Freezing conditions and injuries don’t deter the Newtown Jets in their stunning upset victory over the Panthers

TheNewtown Jets have shown once again that their best performances in 2019 can be againstopposition teams in the higher levels of the Canterbury Cup NSW competitiontable.

OnFriday night, in bitterly cold conditions at Panthers Stadium, the tenth-placedJets went in as rank underdogs against the third-placed Penrith Panthers.

Thingslooked grim when Penrith posted an easy try in the second minute of play, butthe Jets dominated the remainder of the first half to go into the half-timebreak with an 18-6 lead.

Newtownthen survived a post-halftime barrage when the power-packed Panthers had anunbroken spell of possession and favourable field position for fifteen minuteson end.

TheJets led 18-14 midway through the second half with the game very much in thebalance, but Newtown laid on an exhilarating try in the 63^rd minuteinvolving Greg Eastwood, Scott Sorensen and Braydon Trindall that seemed totake the game beyond the Panthers grasp.

HalfbackBraydon Trindall converted all four of Newtown’s tries and added two penaltygoals late in the game that gave the Jets a safe points buffer zone.

Five-eighthand captain Jack A. Williams was replaced in the first half due to a headinjury. Wes Lolo and Siosifa Talakai were also injured and spent extendedperiods off the field.

CronullaSharks Jersey Flegg centre Jensen Taumoepeau made his Canterbury Cup debut withthe Jets on Friday night. Jensen is a product of the Taranaki rugby league inNew Zealand’s North Island.

Thematch details were:

NSWRLCanterbury Cup NSW – 21^st Round

Friday,9^th August 2019

PanthersStadium

Penrithv Newtown

Thekick-off time was 5.40pm.

(Thismatch was played as the main curtain-raiser to the Penrith Panthers_ CronullaSharks NRL fixture.)

Newtown28:

BillyMagoulias (try in the 9^th minute), Jayson Bukuya (20^thminute), Will Kennedy (36^th minute) and Braydon Trindall (63^rdminute) tries;

BraydonTrindall 4 conversions and 2 penalty goals (kicked in the 69^th and72^nd minutes)

defeated

Penrith18:

WilliamBurns (2^nd minute), Charlie Staines (43^rd minute),Matheson Johns (56^th minute) and Frank Winterstein (73^rd minute)tries;

JedCartwright 1 conversion.

Half-Time: Newtown led 18-6.

Referee: Drew Oultram.

TouchJudges:Cameron Mitchell and Daniel Luttringer.

Playingsurface:Excellent.

Weather: 13 degrees, with abitterly cold strong wind blowing throughout most of the game.

TheNewtown Jets have a bye in Round 22 of the Canterbury Cup NSW competition (17^th/18^thAugust).

Newtown’steam on Friday night was:

WillKennedy, Luke Polselli, Tyrone Phillips, Jensen Taumoepeau,  LatrellSchaumkel, Jack A. Williams, Braydon Trindall, Jayson Bukuya, Scott Sorensen,Siosifa Talakai, Wes Lolo, Blayke Brailey, Jimmy Jolliffe.

Bench:Tyla Tamou, Teig Wilton, Billy Magoulias, Greg Eastwood.

Coach:Greg Matterson.

Penrith’steam was:

CharlieStaines, Malakai Watene-Zelezniak, Dean Whare, Jed Cartwright, Matheson Johns,Kurt Falls, Dean Blore, Hame Sele, Billy Burns, Frank Winterstein, SamMcKendry, Brendan Hands, Kaide Ellis.

Bench:Reed Izzard, Paea Pua, Pat Hollis, Tyrell Fuimaono.

Coach:Guy Missio.