost their first ever match at Magic Round following their defeat by the North Queensland Cowboys on Saturday night.
• Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs remain win-less at Magic Round after going down to the Canberra Raiders on Friday night.
• The 68 points scored in the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks versus Sydney Roosters was the second largest in Magic Round history (highest 74 points between the Storm and Eels in 2019).
• Newcastle Knights fullback David Armstrong became the 6th player to score a Magic Round hat-trick. It was the third time a player has scored a Magic Round hat-trick against the Titans (Nathan Cleary in 2021, Maika Sivo in 2023 and David Armstrong in 2024).
• Dominic Young (51), Remis Smith (50) and Justin Olam (50) reached 50 NRL career tries during Magic Round.
• Keano Kini (Gold Coast Titans), Taine Tuaupiki (New Zealand Warriors), and Ali Leiataua (New Zealand Warriors) scored their first career NRL tries during the Magic Round.

Upcoming Milestones

• Dylan Edwards, David Fifita and Nick Meaney are two tries away from 50 NRL career tries.
• Valentine Holmes is three tries away from 100 NRL career tries.
• Tom Trbojevic is five tries away from 100 career tries.
• Alex Johnston is 11 tries away from 200 career tries.
• Jamayne Isaako needs 88 points for 1,000 NRL career points.