Newtown Rugby League Football Club - Established 1908
Rd24 - Jets loss puts them on the finals precipice [26-34]

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Match details

3.00 pm, Sunday, 19 August 2012

Windsor Sports Complex, Cnr Rifle Range Rd & George St, Sth Windsor

Browse the 2012 Newtown Jets players & staff gallery

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Browse moment-by-moment game action and game highlights in Gary Sutherland's great photo gallery.

Previous 2012 encounter

The Newtown Jets played Windsor in Rd15 at Parkes but the opposition came out on top, 20-34.

The Newtown Jets' 34-26 loss to the Windsor Wolves on Sunday puts them right back in the scramble for a place in the 2012 finals. This was a disappointing result following the disciplined and mature display shown against North Sydney in the preceding competition round.

Newtown led Windsor 22-6 at half-time and 26-10 with thirty minutes remaining. The Jets failed to add another point as they were hunted down by the Wolves in the remainder of the second half.

First half promise

The Jets were first to score at the Windsor Sports Complex when mobile front-rower Josh Ailaomai crashed over under the posts in the fifth minute. The Wolves replied almost immediately as they exposed some faulty communication down Newtown's left-side defence.

Newtown dominated possession and territory for most of the first half but didn't really assert control until the Wolves had a man sin-binned ten minutes out from half-time. Jets back-rower Tinirau Arona threw a perfect pass to send prop Saulala Houma in under the posts, then he combined with Jack Littlejohn and Blake Lazarus for the latter to score next to the uprights.

Big Anthony Cherrington showed the benefits of his lengthy rehab when he blasted his way through the Windsor defence to score right on half-time.

Half-time warning from coach

Jets coach Greg Matterson praised his players for their dominance and execution in the latter stages of the first half but warned his men to maintain their discipline and defensive structure against a team that had plenty of attacking potential.

Windsor made the start to the second half they wanted when the Wolves scored a runaway try from a Jets midfield kick that went horribly astray.

Newtown regained their 16-point leading margin by way of a try to winger Sam Latu after some clever lead-up play by Anthony Cherrington and Jack Littlejohn.

Second half fightback by Wolves

The remainder of the second half saw a determined fight-back by the Wolves along with missed scoring opportunities by the Jets.

Windsor scored two quick tries in succession midway through the second half to trail 26-22. Jets prop Mose Masoe was ruled to have been held up over the try-line on one occasion, and then he made a barnstorming surge towards the line that ended when the ball was stolen from him in a one-on-one strip.

In the wake of that incident the Wolves broke away to score, giving the home team the lead for the first time in the match.

Almost predictably, a desperation Jets cut-out pass right on full-time resulted in an intercept try to the Wolves.

Coaching assessment of game

The Jets coaching staff were left pondering at full-time how their players had allowed the Wolves resurgence to gather momentum and haul in Newtown's substantial lead.

As one Jets supporter remarked, Newtown's second half had been a textbook case of defeat being snatched from the jaws of victory.

The result puts Newtown's finals place in jeopardy and makes next Saturday's final home game all the more important.

The coaching staff rated Newtown's heavy-hitting big men - Mose Masoe, Josh Ailaomai, Saulala Houma, Andrew Pearn, Isaac Liu and Kurt Kara - as being the team's most effective performers.

Winger Sam Latu was given an honourable mention, especially for his willingness to ruck the ball out from his own end of the field.

Match summary

Newtown 26 [Josh Ailaomai, Saulala Houma, Blake Lazarus, Anthony Cherrington, Samiu Latu tries; Blake Lazarus 3 goals]
Windsor 34 [6 tries; 5 goals]

Half-Time: Newtown led 22-6.

Officials: Referee, Matt Noyen; Touch Judges; Jason Higgins and Brendan Wood.
Weather: Mild and sunny. (A huge contrast with the previous match at North Sydney Oval).

Next game

Next Saturday, 25 August, is the club's annual reunion day at Henson Park and this VB NSW Cup 25th round clash with the Illawarra Cutters, St George-Illawarra's official feeder club, has the additional attraction of being an absolute must-win proposition for both teams.

There is also an important curtain-raiser being staged, with the Cronulla Sharks taking on Windsor at 1.00pm. The Jets-Illawarra main game gets underway at 3.00pm.

The developing scoreline told the sad story

Newtown's creative fullback, halfback and goal kicker, Mark Kheirallah suffered a season-ending injury in the week before the game - a big set back to the Jets fortunes.

Josh Ailaomai scores, Blake Lazarus converts6-0
Windsor scores converted try6-6
Saulala Houma goes in under the posts, Blake Lazarus converts12-6
Blake Lazarus, under the posts, Blake Lazarus converts18-6
Anthony Cherrington scores out wide, no conversion22-6
Half-time22-6
Windsor scores, no conversion22-10
Samiu Latu scores out wide, no conversion26-10
Windsor scores converted try26-16
Windsor scores converted try26-22
Daniel Mortimer kicks 40-20, scrum to Newtown on Windsor 10 metre26-22
Mose Masoe goes in near posts but declared "held up" despite openly pro-Windsor radio commentators declaring he grounded the ball26-22
Windsor scores converted try26-28
Windsor scores converted try26-34
Full-time26-34

Who played?

1 Blake Lazarus [T1 G3]
Sponsored by Karl Cope
2 Francis Vaiotu
Sponsored by Golden Barley Hotel, Marrickville
3 Peni Tangive
Sponsored by Charles Bailey, Ray White Inner West
4 Adam Henry
Sponsored by Wyong Golf Club Brasserie
5 Samiu Latu [T1]
Sponsored by Golden Barley Hotel, Marrickville
6 Jack Littlejohn
Sponsored by John Cahillh
7 Daniel Mortimer
Sponsored by Barry Vining
8 Mose Masoe
Sponsored by Craig Leonard
9 Glen Dumbrell
Sponsored by Riverwall Constructions
10 Josh Ailaomai [T1]
Sponsored by Dave Nelson
20 Tinirau Arona
Sponsored by Jeff Gabriel
12 Brad Barrett
Sponsored by Premier Bowling Greens
13 Isaac Liu
Sponsored by Jennifer Malone

Interchange

14 Andrew Pearn
Sponsored by Con Paraskevopoulos
15 Kurt Kara
Sponsored by Good Fellows
16 Anthony Cherrington [T1]
Sponsored by Botany View Hotel
17 Saulala Houma [T1]
Sponsored by Steve Helmich

Coach: Greg Matterson
Sponsored by Sullivan Binding Services