Newtown Rugby League Football Club - Established 1908
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Match details3.00 pm, Saturday, 17 March 2012Toyota Stadium, Captain Cook Dr, Woolooware NSW Cup ladder [end of last round] Browse moment-by-moment game action in the match galleries of Gary Sutherland and Jason McCauley. Recharged Jets end Sharks unbeaten run
A much improved performance from the Newtown Jets enabled them to defeat the previously unbeaten Cronulla Sharks 22-4 in the third round VB NSW Cup match played at Toyota Stadium on Saturday. The Jets had to contend with running into a strong southerly breeze in the first half but still handled the conditions well enough to lead 10-0 at half-time. This was the Jets most disciplined and determined performance so far this season, given the number of players with current NRL experience listed on the Cronulla team sheet. Jets take advantage of Sharks' errorsThe Sharks had plenty of possession early in the first half but let themselves down through errors. A loose Cronulla pass in the seventh minute was snapped up by Jets halfback Mark Kheirallah who sprinted 75 metres to score. The Newtown forwards were taking it right up to the more experienced Sharks six and Jets hooker Anthony Mitchell, on debut for the club, darted through some off-duty Cronulla defence to score in the 18th minute. The Jets maintained this 10-0 lead until half-time after denying all of the Sharks raids on the Newtown try-line. Sharks more determined in second halfThe competition leaders were obviously given a half-time blast by their coach as they began the second half in a much more focused fashion. Still the Newtown defence held firm and the Jets increased their lead when hooker Mitchell showed top-grade evasive skills in collecting his second try. Halfback Kheirallah's conversion extended Newtown's lead to 16–0. The Jets continued to frustrate the home team with their speed off the line in defence while Cronulla's end of set options rarely posed major problems. Newtown winger Adam Henry went agonisingly close to scoring in the 15th minute of the second half after excellent lead-up work by Glenn Dumbrell. The Jets sealed the game with eleven minutes left to play when busy centre, Peni Tagive, scored in the corner on the end of some well-executed ball handling.
Kheirallah's conversion from the sideline took Newtown's lead out to 22-0, with the Sharks scoring their only try for the match seven minutes out from full-time. Coach's assessmentThe Newtown coaching staff were well pleased with this morale-boosting victory by a young team that is still coming together as a cohesive playing unit. Coach Greg Matterson said that the team had been in a better frame of mind going into this match and the players had stuck closely to the game plan. Their enthusiasm in defence and willingness to work hard in the rucks wore down the big Sharks pack and the Newtown backs contained their opponents effectively. Anthony Mitchell gave a standout performance and was well supported in the forwards by Jack Bosden, Isaac Liu, Andrew Pearn and Ryan Verlinden. Mark Kheirallah looked self-assured at halfback and centre Tom Symonds locked down the Sharks attack on his side of the field. The coaching staff also mentioned the improved displays by Daniel Tupou, Jack Littlejohn and Peni Tagive. Match summaryNewtown 22 [Anthony Mitchell 2, Mark Kheirallah, Peni Tagive tries; Mark Kheirallah 3 goals] Half-Time: Newtown led 10-0. Officials: Referee, Michael Laverty (a very appropriate appointee for a match on St Patrick’s Day!); Touch Judges, Shane Charman, Peter Sciberras. Playing surface: Excellent. Next game: HOME TO HENSON!The Jets return to the newly-refurbished Henson Park for the first time in 2012 when they take on old-time rivals Canterbury-Bankstown on Saturday, 24 March at 3.00pm. Junior representative curtain-raisers between the Sydney Roosters and Illawarra get underway at 11.30am. The Bulldogs, the NSW Cup premiers for the past three years, come to Henson Park this Saturday undefeated for what is shaping up as a classic local derby. |
Who played
Interchange
Coach: Greg Matterson
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