Newtown Rugby League Football Club - Established 1908
Rd14 - Jets win decisively despite mudbath playing conditions [26-12]

Match details

3.00 pm, Saturday, 2 June 2012

2012 Newtown Jets players & staff

Game day raffle sponsors

Hawkins Butchery
BETA Seafoods
Billy Elliott & Bob Petersen
Balmain Historic Pub Tours

Browse moment-by-moment game action and game highlights in the galleries of our wonderful Newtown photographers, Gary Sutherland, Mike Bidboudis and Jason McCauley.

And you can read a visitor's photographic diary of the afternoon's activity on Matthew Nolan's website. Just scroll down to see great photos and read Matthew's behind-the-scenes insights.

Bumper's match report

Match replay
Wed 6 June, 4.30pm-6pm, FoxSports 2

Last Saturday's wet weather put paid to a big crowd attending this 14th round VB NSW Cup match between Newtown and Wentworthville. With the Sydney Roosters having a bye in the NRL, the Jets were reinforced by several Roosters NRL regulars.

Jets make good start...

The Jets ran up a 16-0 lead by halftime and given the playing conditions and the saturated field, that looked to be a match-winning lead.

Conditions a challenge for all players

Frank-Paul Nuuausala and Brad Takairangi watch as captain, Khalid Deeb, 'searches' for a missing Magpies player. Photo courtesy of Gary Sutherland

BJ Leilua discovers that football can sometimes be classified as a water sport.
Photo courtesy of Jason McCauley

Wentworthville made a genuine contest of the second half and trailed by 16-6 with twenty minutes remaining. The Jets made sure of their win with two more tries and a penalty goal, but Wentworthville added a converted try right on fulltime for Newtown's final winning margin to read 26-12.

Wentworthville applied pressure on Newtown's try-line early in the first half but the Jets defence repelled their challenge.

Newtown's first try came from some clever ball-handling in the Wentworthville quarter, with second-rower Tom Symonds laying on a deft flick pass to put five-eighth BJ Leilua over for what was to be his first try. Leilua was in for his second several minutes later when he backed up on the inside, after some quick passing by Newtown's outside backs led to a break, through Wenty's right-side defence.

Impressive young centre Tautau Moga posted Newtown's third try five minutes later and it looked as if the Jets were going to defy the slushy playing conditions by running up a big score.

... and come back with a good finish in second

The Wentworthville players showed their mettle in the second half and after a succession of penalties went their way, the boys from the west opened their account with a converted try.

The Jets reasserted pressure at Wenty's end of the ground bit but didn't score again until midway through the second half.

Tautau Moga strode away majestically for his second try after the Jets had worked a smart set play from a scrum on Wentworthville's quarter-line.
Winger Adam Henry put the issue beyond doubt with a try following some more well-worked ball play.
Jets halfback Mark Kheirallah added a penalty goal in the 74th minute of the game to complete Newtown's scoring.

Coaching staff assessment

The Jets coaching staff observed after the game that they had been in a difficult position prior to the game. With the mid-week influx of additional Roosters NRL regulars the Jets were expected to win, and to win well. Anything less would have been judged as unsatisfactory, but the wet weather and muddy midfield evened up the contest and Wentworthville fielded a competitive and well-credentialed forward pack.

Jets coach Greg Matterson was pleased with his team's overall performance and that all of his players had done their jobs well in the difficult conditions. The coaching staff gave special commendations to Jets forwards Jack Bosden, Brad Takairangi, Frank-Paul Nuuausala and Tom Symonds, and to BJ Leilua in the backs. Newtown's ball-playing forwards had set the Jets' backs loose on several occasions, and the Jets' back three had dealt with Wenty's kicking game confidently.

Match summary

Newtown Jets 26 [Tautau Moga 2, BJ Leilua 2, Adam Henry tries; Mark Kheirallah 2 goals, 1 penalty goal]
Wentworthville Magpies 12 [2 tries; 2 goals]

Half-time: Newtown led 16-0.

Officials: Referee, Tony De Las Heras; Touch judges, Jay Farlow, Richard Daizli.
Weather: Cold and wet. The lights were turned on at 3.00pm.

Next game

The Newtown Jets will break new ground for the VB NSW Cup competition next weekend when they take a "home game" out to Parkes in central-western NSW. The third-placed Jets take on the second-placed Windsor Wolves at Pioneer Oval, Parkes on Sunday, 10 June, with this 15th round match kicking off at 3.00pm.

Who played?

6	Jack Littlejohn Sponsored by Karl Cope
2	Daniel Tupou Sponsored by Golden Barley Hotel, Marrickville
3	Justin Carney Sponsored by Charles Bailey, Ray White Inner West
14	Tautau Moga [T2] Sponsored by Wyong Golf Club Brasserie
4	Adam Henry [T1] Sponsored by Golden Barley Hotel, Marrickville
19	BJ Leilua [T2] Sponsored by Steve Helmich
7	Mark Kheirallah [G2, P1] Sponsored by Barry Vining
20	Frank-Paul Nuuausala Sponsored by Craig Leonard
9	Anthony Mitchell Sponsored by Riverwall Constructions
17	Mose Masoe Sponsored by Con Paraskevopoulos
16	Brad Takairangi Sponsored by Jeff Gabriel
12	Tom Symonds Sponsored by Premier Bowling Greens
11	Jack Bosden Sponsored by Jennifer Malone

Interchange

8	Isaac Liu Sponsored by Botany View Hotel
10	Khalid Deeb © Sponsored by Dave Nelson
18	Glen Dumbrell Sponsored by Sullivan Binding Services
23	Anthony Cherrington Sponsored by Good Fellows

Newtown Rugby League Football Club - Established 1908 Rd14 - Jets win decisively despite mudbath playing conditions [26-12]