The Jets turn on a thrilling finish against the Panthers

The Penrith Panthers led Newtown 16-6 with less than ten minutes left to play but they made the mistake of not securing the win when they had the opportunity to do so. The Jets scored two late tries – one from a 95 metre dash from an intercept that prevented an almost certain Penrith try, and the second from a well-executed grubber kick into the Panthers in-goal. To top it off, with the scores tied at 16-all and one minute left on the clock, halfback Fa’amanu Brown converted Newtown’s last try from one metre in from the sideline by way of a wobbly-looking kick that miraculously weaved its way over the crossbar. The Panthers then obliged by putting their last-ditch short kick-off out over the sideline!

NSWRL Intrust Super Premiership NSW – 7^th Round

Sunday, 16^th April 2017

Penrith Stadium

Penrith v Newtown

Kick-Off: 11.45am.

Newtown 18:

Fa’amanu Brown, Edrick Lee, Jayden Walker tries;

Fa’amanu Brown 3 conversions

defeated

Penrith 16:

Corey Harawira-Naera, Lachlan Stein, Darren Nicholls tries;

Darren Nicholls 2 conversions.

Half-Time: Penrith led 10-0.

Referee: Daniel Olford.

Touch Judges: Jeff Hartup and Matt Treneman.

Newtown’s team was:

Leigh Higgins, Edrick Lee, Jordan Drew, Jesse Ramien, James Tuitahi, Penani Manumalealii, Fa’amanu Brown, Jayden McDonogh, Jayden Walker, Tony Williams, Jaimin Jolliffe, Kurt Kara, Sam Tagataese.

Bench: Jack Williams, Kenny Niko, Manaia Cherrington, Tepatasi Fuiavailili.

Coach: Greg Matterson.

The Penrith team:

Dylan Edwards, Lachlan Stein, Michael Oldfield, Tyrone May, Malakai Watene-Zelezniak, Darren Nicholls, Jarome Luai, Sione Katoa, Kaide Ellis, Corey Harawira-Naera, Viliame Kikau, Mitch Rein, Sitaleki Akauola.

Bench: Jack Hetherington, Oliver Clark, Corey Waddell, Samisone Langi.

Coach: Garth Brennan.

Playing surface: Excellent.

Weather: Sunny, fine and unseasonably warm. Penrith officials confirmed that it was at least 28 degrees out on the playing surface.

Match summary: –

COMPLETIONS:

1st half: Newtown 15/21 (71%) Penrith 17/21 (81%)

2nd half: Newtown 14/18 (78%) Penrith 10/15 (67%)

F-T: Newtown 29/39 (74%) Penrith 27/36 (75%)

IN POSSESSION:

1st half: Newtown 66 tackles (45%) Penrith 82 tackles (55%)

2nd half: Newtown 71 tackles (54%) Penrith 61 tackles (46%)

F-T: Newtown 137 tackles (49%) Penrith 143 tackles (51%)

PENALTIES:

1st half: Newtown 6 Penrith 4

2nd half: Newtown 2 Penrith 3

F-T: Newtown 8 Penrith 7

Match timeline: –

First Half:

Newtown kicked off to the northern end of Pepper Stadium.

5^th min: Panthers grubber kick into the in-goal area, try to Harawira-Naera midway between the posts and the south-east corner. Not converted. Penrith 4-0.

12^th min: 2 consecutive penalties get Newtown into an attacking position. Jordan Drew is wrestled out across the sideline about 5 metres out from the north-west corner.

21^st min: Edrick Lee spear tackled about 35 metres out from the Newtown tryline but the Jets failed to find touch from the penalty kick.

25^th min; Newtown under pressure at their own end. Penalty to Penrith and they opt for the quick tap and to maintain their attack, but they turn the ball over in the next set.

28^th min: Newtown lose the ball 10 metres out from their own line and then the Panthers get a repeat set.

30^th min: The Jets on the attack and get a penalty 10 metres out from the Penrith line.

A long cut-out pass by Tony Williams ends up in touch but it had been touched by the Panthers. Then the Jets turn over possession early in the next set.

33^rd min: Penalty to Penrith when the Jets force a tackled player into touch after referee’s call, 10 metres out from Newtown’s line.

Panthers string several passes together and Lachlan Stein is put over to score in the south-east corner in the 34^th minute.

Converted from the sideline by Nicholls. Penrith 10-0 after 36 minutes.

Penrith looking dangerous again but their sortie is brought to a halt by a forward pass.

Jets turn over the ball in 37^th minute.

Edrick Lee knocks down a Panthers pass and prevents what could have been a Penrith try.

Half-Time: Penrith leads 10-0.

Coach Matterson urges his players to put the pressure back onto the big Penrith forwards. They are starting to feel the strain with the unusually warm conditions.

First half completions:

Newtown 15/21, Penrith 17/21.

Possession: Penrith 55%, Newtown 45%.

Penalties: 6-4 to Newtown.

Second half:

Edrick Lee makes some ground after getting involved midfield.

47^th min: Penrith make big metres up the middle and then get a penalty.

Penrith looking dangerous at Newtown’s end but the Jets get a relieving penalty after defending the set on their own line.

Penrith’s back-rowers looking to be dangerous customers.

Great set from the Jets in the 52^nd minute – hard running and good support play. Nu Brown’s kick into the in-goal is forced dead and the Jets get a repeat set.

Dropped ball by Newtown and Panthers break away up field, and then get a penalty 10 metres out from Newtown’s line in the 54^th min.

Then the Panthers turn the ball over which takes the pressure off.

Jets turn to mount an attack at Penrith’s end in 56^th min.

Penalty to Newtown in front of Penrith posts in 57^th min.

In the ensuing set, Nu Brown shows and goes, scoring 10 metres in from the south-east corner (58^th min).

Brown converts his own try from wide out. Penrith 10-6 in 59^th min.

Newtown defence gets ragged as Penrith challenge at Jets end, and Panthers score to the right of the posts in 62^nd min.

Nicholls was the try-scorer and he converts his own try.

Penrith 16-6 with 17 minutes to go.

Sam Tagataese is penalised for what seemed to be a legitimately tough tackle made by an international front-row forward.

Penrith go very close to scoring in the 65^th minute; Tony Williams is involved in a vital try-scoring tackle. Another try by the Panthers and it would have been “Good Night Vienna” for the Jets.

Big Sam Tagataese makes a tremendous midfield break but the Panthers reform quickly to prevent a try as Newtown spreads the ball.

72^nd min: It looks to be curtains for the Jets as the Panthers send the ball wide up their right-hand attacking side and there is a two man overlap – but Edrick Lee intercepts the final pass and races 95 metres to score about 10 metres in from the south-east corner.

73^rd min: Nu Brown converts Lee’s try and it’s Penrith leading 16-12.

On the sideline Coach Matterson asks Tony Williams if he’s got a few minutes left in him, and the big fellow heads back onto the paddock to terrorise the tiring Panthers forwards.

77^th min: Big charges by Tony Williams and Sam Tagataese take the Jets into the Panthers “red zone”.

78^th min: Penani Manumalealii is swarmed on by Penrith defenders, but he gets a well-weighted kick away into the right hand corner of the  Panthers in-goal.

There is a frenzied chase for the bouncing ball, and young backrower Jayden Walker beats Lachlan Stein to ground the ball, one metre in from the south-west in-goal sideline.

79^th min: Nu Brown launches a most unlikely looking kick which seems to be heading to the right of the posts and then veers left, and somehow makes it over the cross bar.

The cohort of travelling Jets fans goes berserk.

80^th min: Penrith’s kick-off goes out on the full; Jets take a tap penalty and it’s game over.

Full-Time: Newtown 18 defeated Penrith 16.

Second-half completions: Newtown 14/18, Penrith 10/15.

Penalties: Penrith 3-2.

Possession: Newtown 54%.

Kenny Niko has an injured shoulder and his position will be clearer on Tuesday.

Coach Matterson in the dressing rooms at fulltime:

“A great come from behind victory; hung in tough against the odds and in the heat; this was a strong Penrith team with a lot of players with NRL experience.

Our next game is at home against an in-form Wyong team”.

How the NSWRL reported this game:  http://www.nswrl.com.au/news/2017/04/16/walker_steals_memora.html

All the 7^th round ISP NSW results and the updated competition table:  http://live.nswrl.com.au/comp/3ec60a38ee446fb80

Newtown is now in 6^th place on 6 points.