Family Day at Henson Park
Sponsored by SCU – More Generous Banking
SCU's Syd the pig attracted a host of admirers, including high-fiving enthusiasts.
Photos courtesy Gary Sutherland and Jason McCawley
Match details
3.00 pm, Saturday, 27 April 2013
1.00pm Cronulla Sharks v Newcastle Knights
Henson Park
Browse the 2013 Newtown Jets players & staff gallery
View NSW Cup ladder
Browse moment-by-moment game action and game highlights in the galleries of Gary Sutherland and Mike Bidboudis.
Game day sponsors
Hawkins Butchery
BETA Seafoods
Billy Elliott & Bob Petersen
Balmain Historic Pub Tours
After match function was held at the Golden Barley Hotel, Enmore.
The game was called LIVE by the Steele Sports team, Alby Talarico and Keith Payne through the Steele Sports website.
The Newtown Jets lost a dour and gruelling NSW Cup match against the Mounties club 22-16 at Henson Park on Saturday afternoon.
The Mounties are the NSW Cup feeder club for the Canberra Raiders NRL franchise and they were well reinforced by the Green Machine brigade on Saturday.
Newtown led 10-6 at half-time and 16-12 with ten minutes left in the match, but the Mounties experience and grit enabled them to score two late tries to win out in what had been an arm wrestle of a match.
First half
The Mounties took a 6-0 lead after twenty minutes after they had dominated possession for an extended period.
Newtown conceded seven penalties in the first half and weren't assisted by a match-ending leg injury to five-eighth Matt Mundine, which led to a disruptive backline reshuffle.
Fullback Henare Wells delivered a smart cut-out pass in the 30th minute to winger Paul Rokolati who scored in the left-side southern corner. Wells then capitalised on clever lead-up work by Saulala Houma, Ryley Jacks and Michael Oldfield to score under the posts in the 35th minute.
Rokolati's conversion gave Newtown a 10-6 lead at half-time.
Mixed fortunes in second half
The Jets made the worst possible start to the second half by conceding a soft try to the Mounties in the second minute.
Newtown regained the lead seven minutes later when hard-running front-rower Saulala Houma scored another of his signature bullocking tries. Newtown led 16-12 but didn't score another point for the remainder of the game.
The Jets paid the inevitable price for a high error rate, turnovers in possession at the Mounties end of the field and critical mistakes made by their back three when under pressure.
The Mounties stuck to their task and took the lead by 18-16 with ten minutes to play, and extended this lead to 22-16 in the 39th minute. The Mounties were well served by experienced players such as former Test and State of Origin veteran Shaun Berrigan who provided vital leadership and nous in the tense closing stages of the game.
Coaching staff assessment
The Jets made too many errors in both halves and burned up a lot of energy making amends for those mistakes. The Jets coaching staff regarded this as a winnable game that was allowed to slip away. It was a disappointing performance compared to the exultation associated with the 62-22 thrashing of Wentworthville two weeks before.
Newtown's big forwards Lama Tasi, Kane Evans, Dylan Napa and Saulala Houma provided plenty of go-forward but the Jets backs appeared to have limited attacking options especially at the opposition's end of the field.
Match summary
Newtown Jets 16 [Paul Rokolati, Henare Wells, Saulala Houma tries; Paul Rokolati 2 goals]
Mounties 22 [4 tries; 3 goals]
Half-time: Jets led 10-6.
Officials: Referee, Michael Laverty; Touch judges, Richard Daizli, Nathan Smith.
Playing surface: Excellent.
Weather: Fine, sunny, 24 degrees.
Glorious day at Henson Park. Supporters really enjoyed the sunshine on the grass on the hill - if not the result.
Next game
Newtown's next game is against the St George-Illawarra feeder club Illawarra Cutters at Henson Park next Saturday, 4 May at 3.00pm, when the two clubs will once again contest the Tom Kirk Cup.
The unbeaten Cronulla Sharks will confront the men from Aotearoa, the Auckland Vulcans, in a NSW Cup curtain-raiser at 1.00pm.
A special tribute to the contribution of women in rugby league
The Newtown club is pleased to acknowledge the enormous contribution made by women to the Rugby League game over many years and have designated this Saturday's NSW Cup double-header occasion at Henson Park as Ladies Day.
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