The Newtown Rugby League Football Club will field a team in the NSW Rugby League's S. G. Ball competition in 2009, in close association with the Jets' partnership club the Sydney Roosters.
The team will play its home games at Henson Park, will play in Newtown's royal blue colours and will be administered and staffed by the Newtown RLFC.
Long-serving Newtown Jets Director and major sponsor Terry Rowney says that this a proud occasion for the game's oldest club which will be celebrating its 101st birthday in early January 2009.
The results of a successful rugby league partnership
Mr. Rowney added: "This decision has been made in full consultation and agreement with our NRL allies the Sydney Roosters. The S. G. Ball Cup team will provide a crucial link in the Roosters-Jets promotional pathway from the S. G. Ball (under 18's) to the Roosters Toyota Cup team (under 20's), then into Newtown's flagship open age NSW Cup team, and then into the Roosters' NRL full-time squad.
Newtown's entry into this competition is entirely in keeping with our club's well-known philosophy of maximising opportunities for ambitious players to advance themselves in Rugby League football.
We know that there will be many challenges in fielding this team but we look forward to seeing the Newtown Jets resume their place in this famous NSWRL junior developmental competition".
Reviving history
The S.G Ball Cup is a 15 Team State Wide - Under 18's competition conducted by the NSW Rugby League. The Cup runs for 9 Rounds plus finals and was first played in 1965.
In 2008, The Sydney Roosters won the Premiership, in a convincing victory over Parramatta, 38-20.
Newtown last fielded a team (specifically under the Newtown Jets banner) in the S. G. Ball Cup competition back in 1983.
It is anticipated that the Newtown S. G. Ball Cup team, along with the Sydney Roosters Harold Matthews Shield side, will be programmed to be curtain-raiser matches to the Newtown Jets NSW Cup team at Henson Park on several occasions in 2009.
You can help make this happen
A venture such as this is going to cost the club a considerable sum of money, in addition to the ongoing expenses associated with fielding another competitive team in the NSW Cup competition.
As Jets supporters, you can make your contribution