The Newtown Jets are ready for their first hit-out this Saturday.

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Newtown's 2008 triallists will have their first playing assignment this Saturday, weather and ground conditions permitting.

The Jets have entered a team in the NSWRL International Nines tournament to be conducted at the Cabramatta Sports Ground (Sussex Street, Cabramatta) on Saturday, February 9th 2008 commencing at 12 noon.

This is a 16 team tournament and other NSW Cup teams participating are the Balmain Tigers and Western Suburbs Magpies. Windsor, who this year will act as Penrith's feeder team in the NSW Cup competition (the former Premier League) will also be playing on Saturday, along with a number of entries from the Rugby League Emerging Nations group such as the Cook Islands and American Samoa.

The Newtown RLFC team management felt that the Nines tournament is a suitable opportunity for the Newtown triallists group to stake their individual claims for inclusion in the Jets 2008 NSW Cup squad.

Head coach Greg Matterson has named the following players for Saturday's tournament:

Players named for 9s tournament

Hep Cahill

Jimmy Andersen

Rhys Pritchard

Toshio Laiseni

Luke Gordon

Steve Meredith

Head coach Greg Matterson has named the following players for Saturday's tournament:

Rhys Pritchard, Hep Cahill, Luke Millwood, Toshio Laiseni, Khalid Deeb, Ray Moujali, Daniel Green, Luke Gordon, Ben Green, Jimmy Andersen, Byron Ford (ex-Souths and Hull Kingston Rovers), Michael Taouk (formerly with Newtown and Chester Hill), Ali Karouche (ex-Bulldogs), Joe Phillipe (ex-Roosters) and Fonua Fale (ex-Souths).

Given Sydney's weather conditions of the past week, Saturday's Nines tournament at the Cabramatta Sports Ground hangs in the balance depending on weather conditions in the next twenty-four hours. Please check with the Cabramatta Leagues Club on 9727 8788 if you want to know if the tournament is still on.

Post-tournament notes

The Newtown Jets entry in the tournament took some time to adjust to the hit and miss, “luck’s a fortune” style of Nines Rugby League.

However, after being eliminated in the qualifying rounds, the Jets dished out some merciless hidings to lightweight opponents in the consolation matches.

Jets coach Greg Matterson said that the Nines tournament served its purpose to give his players a hit-out after his squad has been in solid training for more than three months and the lads were all looking for a taste of the real thing.