Jets

Newtown vs Canterbury
Saturday 1st April, 3.00 pm
Henson Park, Marrickville

Bulldogs 2023 77x77
Newtown Jets halfback Fa’amanu Brown dummies to his giant team-mate Malakai Houma in last Saturday’s top of the table clash against Mounties at Henson Park. Photo: Mario Facchini Photography.
Newtown Jets halfback Fa’amanu Brown dummies to his giant team-mate Malakai Houma in last Saturday’s top of the table clash against Mounties at Henson Park. Photo: Mario Facchini Photography.

Jets pay the price for missed scoring chances

Report on the 10th round ISP NSW match between Newtown and Mounties, played at Henson Park on Saturday, 14th May 2016 by Glen ‘Bumper’ Dwyer.

A big crowd at Henson Park on Saturday saw an absorbing showdown between the two Intrust Super Premiership (ISP) front-runners, Mounties and the Newtown Jets. The boys in blue were left to regret their missed scoring opportunities in the first half as the Canberra Raiders partnership club held on for a narrow 18-12 win. Both teams made a lot of errors but also turned in determined, almost brutal defensive efforts.

The Jets put plenty of pressure on the visitors early in the game but handling and passing errors took the edge off their attacking play. Five-eighth Josh Cleeland stepped his way through the Mounties defence in the 17th minute and halfback Fa’amanu Brown converted the try. Newtown failed to take advantage of a couple of scoring opportunities midway through the first half which would prove costly. The Jets then made a handling error at their end which Mounties capitalised on, scoring a converted try in the 34th minute. Mounties added another six points three minutes later when they scored from a ricocheting grubber kick right on Newtown’s try-line. The Jets trailed 12-6 at halftime but they had created the most scoring opportunities in the first forty minutes.

The second half was a gripping encounter between the ISP heavyweights, and despite the errors and ineffective kicking tactics, there was a grim intensity that kept the big crowd fully engaged. Jets hooker and captain Matt McIlwrick crossed the line early in the second half but was held up by frantic defenders. The Mounties line speed and tough tackling kept the Jets contained, and Newtown coach Greg Matterson sent the message out for his players to adopt a more expansive style and “to start playing a bit of footy”.

Five-eighth Josh Cleeland hurled himself at the line with ten minutes remaining, but referee Jeff Hartup claimed that he hadn’t grounded the ball. Minutes later the referee controversially ruled a shepherd against a Jets ball-carrier, and Mounties added a penalty goal to create an eight-point buffer. Newtown launched an all-out attack down their left side but an audacious intercept by the Mounties winger ended in a 90 metres runaway try. The non-stop Cleeland snapped up a bouncing grubber kick in the last minute to score his second try, and Fa’amanu Brown’s conversion made the full-time score 18-12.

For Newtown, second-rower Kurt Capewell and five-eighth Josh Cleeland were the standout performers and these former Ipswich Jets players are winning a lot of fans amongst the Henson Park army. All of the Newtown forwards worked hard in defence, with Mounties only scoring the one try where the Jets defensive line was breached through ball play. Big Malakai Houma added a bit of sting to Newtown’s “go forward” when he came on from the bench. Centre Jordan Drew went very close to breaking through to score on a couple of occasions. Kurt Dillon suffered a thumb injury which might keep him sidelined for some weeks. Coach Matterson noted that in such a tight contest between two fairly evenly-matched teams, every scoring opportunity has to be maximised as there aren’t many second chances available.

The Jets travel away next Sunday, 22nd May, to the northern end of the Central Coast when they will take on Wyong at the Morrie Breen Oval at 3.00pm.

Image: MAF Photography

Newtown Jets Team List v Canterbury Bulldogs Sat 1st April, 2023 [KICK FOR KENNY]

Newtown Jets front-rower Tommy Hazelton rips through the Dragons defence to score his second try on Sunday. Photo: Mario Facchini/mafphotography

Master Class display by Tommy Hazelton a key feature of Newtown’s 30-16 win over the Dragons

web 2023 Membership Card Scan

Members Badge Draw Friday 24th March 2023

Image: MAF Photography

Newtown Jets Team List v St George Illawarra Dragons Sun 26th March, 2023

•	The Newtown Jets triple alliance. From left to right: Niwhai Puru, Jordin Leiu and Kayal Iro. Photo: Mario Facchini/mafphotography

Jets winning run ended by Canberra heatwave and second half errors

Niwhai Puru in possession for Newtown against South Sydney at Henson Park on Saturday, 4th March 2023. Photo: Mario Facchini/mafphotography

Brotherly love stops at the GIO Stadium gate for the Purus

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.