Match details
3.00 pm, Saturday, 20 June
Henson Park
Meet the players
Photographic highlights
NSW Cup ladder [end of last round]
Want to relive the match? Visit Gary Sutherland's gallery of the game.
Saturday's heavy rains might have kept the crowd to a minimum, but the Newtown Jets broke through for their first home-ground win in 2009 when they defeated the Central Coast Storm 22-0 in the NSW Cup match played at Henson Park.
Another tall poppy falls to the Blues
The Jets claimed another of the competition's tall poppies as the Central Coast club (the Melbourne Storm's official reserve grade team) was travelling in second place coming in to this match.
Newtown led 10-0 at halftime, extended the lead to 16-0 early in the second half and put on another converted try right on full time. The several hundred Newtown stalwarts in attendance bellowed their approval as the victorious Jets left the field at full-time.
Jets master slippery conditions
The Jets had the perfect game plan for the slushy and slippery playing conditions - a good kick-chase game, rock-solid defence and a high level of on-field discipline that ensured that very few penalties were incurred.
Halfback, Liam Foran, (formerly with the Melbourne Storm and the New Zealand Warriors) displayed a near-perfect kicking game that had the Central Coast players battling to get out of their own quarter for extended periods.
Foran laid on Newtown's first try with a well-placed grubber kick into the Sydenham Road end left-side corner that was snapped up by capable winger, Iwi Hauraki.
Newtown's best try came five minutes into the second half when utility forward, Nick Kouparitsas, fired a superb cut-out pass to the hard-running Hauraki, who drew the Storm fullback and sent centre, Chris Tuatara, on a forty metre dash to the tryline.
The Jets recorded a high completions rate taking into account the state of the playing surface and they also won the penalty count 8-4.
Player performances
Liam Foran was the obvious choice for the best player award but like the previous week's upset win over Bankstown City, this was another determined team effort by the Jets. Prop forward, James Koloamatangi, had a great game in a Newtown forward pack that worked hard and defended with enthusiasm for the entire match.
Chris Tuatara and Iwi Hauraki turned in strong performances in the backline and fullback, Jordan Tansey, made several good kick returns.
Newtown's after-match victory song was delivered with such gusto (for the first time at home in 2009) that the old King George V Memorial Grandstand was nearly rocked off its foundations.
One very special and loyal supporter, Jack Kelly, was in the rooms to hear the boys roar out their victory song and I'm sure that this brave young fellow really enjoyed the experience.
Match summary
Newtown 22 [Chris Tuatara 2, Iwi Hauraki, Smith Samau tries; Chris Tuatara 3 goals]
Central Coast 0 [0 tries, 0 goals]
Half-time: Newtown led 10-0.
Great team win. Players showed tremendous enthusiasm and commitment - chased down kicks, defended resolutely on their line and forced Storm errors in hard-hitting tackles.
Referee: Adam Gee
Touch Judges: Shane Charman, Jay Farlow.
Next game
The Jets have a bye in the NSW Cup next weekend and will be playing away to Wentworthville on Sunday, 5th July. Newtown's next home game will be against the Auckland Vulcans on Saturday, 18th July.
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