Jets spring an ambush on the Intrust Super Premiership competition leaders

Details from the ISP NSW 15th Round match between Newtown and the New Zealand Warriors, played at Henson Park on Saturday, 18th June 2016 by Glen 'Bumper' Dwyer. The Newtown Jets turned on a most impressive first half display against the top of the table New Zealand Warriors, who were coming off a seven-match winning streak. The Jet led 24-6 at halftime and then shut the Warriors out of the game in the second half, adding two more tries late in the match to run up an imposing 38-6 winning margin.Newtown remains in third place on the ISP NSW competition table behind Mounties and the Warriors, but the Jets now have the best points for and against in the competition.The NSWRL ISP NSW competition table after 15 rounds is:  http://www.nswrl.com.au/intrust-super-premiership-nsw/ladder1.htmlHere are the results of all the other 15^th round matches:Wests Tigers 14 d North Sydney 6; Penrith 44 d Newcastle Knights 6; Manly-Warringah 22 d Mounties 10; Illawarra Cutters 24 d Wentworthville 12; Canterbury-Bankstown and Wyong had byes.Newtown’s next game details:NSWRL ISP NSW – 16^th RoundSaturday, 25^th June 2016St Marys StadiumPenrith v NewtownKick-Off: 3.00pm.Please also make note of the game details for Newtown’s postponed ISP NSW match against the Illawarra Cutters:NSWRL ISP NSW – Rescheduled 13^th Round matchFriday, 1^st July 2016Henson ParkNewtown v Illawarra CuttersKick-Off: 7.00pm.Saturday’s game details:Newtown 38:Anthony Moraitis, Travis Robinson, Matt Evans, Malakai Houma, Kurt Capewell, Kenny Niko tries;Fa’amanu Brown 5 conversions, 2 penalty goalsdefeatedNew Zealand Warriors 6:Mason Lino try and conversion.Half-Time: Newtown led 24-6.Referee: Daniel Olford. Touch Judges: Benjamin Teague and Richard Daizli.Playing surface: Very good.Weather: Cloudy, mild, 19 degrees C. Had rained earlier in the morning.Newtown’s team on Saturday was:Mitch Brown, Travis Robinson, Jaline Graham, Matt Evans, Jacob Gagan, Josh Cleeland, Fa’amanu Brown, Kurt Kara, Anthony Moraitis, Kurt Capewell, Harrison Muller, Matt McIlwrick, Jesse Sene-Lefao.Bench: Malakai Houma, Corin Smith, Kenny Niko, Tarek Elmasri.Coach: Greg Matterson.The New Zealand Warriors team was:Henare Wells, Tomas Aoake, Matthew Allwood, Marata Niukore, Chales Nicoll-Klokstad, Mason Lino, Jeff Robson, Upu Poching, Ali Lauitiiti, Shaun Lane, James Gavet, Jazz Tevaga, Bunty Afoa.Bench: Ofahiki Ogden, James Bell, Patrick Sibley, Viliami Kaukinga.Coach: Stacey Jones.Timeline and post-match comments:Newtown to kick off and running to the Sydenham Road end of the ground (southern end).Newtown’s short kick-off goes awry, penalty to the NZ Warriors.Under early pressure from the Warriors but the Jets defence holds strong.Penalty to Newtown 40 metres out from the NZW try-line.Another penalty to Newtown 10 metres out from the Warriors try-line.Anthony Moraitis shows great strength to power over despite the attention of several Warriors defendersTry scored in the 6^th minuteConverted by Fa’amanu (Nu) Brown. Newtown 6-0 after 7 minutes.Warriors kick-off goes dead.Penalty to Newtown on halfway.Repeat set at NZW’s end – 10^th minuteNu Brown’s in-goal grubber kick causes a great scramble, but it is grounded for Newtown by Travis Robinson in the south-eastern cornerConverted from wide out by Nu BrownNewtown leads 12-0 after 12 minutesJacob Gagan is off with a hamstring injury in the 15^th minReplaced by Corin SmithGreat break by Josh Cleeland inside his own halfAs the defence converges on him he kicks infieldMatt Evans gathers and scores midway between the goal-posts and the south-western cornerNot convertedNewtown leads 16-0 after 17 minsKick-off knocked by NewtownThe Warriors reciprocate by knocking on in the next setPenalty to Newtown midfield in the 20^th minPenalty to Warriors in the 22^nd minAnother penalty to the Warriors (30 metres out from the Newtown try-line) but they knock on in the next setJets work the ball down to the southern endMalakai Houma shows tremendous determination as he crashes over under the posts in the 26^th minConverted by Nu BrownNewtown leads 22-0 after 27 minsNZW turn the ball over virtually on their own lineThen the Warriors incur a penalty for lying on the tackled playerNu Brown kicks the penalty goalNewtown 24-0 after 30 minsNewtown puts in a well-controlled set, ending with Nu Brown kicking into and finding touch in the NZW right-side corner (32^nd min)NZW knock-on on the halfway line (34^th min)Turnover by Newtown 30 metres out from the NZW line (35^th min)Warriors finally start to show some cohesion and Jets dropping off tacklesMason Lino scores and converts his own try (38^th min)Halftime: Newtown leads 24-6.Warriors have a very low completions rate and high error countOne of their trainers says it has been their worst half of football for the yearJets coach Greg Matterson hammers the message into his playersDon’t let them back in, shut them downNo repeat of Newtown’s halftime lead in Auckland and then second half collapseSecond half:Jets running to the northern endMalakai Houma limping with a leg injury but seems to fight through itNZW knock down a Newtown pass when the Jets looked dangerous on their left-side attack in the 45^th minIs the anticipated Warriors fightback going to materialise?Jets defending resolutelyNewtown loses the ball in the 46^th minThen they’re forced into a goal-line drop-out in the 47^thNZW caught in possession on the last tackle in the 49^th minJets fail to take advantage of good break by Josh Cleeland (50^th min)Jeff Robson’s kick into the Newtown in-goal is defused (51^st min)Another good line kick by Nu Brown in the 56^th minHarrison Muller off the field for a head-knock checkGreat take of a high ball by Mitch BrownPenalty to Newtown in 58^th minPenalty to Newtown in 59^th min (lifting in a tackle on Kurt Capewell)Penalty is 40 metres out from NZW lineNu Brown kicks the penalty goalNewtown now leads 26-6 with 20 mins to playHarrison Muller allowed to resume playingWarriors are getting choked out of the game by Jets relentless defenceJets lose the ball 30 metres out from NZW lineThe Warriors in turn lose the ball in the next setKenny Niko goes close to scoring in the 65^th minPenalty to NZW 30 metres out from Jets lineNZW held up over the Jets try-line (67^th min)Newtown up 8-4 in penalties after 69 minsWarriors frustrated by Newtown’s tight defenceCleeland cuts through, kicks ahead and Capewell snaps it up to score a spectacular try at the north-eastern end (72^nd min)Ipswich Jets combination from 2015 coming to the foreNu Brown converts the try, Newtown home at 32-6 in the 73^rd minA try-scoring opportunity comes to grief when Jaline Graham’s flick pass goes astrayNZW drop the ball in their half in 77^th minWarriors have completed better and made fewer errors in the second halfUnable to broach Jets determined second half defenceHawkes Bay product Kenny Niko burst through several tackles to score in the 77^th minConverted by Nu Brown in 79^th minFull-Time: Newtown wins 38-6.Greg Matterson at full-time:Despite late withdrawals and injuries affecting the Newtown line-up, the Jets rose to the challenge today.Warriors started badly and Newtown took their opportunitiesStrangled them out of it in the second halfGreat credit to you allPenrith next SaturdayThey are the competition’s big improvers and we must be ready for themGreg Matterson’s later comments:Warriors made a lot of errors in the first halfWe took our chances and opened up a leadIn the second half we had to defend for extended periodsIt was an outstanding second half effort where we defended our lead and shut them out of making any concerted comebackWe scored twice late in the game for an impressive win against the competition leadersThey were coming off a seven-game winning streakKurt Kara was the best Newtown playerHe has adapted to playing at lock very wellAlso favourably mentioned Jesse Sene-Lefao, Matt McIlwrick, Kurt Capewell, Anthony Moraitis, Nu Brown, Josh Cleeland, Mitch BrownSpecial mention to all the Newtown part-timers who stepped up for this crunch game and took on the challenge with huge enthusiasm.Match photos from Gary Sutherland:  http://www.pbase.com/gsphotography/newtown_vs_warriors_180616&page=allSteele Sports post-match interviews with: -Jesse Sene-Lefao:  https://soundcloud.com/teeleports/jesse-sene-leafao-newtown-jetsJosh Cleeland:  https://soundcloud.com/teeleports/josh-cleeland-interview-newtown-v-warriorsWarriors coach Stacey Jones praised Newtown’s performance and said his own team had paid the price for their errors. He jokingly pointed out that the Newtown Jets had eight former New Zealand players in their 17 at Henson Park for this game and that undoubtedly explained their good form!Newtown Jets Director and financial mainstay Terry Rowney said that this year the mix of Cronulla NRL full-timers and Jets part-timers is working particularly well. The part-timers had all stood up today and really got stuck in. He was very impressed with the enthusiasm and skills of the two boys from the 2015 Ipswich Jets National Second-Tier Championship team, Josh Cleeland and Kurt Capewell, who have contributed a lot to Newtown’s wins and place on the table. Now we have to get ready for the new emerging challenges from the likes of the Panthers and the Cutters.