The Newtown Jets return to Henson Park for 2018 … plus this Saturday is a major milestone for Greg Matterson

The Newtown Jets are back home this Saturday for the first time this season, when they play St George-Illawarra in round five of the Intrust Super Premiership round five. This match also marks Greg Matterson’s 250^th game as Newtown’s NSW Cup / Intrust Super Premiership head coach, an appointment he has held since 2008.

Greg has certainly given great service to the Newtown club, with his teams winning a premiership in 2012, making a grand final in 2008 and a preliminary final in 2016. The NSW Cup/ISP NSW teams he has coached have made the finals in seven out of ten years.

The Jets are coming off an exceptional 36-12 win against Penrith on Easter Saturday, while the Dragons had a big win over the Newcastle Knights last weekend. The man to watch for the Dragons is their experienced halfback Darren Nicholls – he is a very effective organising player and he has a good kicking game.

This Saturday’s game details are:

NSWRL Intrust Super Premiership NSW – 5^th Round

Saturday, 7^th April 2018

Henson Park

Newtown (5^th place) v St George-Illawarra (4^th place)

Kick-Off: 3.00pm.

This match will be broadcast live on Steele Sports:  Listen live on www.steelesports.com.au from 2.30pm

Referee: Ryan Jackson

Touch Judges: Liam Nicholls and Andrew Gilchrist

Newtown’s team is:

Will Kennedy, Matt Evans, Aaron Gray, Reubenn Rennie, Bessie Aufaga-Toomaga, Jack Williams, Kyle Flanagan, Braden Uele, Blayke Brailey, Kurt Dillon, Scott Sorensen, Anthony Moraitis, Jack Williams.

Interchange:

Wes Lolo, Billy Magoulias, Daniel Vasquez, Briton Nikora, Jesse Marschke.

Coach: Greg Matterson

St George-Illawarra:

Jai Field, John Tohi, Patrick Herbert, Reuben Garrick, Jordan Pereira, Adam Clune, Darren Nicholls, Mitchell Allgood, Reece Robson, Josh Kerr, Jacob Host, Jackson Ford, Blake Lawrie.

Interchange:
Joe Lovodua, James Hasson, Ash Nisbet, TJ Uele.

Coach: Mat Head.

Good luck to our Ron Massey Cup partnership club Glebe-Burwood, who take on Blacktown Workers in the Ron Massey opening competition round at HE Laybutt Field on Sunday, 8^th April at 1.00pm. Of the 19 Glebe-Burwood players listed in Big League magazine for this Sunday’s game, 11 are Newtown Jets-registered players.

Jets hard-running back-rower Billy Magoulias made a good impression in last week’s win against Penrith and he was interviewed by Nick Jantzen from the NSWRL media team: https://www.nswrl.com.au/news/2018/04/04/billy-kid-not-ready-for-nrl/

Ball-playing second-rower Briton Nikora hails from the Bay of Plenty region in New Zealand and he was interviewed by Rob Willis, Media Manager for the Cronulla Sharks:   https://www.sharks.com.au/news/2017/12/10/young-guns—briton-nikora-/

Impressive young front-rower Daniel Vasquez is the first player of Chilean heritage to ever play for Newtown, and he was also interviewed by Rob Willis:  https://www.sharks.com.au/news/2017/12/29/young-guns—daniel-vasquez/