Jets challenged by Knights second half fightback

TheNewtown Jets led 28-6 at half-time in their 24^th and finalCanterbury Cup NSW competition round played against the Newcastle Knights at HensonPark on Saturday. The Jets then had to scramble to defend that lead in thesecond half, with the final score being 34-22 in Newtown’s favour.

TheJets ran up a 28-0 lead after just twenty-five minutes and dominated possessionand field position. The Knights gained a bigger share of possession in thesecond half and pulled back to trail 28-18, with enough time left for thevisitors to potentially stage one of the comebacks of the year.

Newtownhad an 82 per cent completion rate in the first half but this fell back to 62per cent in the second forty minutes. The Jets overall performance fell awayafter half-time and allowed the Knights back into the contest.

Newtown’stry-scorers included fullback Will Kennedy who scored twice, halfback BraydonTrindall, prop Wes Lolo, and second-rowers Teig Wilton and Scott Sorensen.Trindall converted four of these tries and kicked a penalty goal.

TheJets finished in seventh position on the Canterbury Cup NSW competition tableafter having lost six of their first seven games. Newtown had a good record intheir ten home games at Henson Park in 2019, winning eight, drawing one andlosing one. One other Newtown Jets “home game” was played at PointsBet Stadium(Shark Park) on 23^rd March, which resulted in a loss to Mounties.

Newtownwill play sixth-placed Mounties in an elimination semi-final at CampbelltownStadium next Saturday, 7^th September, with the kick-off timed for12.45pm.

Saturday’smatch details were:

Newtown34:

WillKennedy 2, Braydon Trindall, Wes Lolo, Teig Wilton, Scott Sorensen tries;

BraydonTrindall 4 conversions, 1 penalty goal

defeated

NewcastleKnights 22:

JacobGagai 2, Starford Toa, Brodie Jones tries;

BaydenSearle 4 conversions.

Half-Time:Newtown led 28-6.

Referee: Cameron Paddy.

TouchJudges:Adam Reid and Mitchell Stone.

Playingsurface: Very good.

Weather:Grey skies, overcast, 15 degrees, strong southerly breeze.

Thematch timeline was:

WillKennedy try in 3^rd minute, not converted. Newtown 4-0.

BraydonTrindall try in 7^th minute, converted by Trindall in 8^th.Newtown 10-0.

WesLolo try in 11^th minute, converted by Trindall in 12^th.Newtown 16-0.

WillKennedy try in 14^th minute, converted by Trindall in 15^th.Newtown 22-0.

TeigWilton try in 26^th minute, converted by Trindall in 27^th.Newtown 28-0.

JacobGagai try in 35^th minute, Bayden Searle converted in 36^th.Newtown 28-6.

Half-Time:Newtown led 28-6.

StarfordToa try in 62^nd minute, converted by Searle in 63^rd.Newtown 28-12.

BrodieJones try in 65^th minute, converted by Searle in 66^th.Newtown 28-18.

BraydonTrindall penalty goal in 69^th minute. Newtown 30-18.

JacobGagai try in 72^nd minute, not converted. Newtown 30-22.

ScottSorensen try in 75^th minute, not converted. Newtown 34-22.

Full-Time:Newtown won 34-22.

Newtown’steam was:

WillKennedy, Luke Polselli, Aaron Gray, Jackson Ferris, Tyrone Phillips, Jack A.Williams, Braydon Trindall, Monty Raper, Teig Wilton, Scott Sorensen, Wes Lolo,Blayke Brailey, Jimmy Jolliffe.

Bench:Matt Evans, Toby Rudolf, Kayleb Milne, Greg Eastwood.

Coach:Greg Matterson.

NewcastleKnights:

StarfordToa, Kiah Cooper, Braydon Musgrove, Mitch Andrews, Jacob Gagai, Tex Hoy, BaydenSearle, Jamie Buhrer, Ben Talty, Brodie Jones, Tevita Alifa, Zac Woolford,Jirah Momoisea.

Bench:Cleveland McGhie, Brandon Russell, Jack Cameron, Daniel Ticehurst.

Coach:Rory Kostjasyn.

Youngbackrower Monty Raper made his senior rugby league debut in a verycapable manner with the Newtown Jets at Henson Park on Saturday. Monty is aproduct of the Cronulla-Sutherland juniors system, and he has represented theSharks in the Harold Matthews, SG Ball and Jersey Flegg junior competitions.Monty’s great-uncle Johnny Raper played with Newtown from 1956 to 1958 beforemoving on to a stellar career with St George. Another of Monty’s great-unclesPeter Raper played with Newtown in 1976 and 1977 and was at Henson Park onSaturday for the annual Newtown Jets player reunion. Monty’s mother is thedaughter of the former St George and Cronulla-Sutherland forward Monty Porter.There’s no doubting that Mr Monty Raper has one heck of a rugby leaguepedigree!

Newtown’snext game details: -

NSWRLCanterbury Cup NSW – Elimination Semi-Final:

Saturday,7^th September 2019

CampbelltownStadium

Mounties(6^th position) versus Newtown (7^th position)

Kick-Off:12.45pm.

Thismatch will be televised live on the Fox League channel.