James Fisher-Harris’ nine‑second try in Manly win falls short of rugby league’s all‑time fastest
Warriors forward crossed after a Daly Cherry‑Evans kickoff error, beating the NRL record but not the sport’s quickest score
James Fisher‑Harris scored after nine seconds in Friday night’s NRL match, but the New Zealand forward’s stunning opener in Manly’s 37‑36 victory does not stand as the fastest try in rugby league history.
The score came at Brookvale Oval in the final game for long‑serving Sea Eagles captain Daly Cherry‑Evans. A misjudged reception left Cherry‑Evans too deep as Tanah Boyd’s kickoff bounced past him and sat up for Fisher‑Harris, who touched down after nine seconds.
Cherry‑Evans conceded the error after the match, saying he had “underestimated the breeze.” The finish prompted widespread attention, with media and NRL historians checking official records. The nine‑second effort shaved two seconds off the previous recognised NRL fastest try, which was set by former Parramatta player Kirisome Auva’a.
Despite the quick score and the record‑book attention, commentators and officials cautioned against calling it the fastest ever in rugby league. Historical record keeping across competitions and eras has produced faster reported tries in other settings, and comparisons are complicated by differences in timing methods and competition levels.
Fisher‑Harris’s try opened a high‑scoring, tightly contested match that ultimately ended 37‑36 in Manly’s favour. While the early score provided an immediate talking point, the game featured multiple lead changes and late drama before the Sea Eagles secured the win.
The play underlined how quickly momentum can shift from a kickoff miscue. Kickoff returns and bounced balls have produced some of the sport’s most rapid scores, and the new mark in the NRL underlines how small errors at the start of a match can be punished instantly.
NRL statisticians maintain official timing for records within the competition, and the organisation recognises Fisher‑Harris’s nine‑second effort as the fastest in NRL history. Broader claims about the quickest try across all levels of rugby league, however, remain subject to historical verification and differing standards of measurement.