Details from the ISP NSW 6th round match between New Zealand Warriors and Newtown, played at Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland on Sunday, 9th April 2017

Jets get very close to toppling the undefeated competition leaders.

Newtown took a strong side to Auckland for this 6^th round Intrust Super Premiership match against the undefeated New Zealand Warriors. After what coach Greg Matterson described at fulltime as the team’s best performance so far this season, the Jets still came up just short of a winning result. The Warriors led 10-8 at half-time and opened up a 24-14 lead with nine minutes to play. Newtown pulled back to trail 24-20 with two minutes to go but the Warriors survived the Jets’ late surge.

NSWRL Intrust Super Premiership NSW – 6^th Round

Sunday, 9^th April 2017

Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland

New Zealand Warriors v Newtown

Kick-Off: 11.45 am (NZT).

The match was televised live on Sky Sports (NZ) and Fox League 502 (Australia).

Referee: Kasey Badger. Touch Judges: Nathan Parker-Pringle and Shane Rehm.

New Zealand Warriors 24:

Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad 2, David Palavi, Albert Vete, Ofahiki Ogden tries;

Lino Mason 2 conversions from 5 attempts (2 struck an upright and bounced away)

defeated

Newtown 20:

Jordan Drew 2, Jayden Walker, Sam Tagataese tries;

Fa’amanu Brown 2 conversions from 4 attempts.

Half-Time: New Zealand Warriors led 10-8.

Playing surface: First class.

Weather: Fine, mild, sunny, southerly breeze.

Temperature: 20 Degrees C, low humidity.

Newtown’s team:

Leigh Higgins, Matt Evans, Jesse Ramien, Jordan Drew, Edrick Lee, Penani Manumalealii, Fa’amanu Brown, Joseph Paulo, Tony Williams, Jayden Walker, Sam Tagataese, Tepatasi Fuiavailili, Kurt Kara.

Bench: Jaimin Jolliffe, Jack Williams, Kenny Niko, Manaia Cherrington.

Coach: Greg Matterson.

New Zealand Warriors:

Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Junior Pauga, Matt Allwood, Semisi Fotu, Tuimoala Lolohea, Ata Hingano, Mason Lino, James Bell, Ofahiki Ogden, Bunty Afoa, Patrick Sipley, Jazz Tevaga, Albert Vete.

Bench: Chris Satae, Daniel Palavi, Sam Cook, Toafofoa Sipley.

Coach: Ricky Henry.

The two coaches after-match comments:

Greg Matterson (Newtown):

“This was the best we’ve played this season, but the truth is we still lost”;

“The Warriors kicking game at Newtown’s end of the field was more effective than ours”;

“I wasn’t disappointed with our effort, just aspects of our execution”;

“We didn’t nail certain plays that ultimately made the difference”.

Ricky Henry (New Zealand Warriors):

“The Warriors rose to the challenge in this game. They knew that the Jets had several players with a lot of NRL and international experience”:

“I thought our forwards did well up the middle especially in the second half”;

“Our halves Hingano and Lino did well and are key players in this team”;

“The repeat sets we gained made the Jets do extra hard work in defence”;

“We’ve worked very hard at making this a much fitter reserve grade team than previously”.

Match Summary: –

COMPLETIONS:

1st half: Newtown 12/15 (80%) NZ Warriors 13/17 (76%)

2nd half: Newtown 14/19 (74%) NZ Warriors 15/20 (75%)

F-T: Newtown 26/34 (76%) NZ Warriors 28/37 (76%)

IN POSSESSION:

1st half: Newtown 56 tackles (46%) NZ Warriors 66 tackles (54%)

2nd half: Newtown 55 tackles (48%) NZ Warriors 59 tackles (52%)

F-T: Newtown 111 tackles (47%) NZ Warriors 125 tackles (53%)

PENALTIES:

1st half: Newtown 3 NZ Warriors 3

2nd half: Newtown 5 NZ Warriors 6

F-T: Newtown 8 NZ Warriors 9

SCORE:

Half-Time: Newtown 8 Newcastle 10

FULL-TIME: NEWTOWN 20 (4 tries, 2 goals) NZ WARRIORS 24 (5 tries, 2 goals)

Match timeline: –

First Half:

Newtown kicked off, running to the northern end of Mt Smart Stadium.

8^th min: Jordan Drew scores in the north-west corner after some good ball handling to create the overlap.

Not converted by Nu Brown. Newtown 4-0.

13^th min: Warriors go very close in sth-east corner. Great double tackle by Matt Evans and Penani Manumalealii prevents the try.

23^rd min: Warriors go very close to scoring again.

Jesse Ramien prevents the ty by punching the bouncing ball across the sideline.

25^th min: Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad scores for Warriors  in sth east corner.

Lino’s conversion attempt bounces away off an upright. 4-all.

30^th min: Jordan Drew shows enormous strength and determination to wrestle his way through three determined tacklers to score in from the nth west corner.

Not converted by Nu Brown. Newtown 8-4.

34^th min: Matt Evans cleans up a dangerous situation in sth east corner, good anticipation shown.

37^th min: Midfield break by Mason Lino ends in another try to Nicoll-Klokstad.

Converted by Lino. Warriors lead 10-8.

Half-Time: New Zealand Warriors 10 lead Newtown 8.

Second Half:

Repeat sets at the Warriors end put Newtown in a strong attacking position.

Newtown actually receives 4 penalties in a row within a few minutes from referee Kasey Badger.

Jets kick into the in-goal is defused by Warriors.

Strong defence keeps Newtown at bay in this danger period.

52^nd min: The pendulum swings as the Warriors now receive repeat penalties at Newtown’s end.

David Palavi barges over near the posts, converted by Lino. Warriors lead 16-8.

57^th min: Try to Jayden Walker to the right of southern goal posts.

Warriors fans howl their disapproval at Badger’s contentious ruling of a try.

Converted by Nu Brown. Warriors lead 16-14.

Midfield penalty to Warriors and Sam Cook makes ground from a fast tap.

60^th min: Joseph Paulo sin-binned for what referee Badger rules are repeated ruck infringements.

Warriors forward Bunty Afoa held up over the line by some exceptional Jets defence.

62^nd min: Power wins out as big front-rower Albert Vete scores to the left of northern goal-posts.

Lino’s conversion hits the upright.

Warriors lead 20-14.

71^st min:
Critical set for Jets at Warriors end bit kick into the in-goal runs dead

73^rd min: Warriors forwards carry the ball a long way downfield in one set. Ofahiki Ogden runs into a defensive gap and scores.

Not converted by Lino. Warriors lead 24-14.

78^th min: Midfield break by Nu Brown, Sam Tagataese backs up to score under the southern goal-posts.

Brown converts. Warriors lead 24-20.

Jets don’t get another shot at the Warriors end, midfield chip kick cleaned up by Nicoll-Klokstad.

Full-Time: NZ Warriors 24 defeated Newtown 20.

All other ISP NSW 6^th round results plus the updated ISP NSW competition table:  http://live.nswrl.com.au/comp/3ec60a38ee446fb80?r=ddfa017874e1f2b97

The New Zealand Warriors are in first place and are undefeated on 12 points; Newtown is in 8^th position on 4 points.

How Matty Buxton from the NSWRL reported on the NZ Warriors-Jets match:  http://www.nswrl.com.au/news/2017/04/09/warriors_forwards_se.html

Newtown’s next game details:

NSWRL ISP NSW – 7^th Round

Sunday, 16^th April 2017

Pepper Stadium, Penrith

Penrith (5^th position) v Newtown (8^th position)

Kick-Off: 11.45am.