Jets brought down by second half implosion and a late penalty goal
The Newtown Jets turned on a very disappointing display in their 26-24 loss to the Sydney Roosters at Henson Park last Saturday.
There had been several changes to the Jets team that had been announced earlier in the week. The strong-tackling and hard-running second-rower Kyle Pickering had been ruled out with a leg injury and was replaced by Dylan Coutts. Centre Chris Vea’ila was promoted into the Cronulla Sharks NRL team and was replaced by Eli Clark who moved into the centre position. Daniel Atkinson took up the five-eighth spot with Khaled Rajab becoming the 18th man. The ball-playing back-rower Blake Hosking sustained an injury during Saturday’s game and is expected to be unable to play again for some time.
The Jets had run up a 24-0 lead in the first half, but conceded a try to the Roosters close to half-time.
Newtown began confidently early in the game with Jayden Berrell, Niwhai Puru and Michael Gabrael combining down the left side for Puru to be sent racing clear to score under the southern end goalposts. He converted his own try for Newtown to lead 6-0.
The Roosters put Newtown under some pressure at their own end but once again the Jets put on a smart passing raid down their left side, with Berrell, the Puru brothers and Gabrael cutting through for Niwhai Puru to score his second try. The Roosters had done plenty of attacking in the first twenty minutes, but it was the Jets who were putting the points on the score board.
Nothing was going right for the Tricolours, and just when they mounted a dangerous-looking attacking movement in the 22nd minute, a loose ball was snapped up by Michael Gabrael who sprinted 80 metres to score under the posts.
Another instance of poor handling by the Roosters saw Hohepa Puru break free to score Newtown’s fourth try. Niwhai Puru had converted all four tries and Newtown led 24-0.
The first half ended on a cautionary note for the Jets when the Roosters took advantage of a long midfield break, sending their winger over to score in the north-east corner. Newtown went into the half-time break leading 24-4, but the Roosters had shown enough in attack in the first half to indicate that this game was by no means over.
Repeat penalties early in the second half put the Roosters on the attack, and they made good use of their field position to score again from a crash-play in the south-east corner. Neither of these Roosters tries had been converted, with both attempts hitting an upright.
The Roosters looked energised by these two quick tries (albeit separated by the half-time break), and it was definitely game on when “the men from where the sun rises” scored their third try, achieved through a long break and clever footwork by their young halfback.
The Roosters scored their fourth try in the 51st minute after they poured downfield through threadbare and uncommitted Newtown defence. Incredibly, the Roosters then posted their fifth try in the 52nd minute, with Newtown not having handled the ball at all in the second half.
The Tricolours had scored these four tries within the space of eight minutes early in the second half. Only two of these tries had been converted, with the other three attempts all bouncing off an upright.
With the scores now locked together at 24-all, the Roosters missed a shot at penalty goal in the 60th minute. After their points-scoring spree early in the second half, there was a more even share of possession and the game developed into an absorbing struggle, as both teams tried to break the points deadlock.
The Roosters went close to scoring again in the 67th minute, when they were held up over the Jets deadline. Newtown’s defence had improved later in the second half when they defended inside their own red zone with much greater commitment. Newtown supporters were enthralled as Niwhai Puru attempted a shot at penalty goal from 45 metres out but it was unsuccessful.
Repeat penalties again took the Roosters down to Newtown’s end of the field with only five minutes left. The Tricolours missed a field goal attempt in the 76th minute, but in a controversial ruling, the referee penalised a Newtown player for not having been square on at the ruck. The penalty had been awarded right in the front of the posts, and the Roosters took the two points to move into the lead (for the first time in the entire game) by 26-24.
Hohepa Puru made a thrilling break in the 79th minute and the indefatigable Jayden Berrell went very close to scoring. In the last 30 seconds, a Jets high kick was defused by a high-flying Roosters defender to end proceedings.
It was in every way a most disappointing outcome for the Jets, after what appeared to be a winning lead was quickly run down early in the second half, and ultimately overtaken with three minutes left to play.
Team captain and hooker Jayden Berrell won the Built Smart Solutions Player of the Match award and deservedly so – he did his absolute best in sparking Newtown’s attack and his defensive performance was tireless.
(Photo: Mario Facchini, mafphotography)
The Jets defensive structure had virtually imploded early in the second half and allowed the Roosters to draw level - and then the Royal Blues had been unable to score another point for the entirety of the second stanza.
This Saturday, 26th July, sees the annual Beer, Footy and Food Festival being staged at Henson Park, and this ever-popular event should provide a huge attendance to watch the two rugby league matches that are scheduled.
In the 21st round of the NSW Cup, the 4th placed Newtown Jets take on the 2nd placed St George-Illawarra at Henson Park at 3.30pm. The curtain-raiser is an Illawarra Rugby League first grade premiership fixture between De La Salle and Dapto at 12.30pm.
NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup
Round 20
Saturday, 19th July 2025
Henson Park
Newtown v Sydney Roosters
Kick-Off: 3.00pm.
This match was livestreamed on BarTV NSWRL
Weather: Sunny, 19 degrees, light breeze
Playing surface: Excellent.
Match Officials Appointments: -
Henson Park, 19th July 2025:
Referee: Damian Brady
Touch Judges: Brayden Hunt, Patrick Mackey
Match Result: -
Sydney Roosters 26:
Trey Peni, Junior Tupou,
Toby Rodwell, Hayden Barton,
Reece Foley tries;
Toby Rodwell 2 conversions, 1 penalty goal
defeated
Newtown 24:
Niwhai Puru 2, Michael Gabrael,
Hohepa Puru tries;
Niwhai Puru 4 conversions.
Half-Time: Newtown led 24-4.
The Teams: -
Newtown:
Fullback: Taj Ford
Wingers: Sam Stonestreet, Kristian Dixon
Centres: Eli Clark, Michael Gabrael
Halves: Daniel Atkinson, Niwhai Puru
Lock: Hohepa Puru
Second-Rowers: Blake Hosking, Dylan Coutts
Front-Rowers: Felix Faatili, Max Bradbury
Hooker: Jayden Berrell (Captain)
Interchange:
Jontay-Junior Betham-Misa
Jordin Leiu, Riley Jones, Brad Fearnley
18th Man: Khaled Rajab
Blue Shirt Trainer: Tom Haberecht
Yellow Shirt Trainer: Fletcher Graham
Orange Shirt Trainer: Chris Moubarak
Game Day Doctor: Anna-Maria Frangos-Young
Coach: George Ndaira.
Sydney Roosters:
Fullback: Tom Rodwell
Wingers: Junior Tupou, Trey Peni
Centres: Ben Johnson, Lachlan Dooner
Halves: Reece Foley, Toby Rodwell
Lock: Aston Warwick
Second-Rowers: Hayden Barton, Max McCathie (Captain)
Front-Rowers: Makahesi Makatoa, Taylor Losalu
Hooker: Benaiah Ioelu
Interchange:
Tyler Moriarty, Rhys Dakin
Josh Finau, Xavier Va’a
18th Man: Emery Jolliffe
Blue Shirt Trainer: Tait Barnes
Yellow Shirt Trainer: Scott Cullen
Orange Shirt Trainer: Luke Esposito
Coach: Brett Morris.
Video Material:
Newtown v Sydney Roosters Highlights:
NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup Competition Table After 20 Rounds:
Chris Vea'ila scores a try on his NRL debut with the Cronulla Sharks:
https://x.com/cronullasharks/status/1946143567325335833
Newtown Coach George Ndaira’s post-match comments:
Toby Rudolf recalls some of his team-mates fromm the Newtown Jets 2019 NSW Cup premiership team:
https://www.facebook.com/reel/1046939820946214
Match Timeline:
First Half:
Sydney Roosters kicked off, running to the northern end.
5th minute: Niwhai Puru try
Converted by Niwhai Puru. Newtown 6-0.
18th minute: Niwhai Puru
Converted by Niwhai Puru. Newtown 12-0.
22nd minute: Michael Gabrael try.
Converted by Niwhai Puru. Newtown 18-0.
32nd minute: Hohepa Puru try.
Converted by Niwhai Puru. Newtown 24-0.
39th minute: Trey Peni try.
Not converted. Newtown 24-4.
Blake Hosking (Newtown) left the field at half-time with an injury.
Half-Time: Newtown led 24-4.
Second Half:
Newtown kicked off, running to the northern end.
45th minute: Junior Tupou try.
Not converted. Newtown 24-8.
47th minute: Toby Rodwell try.
Converted by Toby Rodwell. Newtown 24-14.
50th minute: Hayden Barton try.
Not converted. Newtown 24-18.
53rd minute: Reece Foley try.
Converted by Toby Rodwell. 24-all.
60th minute: Penalty goal shot missed by Sydney Roosters.
68th minute: Penalty goal shot missed by Newtown.
76th minute: Penalty goal kicked by Toby Rodwell.
Sydney Roosters 26-24.
Full-Time: Sydney Roosters 26 defeated Newtown 24.
Match Statistics:
Newtown Player Statistics:
Most tackles: Hohepa Puru: 31 tackles
Most metres run: Michael Gabrael: 182 metres
Most line breaks: Michael Gabrael: 2
Team Statistics:
(Newtown: N; Sydney Roosters: R.)
Possession: N 43%; R 57%
Time in possession: N 18m30s; R 25m15s.
Completion rate: N 82%, 24/29; R 75%, 28/37
All runs: N 130, R 201
Metres run: N 1184, R 1729
post contact metres: N 386, R 583
Line breaks: N 3, R 8
Tackle breaks: N 17, R 41
Average set distance: N 41, R 47
Kick return metres: N 77, R 181Offloads: N 3, R 10
Total passes: N 161, R 207
Dummy passes: N 1, R 14
Kicks: N 15, R 14
Kicking metres: N 626, R 290
Forced drop outs: N 1, R 2
Kick defusal: N 75%, R 83%
Bombs: N 4, R 4
Grubbers: N 0, R 4
Effective tackles: N 83%, R 91%
Tackles made: N 294, R 229
Missed tackles: N 41, R 17
Ineffective tackles: N 19, R 6
Errors: N 8, R 10
Penalties conceded: N 7, R 3
Inside 10 metres: N 2, R 0
Interchanges: N 8, R 7.
(Photo: Mario Facchini/mafphotography)
Newtown’s next game details:
NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup
21st Round
Saturday, 26th July 2025
Henson Park
Newtown (4th place) v St George-Illawarra (2nd place)
Kick-Off: 3.30pm.
This match will be livestreamed on BarTV NSWRL.
Curtain-Raiser this Saturday at Henson Park:
Illawarra First Grade:
De La Salle v Dapto
Kick-Off: 12.30pm.