Newtown Rugby League Football Club - 1908-2008
VB NSW Cup - Finals Week 3 - First Preliminary Final
Jets first half onslaught secures Grand Final Berth [36-22]

Match details

12 noon
Sunday, 28 September

Campbelltown Stadium [Location & transport details]

NSW Cup ladder

The Newtown Jets have won through to the 2008 VB NSW Cup Grand Final after defeating Western Suburbs by 36-22 in the Preliminary Final played at Campbelltown Stadium on Sunday.

Heat blitzes players - Jets deliver first-half blitz to Magpies

The match was played in oppressively hot weather and players from both teams were visibly affected by the searing heat.

Newtown took control of the match in the first half, going in at the half-time break with a 24-0 lead.

The Jets had scored four tries and punished the Magpies for their errors and suspect tryline defence. Newtown registered a 90% completion rate in the first half and dominated possession.

Second-half Magpie fightback falls short

Wests fought back to trail 24-12 with more than twenty minutes remaining to play in the second half, but the Jets rallied and pulled away with another two converted tries.

Player performances

Framed by the Bluebags banner, Ben Jones converts

The Jets were best served by their experienced captain and five-eighth Sean Rudder and by forwards Mickey Paea, Rory Kostjasyn, Shane Shackleton, Martin Kennedy, Steve Meredith and Hep Cahill.

Winger Byron Ford underlined his value to the team by scoring two tries in the first half.

Newtown coach Greg Matterson was particularly pleased with the cohesion and initiative shown by the halfback pairing of Sean Rudder and Ben Jones.

Jones scored the try that applied the coup de grace to the Magpies and went desperately close to a second try seven minutes from fulltime.

Matterson also praised the workrate and toughness of lock Hep Cahill and hooker Rory Kostjasyn who have both been in top form in recent weeks.

Newtown's rotation of their front-rowers had worked well in such debilitating playing conditions and Matterson regarded yesterday as a strong all-round team performance and a good base to work from for next Sunday's appointment at the ANZ Stadium.

NEXT WEEK - GRAND FINAL

The Newtown Jets now have the chance to claim a premiership title in their club's centenary year. Newtown plays Wentworthville [Parramatta] at the ANZ Stadium on Sunday, 5th October with the VB NSW Cup decider kicking off at 12.15pm.

The match will be shown on Channel 9 and broadcast on the ABC and 2GB.

IMPORTANT supporter ticketing information

Match summary

Newtown Jets: 36
6 tries, 4 goals, 2 penalty goals

Western Suburbs Magpies: 22
4 tries, 23 goals

Weather: Sunny, searing heat, slight breeze, very strong at ground level.
Playing surface: Excellent.
Referee: Adam Devcich
Touch judges: Luke Potter, Matt Damaso

Curious about who is eligible to play for Newtown in the Finals?

The rules are simple.

1. While the First Grade team is alive in the Finals, any First Grade player can play NSW Cup as part of a 'fresh reserves' program.

Hence Roosters First Grade players, Mitch Aubusson and Amos Roberts, could play for Newtown in the Elimination Final at Henson.

2. Once the First Grade team is eliminated, players can only play in the level 2 competition, NSW Cup or Toyota Cup, if the number of their 2008 level 2 appearances is equal to or more than their appearances at First Grade level.

And so Martin Kennedy, Ben Jones, Anthony Cherrington and Jake Friend are all eligible to play for Newtown in the Preliminary Final against the Magpies.

Likewise, the Magpies can field players like Daine Laurie because the players have met the number of Level 2 games criteria.

NSW Cup ladder

Who played?

Coach: Greg Matterson

Do you know all the players listed? Check the Newtown Jets 2008 players' gallery.