Giant Newtown Jets forward Tony “The T-Rex” Williams pushes away a would-be Wests Tigers defender in last Saturday’s exciting ISP NSW match at Campbelltown Stadium. Photo: Gary Sutherland Photography
Giant Newtown Jets forward Tony “The T-Rex” Williams pushes away a would-be Wests Tigers defender in last Saturday’s exciting ISP NSW match at Campbelltown Stadium. Photo: Gary Sutherland Photography

Jets win a thriller with late converted try

A conversion from the sideline five minutes from fulltime gave Newtown a 26-24 win against Wests Tigers at Campbelltown Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Wests Tigers led 18-10 at halftime and 24-20 late in the second half in a game where the lead changed hands several times.

As Jets coach Greg Matterson observed after the game, “there’s still a lot of improvement needed in this Newtown side, but we won’t be too shy to take the competition points on offer!” Both teams needed to win to re-ignite their seasons and they turned on an thrilling spectacle. There had been a certain amount of drama within the Wests Tigers club in the preceding week, and it was thought that this might provide added incentive for the home team.

Newtown edged ahead of Wests Tigers 20-18 midway through the second half, but the Jets looked to be in real trouble when the Tigers regained the lead 24-20 with less than fifteen minutes remaining. Newtown’s Samoan international five-eighth Penani Manumalealii laid on a superb cut-out pass for winger James Tuitahi to score in the northern right-hand corner, and halfback Fa’amanu Brown coolly landed the conversion from wide out to get the Jets home.

Coach Matterson said there was a lot of improvement needed by the Jets in defence and onfield-discipline but he was pleased with the team’s inventiveness in attack. Kurt Dillon, Tony Williams and Jaimin Jolliffe were the best of the forwards on Saturday, while Manumalealii and Brown had stood out in the backs.

The Newtown Jets take on Newcastle Knights next Saturday, 1st April, at the Southern Cross Group Stadium at 12.40pm. This fifth round Intrust Super Premiership match will 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.