A game for the ages at Leichhardt Oval and the Newtown Jets move forward into the Preliminary Final.
Match Report:
The Newtown Jets have been involved in quite a number of exciting finishes over the years in the NSW Cup competition, but not many have been as thrilling as last Saturday’s elimination semi-final victory over old-time rivals, the North Sydney Bears.
Taj Ford, playing at fullback in the absence of the injured Jets captain Liam Ison, kicked two field goals in the space of three minutes to take the Newtown Jets from a 25-24 deficit to a truly amazing 26-25 victory.
Jets fullback Taj Ford is hailed by his Newtown team-mates after kicking the match-winning field goal.
The match was played at one of Newtown’s favourite finals venues, Leichhardt Oval, in near perfect Spring weather and in front of a healthy attendance.
The Jets were captained by hooker Jayden Berrell in the absence of Liam Ison. This elimination semi-final was notable for being winger Kristian Dixon’s fiftieth NSW Cup appearance with the Newtown club.
Newtown winger Kristian Dixon is unchallenged as he goes high to catch this kick.
The men from the North Shore made a strong start, scoring two converted tries early in the match to lead 12-0, with the Jets not numbering up effectively against the fast North Sydney backs.
Newtown responded in the 17th minute when Kristian Dixon shrugged off tackles to score after there had been good lead-up work by Taj Ford and Tuku Hau Tapuha.
Giant Newtown prop Tuku Hau Tapuha charges into the Norths defence.
Jets five-eighth Khaled Rajab made an important ball strip at the Norths end of the field that ended in big prop Braden Uele powering over to score. Kristian Dixon converted Uele’s try and the Jets trailed 12-10 in the 25th minute.
The Jets drew level at 12-all in the 29th minute when Dixon kicked a penalty goal, following a late tackle having been made on Newtown’s halfback Riley Pollard.
Newtown halfback Riley Pollard gets his pass away with a Norths defender close by.
Norths were “under the cosh” as Rajab, Chris Vea’ila and Sam Stonestreet combined to send Harrison Hassett over to score unchallenged in the 31st minute. Dixon’s conversion attempt bounced away off the left upright and Newtown led 16-12.
The Bears failed to defuse a high kick from Rajab and Dixon tapped the ball back to centre Joe Nadenic, who sent the eagerly-supporting Felix Faatili thundering in to score under the posts. Dixon’s conversion sent Newtown into the half-time break leading by 22-12.
Jets middle forward Felix Faatili has a smile for his North Sydney opponents as he heads for the try-line.
The Jets nearly increased this lead early in the second half through what appeared to be a try to Taj Ford. It was disallowed by the in-goal judge, who ruled that a Newtown player had impeded a Bears defender.
Two penalties to Norths at Newtown’s end put the Jets under pressure, but Kristian Dixon toed through a loose Norths pass. The rowdy Newtown Jets barrackers voiced their disagreement at the referee’s failure to penalise Norths for what they regarded to be the jostling of Dixon in his pursuit of the bouncing ball.
Jets fullback Taj Ford runs on for a rugby league game he will remember for the rest of his life.
North Sydney scored again wide out in the north-eastern corner and the conversion reduced Newtown’s lead to 22-18.
The Jets missed a genuine try-scoring chance in the 57th minute, but another penalty goal kicked by Dixon extended Newtown’s lead to 24-18. Norths had certainly made a strong fightback in the game’s third quarter after having trailed by ten points at half-time.
BarTV commentator Morgan Campbell had described the Newtown-Norths match at Henson Park as the best game of the 2026 NSW Cup season, and he was inclined to add that this elimination semi-final was also a contender for that award.
From left to right: Jets forwards Sam McCulloch, Braden Uele, Brad “Big Red” Fearnley and Kobie Wilson after full-time at Leichhardt Oval.
The Shoremen took advantage of a midfield intercept and ended up scoring again in the north-eastern corner. The conversion from wide out made the score 24-all with just on 15 minutes left to play.
The BarTV commentary team had speculated as to when the field goal option might come into consideration, and Norths grabbed such an opportunity seven minutes out from fulltime to take a 25-24 lead. The Jets might have been taken unawares and were slow in getting off their defensive line to charge the kick down.
These Norths Bears players are enraged after a strong tackle on one of their team-mates but Blake Hosking stands his ground, marking where the play-the-ball should take place.
Norths then pulled off an audacious one on one strip after Newtown had made it down to the Bears end of the field, but an unfortunate Bears player was on the receiving end of a stupendous (and quite legitimate) crash tackle by a fired-up Tuku Hau Tapuha. Big Tuku’s contribution throughout the game had been outstanding.
Chris Vea’ila made a determined break down the left edge that took Newtown to within field goal range. Jayden Berrell threw a long and accurate pass back to the well-positioned Taj Ford, who made no mistake from 25 metres out to tie the scores up at 25-all, with three minutes left on the clock. There clearly had been some clever on-field communication between Riley Pollard and Ford in the lead-up to that field goal attempt.
Newtown backs Chris Vea’ila and Sam Stonestreet break away up the left side with a Norths defender in desperate pursuit.
Events turned against the Bears when their attempt at a long-range field goal (from about 55 metres!) was horribly “botched”, followed by a hip-drop penalty incurred by a Norths player which gave Newtown the much-needed opportunity to get the ball down into Norths territory. Driving hit-ups from Braden Uele, Tuku Hau Tapuha and Blake Hosking took the Jets to within field goal range.
Taj Ford, in a moment that will be very much a part of his rugby league memories for the rest of his life, was right on target with his field goal attempt in what was virtually the last play of the game. The full-time siren sounded immediately after Ford’s unerring field goal attempt soared between the southern end goal posts.
An interesting study in black and white: Harrison Hassett (on the right) has just scored; Sam Stonestreet (centre) roars in triumph to the crowd; and the North Sydney player on the left is marooned in a Dystopian world of personal torment.
This had been the eighth win in a row for the Newtown Jets, and a “straight sets” exit from the 2026 NSW Cup finals for the North Sydney Bears.
The Jets have now advanced to the NSW Cup preliminary final stage , and they will take on the Newcastle Knights at the St George Venues Jubilee Stadium, Kogarah on Saturday, 19th September at 3.15pm.
Match Details:
NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup
Minor Semi-Final
Saturday, 12th September 2026
Leichhardt Oval
Newtown v North Sydney
Kick-Off: 1.00pm.
Weather: Clear sky, sunny, 21 degrees.
Playing surface: Excellent.
Match Officials:
Referee: Luke Saldern
Touch Judges: Ethan Klein, Jake Sutherland
In-Goal Judges: William Greatbatch, Martin Jones
Standby: Dillan Wells.
Match Result:
Newtown 26:
Kristian Dixon, Braden Uele,
Harrison Hassett, Felix Faatili tries;
Kristian Dixon 2 conversions, 2 penalty goals;
Taj Ford 2 field goals
defeated
North Sydney 25:
Tuipulotu Katoa, Harradyn Wilson,
Matt Stimson, Abiarthur Tuilaepa tries;
Kieran Hayman 4 conversions;
Thomas Steadman 1 field goal.
Half-Time: Newtown led 22-12.
The teams were:
Newtown:
Fullback: Taj Ford
Wingers: Kristian Dixon, Sam Stonestreet
Centres: Chris Vea’ila, Joe Nadenic
Halves: Khaled Rajab, Riley Pollard
Lock: Blake Hosking
Second-Rowers: Jaxon Lavender, Harrison Hassett
Front-Rowers: Tuku Hau Tapuha, Braden Uele
Hooker: Jayden Berrell (Captain)
Interchange:
Sam McCulloch, Brad Fearnley
Felix Faatili, Kobie Wilson
Reserve: Jontay-Junior Betham-Misa
Blue Shirt Trainer: Tom Haberecht
Yellow Shirt Trainer: Brett Kaplan
Orange Shirt Trainer: Chris Moubarak
Game Day Doctor: Dr Daryl Wong
Team Manager: Jason Pritchard
Coach: George Ndaira.
North Sydney:
Fullback: Jake Toby
Wingers: Abiarthur Tuilaepa, Tuipulotu Katoa
Centres: Ammaron Gudgeon, Kieran Hayman
Halves: Harradyn Wilson, Thomas Steadman
Lock: Coby Thomas (Captain)
Second-Rowers: Matt Stimson, Riley Meyn
Front-Rowers: Phillip Makatoa, Liam Knight
Hooker: Jayden Yates
Interchange:
Joshua Cook, Matthew French
Sean Vaivelata, TJ Toevai
Reserve: Ethyn Martin
Blue Shirt Trainer: Joel Scrivener
Yellow Shirt Trainer: Nathan Townsend
Orange Shirt Trainer: Brent Banning
Game Day Doctor: Dr Edwin Tan
Coach: Leon Latulipe
Match Timeline:
First Half:
North Sydney kicked off to the southern end (the Keith Barnes Stand end) of Leichhardt Oval.
6th minute: Tuipulotu Katoa try.
Converted by Kieran Hayman. North Sydney 6-0.
11th minute: Braden Uele on report for a dangerous tackle.
12th minute: Harradyn Wilson try.
Converted by Kieran Hayman. North Sydney 12-0.
17th minute: Kristian Dixon try.
Not converted. North Sydney 12-4.
23rd minute: Braden Uele try.
Converted by Kristian Dixon. North Sydney 12-10.
28th minute: Riley Meyn (North Sydney) on report
29th minute: Kristian Dixon penalty goal. 12-all.
31st minute: Harrison Hassett try.
Not converted. Newtown 16-12.
37th minute: Felix Faatili try.
Converted by Kristian Dixon. Newtown 22-12.
Half-Time: Newtown led 22-12.
Second Half:
Newtown kicked off to the southern end.
Newtown had a possible try disallowed in the 43rd minute.
45th minute: Kristian Dixon on report.
48th minute: Matt Stimson try.
Converted by Kieran Hayman. Newtown 22-18.
59th minute: Kristian Dixon penalty goal. Newtown 24-18.
62nd minute: Abiarthur Toi Tuilaepa try.
Converted by Kieran Hayman. North Sydney 24-all.
73rd minute: Thomas Steadman 1 point field goal.
North Sydney 25-24.
76th minute: Taj Ford 1 point field goal. (76min42sec)
Newtown 25, North Sydney 25.
78th minute: Kieran Hayman missed a 2 point field goal attempt. (78min46sec)
79th minute: Tuipulotu Katoa (North Sydney) on report for hip drop tackle.
79th minute: Taj Ford 1 point field goal (79min45sec)
Newtown 26-25.
Full-Time: Newtown 26 defeated North Sydney 25.
Jets fullback Taj Ford after kicking his first field goal that enabled Newtown to draw level at 25-all very late in the game.
Match statistics: -
Top performing players:
Harrison Hassett (Newtown): 36 tackles
Kristian Dixon (Newtown): Most run metres: 145
Felix Faatili (Newtown): Most line breaks: 2
Team Statistics:
North Sydney: NS; Newtown: N.
Possession: NS 49%; N 51%
Time in possession: NS 22.02; N 23.00
Completions: NS 76% (29/38); N 81% (30/37)
Runs with the ball: NS 168; N 157
Metres run: NS 1488; N 1480
Post-contact metres: NS 512; N 567
Line breaks: NS 4, N 7
Tackle breaks: NS 36; N 29
Average set distance: NS 39.17; N 40.02
Kick return metres: NS 132; N 140
Average play the ball speed: NS 3.33; N 3.47
Offloaded passes: NS 8; N 7
Receipts: NS 341; N 361
Total passes: NS 177; N 195
Dummy passes: NS 0; N 15
Kicks: NS 15, N 20
Kicking metres: NS 390; N 614
Forced drop outs: NS 0; N 2
Kick defusal: NS 64%; N 57%
Bombs: NS 1, N 7
Grubbers: NS 4; N 2
Effective tackles: NS 88.86; N 85.31
Tackles made: NS 303; N 273
Missed tackles: NS 29; N 36
Intercepts: NS 1; N 0
Ineffective tackles: NS 9; N 11
Errors: NS 11, N 10
Penalties conceded: NS 7; N 7
Ruck infringements: NS 1; N 0
On reports: NS 2; N 2
Interchanges: NS 7; N 8.
Newtown’s Joe Nadenic (left) and Kristian Dixon are involved in a sprint with this Bears opponent as they pursue the bouncing ball.
The next match details are:
NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup
Preliminary Final
Saturday, 19th September 2026
St George Venues Jubilee Stadium, Kogarah
Newtown v Newcastle Knights
Kick-Off: 3.15pm.
Tickets available at the gate.
The match will be livestreamed on BarTV NSWRL.