After the narrow loss to Mounties, Sunday’s away game to Wyong is an absolute must-win for the Jets

It’s Newtown (in 5th place) playing away to Wyong (in 6th) and the Jets must produce the goods on Sunday ….

The late mail is that the Roosters have dropped Jackson Hastings and that he will be playing for Wyong on Sunday. Well, good luck to him – we know that Newtown’s halves Josh Cleeland and Fa’amanu Brown are as good as any six and seven in the ISP NSW competition. Watch for Josh Cleeland and his former Ipswich Jets team-mate Kurt Capewell to continue their good form on Sunday. Mitch Brown returns at fullback for the Jets after a knee injury. Kurt Dillon has a thumb injury and the young giant Harrison Muller comes onto the bench.

Newtown’s team for Sunday is:

Mitch Brown, Travis Robinson, Jordan Drew, Matt Evans, Jacob Gagan, Josh Cleeland, Fa’amanu Brown, Junior Roqica, Matt McIlwrick, Jesse Sene-Lefao, Anthony Moraitis, Kurt Capewell, Kurt Kara. Bench: Jason Schirnack, Jaline Graham, Harrison Muller, Malakai Houma, Arana Taumata. Coach: Greg Matterson.

Wyong’s team is:

Omar Slaimankhel, Chris Centrone, Brendan Elliott, Jai Ingram, Dominic Reardon, Brock Molan, Tyler Cornish, Paki Afu, Mitch Williams, Abraham Papalii, Chris Smith, Mitch Frei, Zane Tetevano. Bench: Joey Lussick, Vincent Leuluai, Justin Toomey-White, Carne Doyle-Manga. Coach: Rip Taylor.

Referee: Damian Briscoe. Touch Judges: Benjamin Teague and Jimmy Oliveira.

Courtesy of the NSWRL, here are the highlights from Round 10 of the ISP NSW: http://www.nswrl.com.au/news/2016/05/16/highlights_isp_nsw_r.html

And also from the NSWRL, here is their wrap on last weekend in the ISP NSW: http://www.nswrl.com.au/news/2016/05/18/the_wrap_round_10.html

How the NSWRL has previewed all the games in Round 11 of the ISP NSW: http://www.nswrl.com.au/news/2016/05/20/previews_intrust_sup.html

Josh Cleeland is the form five-eighth of the ISP NSW, and he was deservedly named in the Round 10 Team of the Week: http://www.nswrl.com.au/news/2016/05/17/isp_team_of_the_week.af_intrust-super-premiership-nsw_news1.html

Last Saturday’s attendance at Ladies Day at Henson Park was almost certainly a record crowd for the first half of the season since Newtown returned to Henson Park in 2000. By this measurement we are using the 1st June as the notional half-way mark of the season. There have been bigger crowds at Henson Park in recent years, but they have all been towards the latter rounds of the season and on our wildly successful Club Reunion Days. Last Saturday was a tremendous day for all the kids with wonderful entertainment laid on for them. Identities in the crowd included singer, songwriter, satirist, screen composer and sound engineer Denis Carnahan and also the redoubtable and supremely well-connected Ladies Who League.

We extend good wishes to one of our favourite former Jets, NSW Cup 2012 premiership captain Daniel Mortimer, who is recovering from recent hamstring surgery.

Henson Park will host several Latin American national teams on the 11th June and this video details the poignant backgrounds that many of these players come from: https://www.facebook.com/LatinAmericanRugbyLeague/videos/vb.173861682783403/571693503000217/?type=2&theater

This man never played for Newtown and we’re not sure if he ever played at Henson Park, but Roger Millward, one of the greatest Rugby League players of the 20th century, passed away recently. Here is some footage to give you some idea of what a mercurial performer he truly was: https://twitter.com/collinstony/status/727406202829852672

Congratulations to one of our favourite King Street identities, the legendary Alberto Talarico, popular proprietor of Alberto’s Pizzeria-Restaurant at 589 King Street, South Newtown (very close to the Botany View Hotel). Alberto turned 80 recently and I’m sure everyone at the Newtown Jets sends him their best wishes. Alberto is of course the father of Alby, the popular Newtown Jets Director and gun Rugby League broadcaster for Steele Sports.

Here is your Newtown Jets quiz for this week: There are six players from Newtown’s 2008 NSW Cup Grand Final squad who are still playing in the 2016 NRL, UK Super League, ISP NSW or ISC Qld Rugby League competitions. The first person to correctly name any three of those six players and send their answer to jets@newtownjets.com will receive an item of fabulous Newtown Jets merchandise as a prize.

Talking of fabulous Newtown Jets clothing and merchandise: There is a great range of 2016 Newtown Jets clothing and merchandise for you to choose from. Naturally you can either buy online or contact the club directly. To check out the range of items and for information about your intended purchases, go to this link: http://bit.ly/18l7MvE

And if you’re not a member of the Newtown RLFC, please be assured you are still very welcome to join up for 2016. There is no way you can make a stronger statement as to your loyalty to this famous old Rugby League institution, and your membership helps provide an invaluable financial life-stream to the future viability of our club. It might be you’ve been a member in the past – you’re most certainly welcome to rejoin. Please encourage any other Jets supporters you know who aren’t members to get on board. Here is your link to all the necessary information about becoming a Newtown RLFC member: http://bit.ly/1N4xKZ8