Newtown hooker Manaia Cherrington makes a midfield dash in the Jets’ 28-18 loss to the Newcastle Knights at Southern Cross Group Stadium on Saturday. Photo: Gary Sutherland Photography
Newtown hooker Manaia Cherrington makes a midfield dash in the Jets’ 28-18 loss to the Newcastle Knights at Southern Cross Group Stadium on Saturday. Photo: Gary Sutherland Photography

Determined Knights upset the Jets best laid plans

The Newtown Jets fielded a strong side against the Newcastle Knights at Southern Cross Stadium on Saturday, but in what has to be described as a disappointing display lost the game 28-18. The Jets had several players with extensive NRL and international rugby league experience in their ranks and on paper were favourites to win. The Knights had other plans and were obviously fiercely motivated to break away from the bottom end of the competition table.

Newtown’s defence in the first half was rather suspect and they conceded four tries, with the Knights running up a 22-8 halftime lead. Backrower and former Australian Test player Tony Williams had ploughed his way through the Knights defence in the tenth minute to score Newtown’s only try in the first half. The Jets scored two more tries in the second half through lock Joseph Paulo and winger Jordan Drew, and pulled back to trail 22-18 with seventeen minutes remaining. Jets halfback Fa’amanu Brown’s soaring conversion attempt from the left sideline struck an upright and bounced away, which would have narrowed the margin by a further two points. As coach Greg Matterson noted after the game, “we had enough ball, field position and scoring chances in the second half to have won two games. We were our own worst enemy on Saturday”.

Whether there was any complacency on Newtown’s part in the first half was surely blown away by the tigerish determination shown by the Knights in both attack and defence. The Jets were guilty of too much sideways running and not linking with players who were better positioned in attack. Centre Jesse Ramien and Edrick Lee (on debut for Newtown) went desperately close to scoring in the second half, but it was the Knights who scored a try against the run of play with eight minutes left that took them out to a match-winning ten point lead.

The Jets wing across the Tasman next weekend to play the undefeated New Zealand Warriors at Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland on Sunday, 9th April. This sixth round Intrust Super Premiership match is timed for kick-off at 11.45am (AEST) and is expected to be televised live on Fox Sports.

Hard-running centre Nene Macdonald played on numerous occasions for the Newtown Jets in 2021.  Last Sunday Nene was playing for Papua-New Guinea against the Cook Islands in the 2023 Pacific Championships - Pacific Bowl and he scored four tries. (Photo: Mike Magee).

Information about 2024 Newtown RLFC memberships; Newtown Jets playing in the 2023 Pacific Championship Series; and a reminder about Newtown RLFC merchandise.

Kyle Pickering and Daniel Atkinson, Italian rugby league representative team, 7th October 2023 (NSWRL Twitter) crop

These Newtown Jets players have gained selection in various end of season representative rugby league teams

Newtown Jets 2023 Presentation Night bottom image for web post

The Newtown Jets RLFC held its Annual Presentation Dinner on the evening of Friday, 29th September 2023 at the Petersham RSL Club.

Newtown Jets left-edge backrower Kyle Pickering (in possession) about to score at Henson Park on Saturday, 22nd July 2023. Jets fullback Manaia Waitere salutes the crowd after playing a clever role in setting up the try. (Photo: Mario Facchini, mafphotography)

Newtown RLFC 2023 Presentation Dinner Details

July 22, 2023 - Marrickville, New South Wales, Australia, Kyle Pickering of the Newtown Jets scores his second try of the game during Round 21 of the NSWRL Knock On Effect NSW Cup at Henson Park in Marrickville, New South Wales. (Mario Facchini/mafphotography)

Newtown RLFC 2023 Presentation Night Details

Sunday Sun 603

The Other Premiers of 1943

Australian Mutual Bank
Front of Jersey

Petersham RSL
Back of Jersey

Deicorp
Back of Jersey, Training Gear, Socks

Invisi-Gard
Jersey Minor

John Singleton Group
Sleeve

Schofield King Lawyers
Sleeve

Coverforce
Front of Shorts

The Henson
Back of Shorts

Sydney Park Hotel
Back of Shorts

Sports Medicine Institute
Medical Services & Rehabilitation

Label Plus
Major Sponsor

Arista Technologies
Technology Partner

Newtown Jets respect and honour the Traditional Custodians of the Land and pay our respects to their Elders past and present. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on the lands we meet, gather and play on and that the land area encompassing Henson Park traditionally belonged to the Gadigal people of the Eora nation.