Against all the odds, the Newtown Jets have qualified for another grand final
Newtownhas won a place in the 2019 Canterbury Cup NSW grand final, following the Jets’22-20 victory over the premiership favourites St George-Illawarra. This preliminaryfinal match was played at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium (Kogarah) on Sundayafternoon.
Sevenweeks ago the Jets were in tenth place on the competition table, but they begantheir spirited run home with a win against Penrith on a bitterly cold night atPanthers Stadium on Friday, 9th August. The Newtown Jets haveremained unbeaten in their last six matches (three competition games and threefinals) in their march towards a grand final berth.
Newtown went into Sunday’s game having to cope with late team changes, with team captain and five-eighth Jack A. Williams, centre Aaron Gray and front-rower Wes Lolo all being mid-week withdrawals.
OnSunday the Jets led 16-6 at half-time, with winger Sione Katoa scoring twiceand centre Ronaldo Mulitalo also claiming a try. Newtown increased its lead to22-6 early in the second-half by way of a barnstorming try to second-rowerSiosifa Talakai. Half-back Braydon Trindall added the extras for three of thesefour tries.
Aworrying trend in the second half of penalties being conceded by the Jets anderrors made allowed the Dragons back into the game. The minor premiers tookfull advantage of the extra possession and the opportunities presented, scoringthree tries to get within two points of the Jets with five minutes left to play.The Dragons only converted one of these second-half tries, with one of theirconversion attempts being missed from close range.
Newtown’sopponent in the grand final is Wentworthville, making this Sunday’s match arepeat circumstance of 2012 when the clubs who had finished seventh and eighthon the final competition table both qualified for the premiership decider. Thegrand final is to be played at Bankwest Stadium on Sunday, 29thSeptember with the kick-off timed for 3.05pm.
Sunday’spreliminary final scoring details:
Newtown22:
SioneKatoa 2, Ronaldo Mulitalo, Siosifa Talakai tries;
BraydonTrindall 3 goals
defeated
StGeorge-Illawarra 20:
TristanSailor 2, Patrick Kaufusi, Steven Marsters tries;
TristanSailor 2 goals.
Half-Time: Newtown led 16-6.
Referee: Drew Oultram.
AssistantReferee:Kieren Irons.
TouchJudges:Jake Sutherland and Cameron Mitchell.
Theplaying surface at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium was excellent.
Weather: Sunny, very littlecloud, 22 degrees, easterly breeze.
Newtown’steam was:
WillKennedy, Sione Katoa, Matt Evans, Ronaldo Mulitalo, Tyrone Phillips, TobyRudolf, Braydon Trindall, Billy Magoulias, Scott Sorensen (Capt), JaysonBukuya, Daniel Vasquez, Blayke Brailey, Jimmy Jolliffe.
Bench: Teig Wilton, SiosifaTalakai, Luke Polselli, Greg Eastwood.
Coach: Greg Matterson.
StGeorge-Illawarra:
JaiField, Lachlan Maranta, Tristan Sailor, Steven Marsters, Jordan Pereira, AdamClune, Darren Nicholls (Capt), Luke Gale, Patrick Kaufusi, Jackson Ford,Lachlan Timm, Josh Kerr, Reece Robson.
Bench: Jonus Pearson,Mitchell Allgood, Joe Lovodua, Charly Runciman.
Coach: Mat Head.
Informationfrom the NSWRL about the sale of tickets for Sunday’s grand final: https://www.nswrl.com.au/news/2019/09/22/tickets-on-sale-for-canterbury-cup-nsw-grand-final/
Grandfinal details:
NSWRLCanterbury Cup NSW – Grand Final
Sunday,29th September 2019
BankwestStadium
Newtown(finished in 7th position) v Wentworthville (finished in 8thposition)
Kick-Off:3.05pm.