Jets brought down by poor defensive decisions and injuries

It was a tough afternoon for the Newtown Jets in their second round ISP NSW match against Mounties out at the Aubrey Keech Reserve. Newtown scored early in the game but several poor defensive options and a horror run of injuries blew the Jets out of this contest. Mounties led 24-10 at halftime and ran out winners by 46-28. The Canberra Raiders ISP partnership club are formidable opponents and they are very strong again this year.

NSWRL Intrust Super Premiership NSW – Round Two

Saturday, 11^th March 2017

Aubrey Keech Reserve, Hinchinbrook

Kick-Off: 3.00pm.

Mounties 46:

Royce Hunt 2, Brent Naden 2, Reubenn Rennie, Dom Reardon, Makahese Makatoa, Jordan Turner tries;

Jordan Turner 7 conversions

defeated

Newtown 28:

Matt Evans 2, Kurt Dillon, Jayden Walker, Haydn Peacock tries;

Jason Schirnack 3, Daniel Mortimer conversions.

Half-Time: Mounties led 24-10.

Referee: Damien Briscoe.

Touch Judges: Damien Simes, Billy Greatbatch.

Playing surface: Excellent.

Weather: Fine, sunny, 28 degrees C.

Newtown’s team was:

Luke Towers, Leigh Higgins, Haydn Peacock, Matt Evans, Ben Fritz, Kurt Kara, Daniel Mortimer, Jason Schirnack, Jack Williams, Jayden Walker, Kurt Dillon, Sam Tagataese, Manaia Cherrington.

Bench: Jaimin Jolliffe, Malakai Houma, Alec Bush, Tepatasi Fuiavailili.

Coach: Greg Matterson.

Mounties:

Lachlan Croker, Aloti Mataele, Reubenn Rennie, Dom Reardon, Brent Naden, Jordan Turner, Magnus Stromquist, Anthony Moraitis, Yileen Gordon, Makahesi Makatoa, Royce Hunt, Jarrod Brackenhofer.

Bench: Rodney Coates, Rusty Bristow, Mitch Kennedy, Sam Duggan.

Coach: Steve Antonelli.

Match timeline:

First Half:

Newtown was running to the southern end of the ground in the first half.

Penalty to Newtown in the first minute. Manaia Cherrington took a quick tap and made a lot of metres.

2^nd min: Kurt Dillon scores under the posts. Daniel Mortimer converts. Newtown leads 6-0.

7^th min: Mounties tight, close passing amongst the forwards. Royce Hunt scores to the right of the northern end posts.

Converted by Jordan Turner. 6-all.

11^th min: Royce Hunt scores to the left of the posts. Converted by Turner. Mounties lead 12-6.

14^th min: Newtown fail to find the line from a penalty kick.

17^th min: Newtown goes very close to scoring. Luke Towers’’ grubber-kick into the in-goal goes dead.

19^th min: Mounties causing havoc close to our tryline. Brent Naden scores about 15 m in from the NW corner.

Converted by Turner. Mounties 18-6.

26^th min: Lengthy stoppage in play. Serious leg injury to Malakai Houma. Carried off on a stretcher.

27^th and 28^th mins: Newtown forces two consecutive goal-line drop-outs.

32^nd min: Ball moved quickly to the right-side attack, Towers sends Matt Evans in to score to the right of the posts.

Daniel Mortimer is off injured, Manaia Cherrington misses with the conversion attempt.

Mounties 18-10.

36^th min: Jason Schirnack forces Mounties into another goal-line drop-out, but the Jets lose the ball on the first tackle.

39^th min: Naden scores in the next set 10 m in from the NW corner. Converted by Turner.

Mounties 24-10.

Half-Time: Mounties 24-10.

Second half:

Mounties turn the ball over from the kick-off.

42^nd min: Quick hands again to the right and Matt Evans claims his second try, 15 m in from the NE corner.

Jason Schirnack converts. Mounties lead 24-16.

47^th min: Mounties apply pressure and Reubenn Rennie scores up the right side in SW corner.

Turner converts again. Mounties lead 30-16.

53^rd min: Mounties take a grip on the game when Dom Reardon scores 15 m in from SW corner. Clever inside ball from Turner engineers the try.

Turner converts. Mounties lead 36-16.

57^th min: Mounties player Sam Duggan sin-binned.

59^th min: Jets mount an effective attack but possible try to Ben Fritz in the NE corner is disallowed because of a forward pass by Manaia Cherrington.

63^rd min: Makahesi Makatoa ploughs over next to the posts. Converted by Turner. Mounties 42-16.

66^th min: Jets gain the ball from the kick-off. Jayden Walker gets close, has the ball stripped and Haydn Peacock touches the ball down for a try 15 m in from NW corner.

Schirnack converts. Mounties 42-22.

69^th min: Turner scores an easy try 10 m in from the SW corner and doesn’t convert. Mounties 46-22.

75^th min: Jayden Walker scores to the left of the posts. Schirnack converts. Mounties 46-28.

Full-Time: Mounties 46 defeated Newtown 28.

How the NSWRL reported on this game:  http://www.nswrl.com.au/news/2017/03/11/mounties_bring_jets_.html

Mario Facchini’s photos from Saturday:  http://mafphotography.blogspot.com.au/2017/03/intrust-super-premiership-2017-round-2.html

And here are Gary Sutherland’s photos:  http://www.pbase.com/gsphotography/newtown_vs_mounties_110317&page=all

Don’t miss this interview between Alby Talarico and Newtown’s Jason Schirnack:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tqc_E-Ve__0&feature=youtu.be

Injuries: Malakai Houma, Daniel Mortimer, Kurt Dillon. Jordan Topai-Aveai had been injured in round one, and Kenny Niko received a two-game suspension for a shoulder charge in the Blacktown Workers match.

Newtown’s next game details:

NSWRL ISP NSW – Third Round

Saturday, 18^th March 2017

WIN Stadium, Wollongong

Illawarra v Newtown

Kick-Off: 3.00pm.

(Please note: Illawarra are no longer known as the Cutters).