Jets feel the heat from the competition front-runners

Details of the Wyong v Newtown ISP NSW match played on Saturday, 1st July 2017.Last Saturday’s away fixture to the Intrust Super Premiership NSW competition leaders, Wyong, was always going to be a tough assignment for the Jets. The mid-season disruption to our team due to injuries, mid-year transfers and retirements has been the most pronounced for several years. The Jets fielded a considerably restructured team on Saturday and did reasonably well in tough circumstances. Wyong, the ISP NSW partnership club to the Sydney Roosters, is top of the competition table and eight points clear of their nearest rivals.NSWRL ISP NSW – 17^th RoundSaturday, 1^st July 2017Central Coast Stadium Wyong v NewtownKick-Off: 12.40pm.This match was televised live on the Fox League channel and was the main curtain-raiser to the Sydney Roosters v Cronulla Sharks 17^th Round NRL fixture.Wyong 48:Luke Sharpe 2, Brendan Frei 2, Kauri Aupouri 2, Matthew Ikuvalu, Grant Garvey tries;Josh Mantellato 8 goalsdefeatedNewtown 14:Jesse Ramien 2, Kurt Kara tries;Bessie Aufaga-Toomaga 1 goal.Half-Time: Wyong led 24-6.Referee: Drew Oultram. Touch Judges: Ben Teague and Darian Furner.Weather: Sunny, clear skies. 15 degrees.Playing surface: Excellent.Newtown’s team was:Leigh Higgins, Edrick Lee, Bessie Aufaga-Toomaga, Jesse Ramien, Reubenn Rennie, Kurt Kara, Lane Ferling, Jayden McDonogh, Kenny Niko, Jack Williams, Kurt Dillon (Capt), Alec Bush, Jeremy Latimore.Bench: Jaimin (Jimmy) Jolliffe, Tepatasi Fuiavailili, Saulala Houma, Blake Judd.Coach: Greg Matterson.New faces for Newtown in this game included the 2017 Cook Islands international Reubenn Rennie, who has previously played with the Melbourne Storm, Canterbury-Bankstown and Canberra Raiders; Alec Bush who is a 2017 registered player with Newtown and has been playing with Cabramatta; Lane Ferling, originally from the Kingaroy Red-Ants in Queensland and who has been playing with the Cronulla Sharks Holden Cup squad; and Blake Judd, formerly with South Sydney, who has been playing with the Mascot Jets this season. Bessie Aufaga-Toomaga from the Cronulla Sharks Holden Cup squad debuted for Newtown against Wests Tigers, and Jeremy Latimore has played with five different NRL clubs, amassing nearly 140 NRL games and representing the Prime Minister’s XIII in 2015.Wyong’s team was:Luke Sharpe, Johnny Tuivasa-Sheck, Mitchell Frei, Matthew Ikuvalu, Josh Mantellato, Kauri Aupouri, Mitchell Cornish, Nate Butcher, Brock Gray, Justin Toomey-White, Eloni Vunakece, Mitchell Williams, Lindsay Collins.Bench: Brendan Santi, Grant Garvey, Poasa Faamausili, Jake Lewis.Coach: Robert Taylor.Lindsay Collins is the grandson of Newtown RLFC Team of the Century member Lionel Williamson.Match timeline: -First Half:Newtown kicked off, running towards the railway line end.3^rd min: Wyong high kick not caught by Newtown, a danger sign for the rest of the matchWyong kicker was making good use of the sun in the Jets’ catchers eyesWyong getting up off their defensive line very quickly8^th min: Frei scores for Wyong up the left side at the Brisbane Water end of the groundConverted by Mantellato. Wyong leads 6-013^th min: Wyong bombs a try-scoring opportunity on their right-hand attacking sideNewtown defending for most of the first 15 mins and have had very little ball18^th min: Jets fail to get to their kick on the 5^th tackle19^th min: Jets punished for poor finish to set.Sharpe scores for Wyong in the next set to the left of the postsConverted by Mantellato. Wyong 12-0.22^nd min: Kurt Dillon puts on a superb hit on Collins.Fox League commentators effusive in their praise of Kurt Dillon, pointing out that he is already clocking up a huge work-rateWyong get great advantage from two penalties in quick succession25^th min: Aupouri cuts through to score for Wyong, through hesitant and uncoordinated sliding defenceConverted by MantellatoWyong 18-0 (27^th min)Wyong targeting Newtown’s right side defence but Jets get some relief with a penalty in the 28^th min29^th min: Jesse Ramien scores next to the posts off a good inside ball from KaraRamien showed great strength and gets plenty of prise from Fox League commentary teamBessie Aufaga-Toomaga convertsWyong 18-6 after 31 mins34^th min: Mantellato breaks clear but is run down by RennieSharpe scores from the next play the ball through tiring defenceMantellato converts. Wyong 24-6 after 36 mins.38^th min: Sharpe makes ground through the Newtown defence but sends an atrocious pass out over the sideline.Jets back in possession as the halftime siren sounds.Halftime: Wyong lead 24-6.Coach Matterson’s main message at halftime (via Fox League) was better finishing needed for sets and to stay more square-on in defence.Second Half:41^st min: Newtown on the attack and they get a penalty 5 metres out from Wyong’s lineAufaga-Toomaga, Edrick Lee and Ramien combine for Ramien score in the left-side corner at the Brisbane Water end (45^th min)Ramien “pushed aside three Wyong defenders, This fellow is strong, determined and capable” (from the Fox League coverage)Not converted. Wyong 24-10 after 46 minsMidfield penalty to Newtown in 47^th minReubenn Rennie goes close to scoring when he taken out over the sideline in the right-side cornerKurt Kara’s kick into the in-goal is mishandled by Sharpe and Kara snaps the ball up to score in right-hand corner in 50^th minCommentators say that Aufaga-Toomaga’s keen chase forced Sharpe into making the errorAufaga-Toomaga’s conversion attempt hits the right upright and bounces awayWyong 24 v Newtown 14 (53^rd min)Rennie shows great strength in bringing the ball back determinedlySharpe knocks on Newtown’s kick in the 54^th min and he shows great petulance at the referee’s rulingAnother penalty to Newtown in 55^th minJets miss scoring chance from dummy-half that could have made the contest very interestingPenalty to Wyong in 57^th min gets them back at Newtown’s endCommentator’s speculate that this might end Newtown’s fightbackWyong break through up the right side and kick through by Cornish bounces well for Garvey to score (60^th min)Conv by Mantellato. Wyong 30-14 after 61 minsNewtown’s kick-off goes out on the full (62^nd)Wyong high kick not caught by Jets and it all ends in a try to IkavaluConverted by Mantellato. Wyong 36-14 (71^st min)Commentary team say there was a Wyong player off-side in the chase to regather the ball. (Try should have been disallowed)Another kick by Wyong is not caught by Jets defenders and ends in a try to Frei (74^th min)Conv by Mantellato. Wyong 42-14 (75^th min)Wyong score in 78^th min; Williams, Cornish and Aupouri combine well for the latter to scoreRather poor Newtown defence at this stageConverted by Mantellato. Wyong 48-14.Full-Time: Wyong 48 d Newtown 14.COMPLETIONS:1st half: Newtown 13/14 (93%) Wyong 14/18 (78%) 2nd half: Newtown 14/16 (88%) Wyong 10/13 (77%)F-T: Newtown 27/30 (90%) Wyong 24/31 (77%)IN POSSESSION:1st half: Newtown 63 tackles (46%) Wyong 73 tackles (54%) 2nd half: Newtown 71 tackles (57%) Wyong 54 tackles (43%)F-T: Newtown 134 tackles (51%) Wyong 127 tackles (49%)PENALTIES:1st half: Newtown 2 Wyong 22nd half: Newtown 3 Wyong 3F-T: Newtown 5 Wyong 5Fox League commentator Jamie Soward rated Mitch Cornish as the best player on the field and Ramien as being Newtown’s best.He also noted that Newtown had a good third quarter but couldn’t get any closer than 24-14.Newtown’s next game details:NSWRL ISP NSW – 18^th RoundSaturday, 8^th July 2017Henson ParkNewtown v WentworthvilleKick-Off: 3.00pm.