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.

This photo of the Newtown RLFC players, staff, Directors and sponsors was taken at Henson Park on the day before the final home game for the 2024 season.  (Photo: Mario Facchini)

The Newtown Jets celebrate what was a magnificent year in the history of Australia’s oldest rugby league club

Newtown Jets 2024 Presentation Night Poster

2024 NEWTOWN RLFC NSW CUP PREMIERS PRESENTATION DINNER & AWARDS NIGHT

Newtown's giant front-rower Tuku Hau Tapuha gets into stride as he carries the ball forward in Sunday's NRL State Championship Final. Photo: Mario Facchini / mafphotography

Second half errors prove costly as the Newtown Jets lose narrowly in the NRL State Championship Final

Barry Vining of the Jets celebrates after the preliminary final of the NSW Cup finals series game between the Newtown Jets and Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs at Leichhardt Oval, Sydney on September 23, 2012. Jets defeated Bulldogs 34-6. (Photo by Jason McCawley)

Vale Barry Noel Vining OAM

Image: Mario Facchini, mafphotography

Newtown Jets Team List v Norths Devils Sun 6th October, 2024 (NRL State Championship)

Newtown centre Mawene Hiroti crashes through the North Sydney defence to score a vital try for the Jets right on half-time. Photo: Mario Facchini, mafphotography

The Newtown Jets are the 2024 Knock-On Effect NSW Cup premiership winners, following a spine-tingling 28-22 win over North Sydney

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.