Brad Fearnley’s rousing try was the highlight of an impressive Newtown Jets display up on the Northern Beaches.

Match Report:

The Newtown Jets broke a worrying sequence of three losses with a 52-6 trouncing of the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in the 21st round NSW Cup match, played at 4 Pines Park (Brookvale) last Sunday afternoon.

In the sixth minute, Jets hooker Jayden Berrell and front-rower Toby Rudolf combined cleverly, with Berrell’s grubber kick being snapped up by centre Michael Gabrael to open the scoring for the Jets.

Jets crowd-pleasing prop Brad Fearnley on his way to one of the most remarkable front-rower’s tries of this NSW Cup season.

Flying winger Sam Stonestreet quickly posted two tries, with the first of these arising from well-practiced lead-up play by the team captain and fullback Liam Ison and Gabrael. Halfback Riley Pollard was the architect of Stonestreet’s second try. The hard-working, hard-running midfield forward Brad Fearnley scored what might well be the NSW Cup try of the season in the 28th minute, when he “blitzkrieged” through the Sea Eagles midfield defensive line and then nimbly side-stepped past the Manly fullback, running in all about 45 metres for what was a sensational front-rower’s try.

Jets winger Sam Stonestreet goes high in pursuit of the football.

Five-eighth Taj Ford took advantage of another precisely-flighted grubber kick by Jayden Berrell to score just before half-time, with Newtown going into the break with a 26-0 lead.

Newtown continued with the points-scoring in the second half with fullback Liam Ison in superb form, laying on a try for Jayden Berrell and then scoring one himself. Ison’s darting midfield runs and well-timed linking with his team-mates brought back memories of Billy Slater at his best for the Melbourne Storm.

Newtown hooker Jayden Berrell was in top form with his service from dummy-half, his midfield dashes and clever grubber kicks.

The classy Jets fullback sent Riley Pollard over to score virtually on the 60th minute mark, and Newtown’s final two tries were scored by the wingers Chris Vea’ila and Sam Stonestreet (who registered a hat-trick of tries). Riley Pollard kicked six conversions, with another conversion attempt bouncing away off an upright.

Newtown Jets fullback and captain Liam Ison was in top-class form last Sunday at 4 Pines Park, Brookvale.

Newtown fielded a very strong starting pack that laid the foundation for this morale-boosting victory: The Jets forward line-up was Sam McCulloch at lock; Jaxon Lavender and Harrison Hassett in the second-row; the experienced Braden Uele and Toby Rudolf in the front-row engine room along with Jayden Berrell at hooker. The powerhouse interchange bench was made up of Brad Fearnley, Felix Faatili, Jontay-Junior Betham-Misa and the impressive young hooker Xavier Cacciotti.

Newtown front-rower Toby Rudolf off-loaded some great passes in last Sunday’s match at Brookvale.

The Jets forwards’ dominance laid the groundwork for the Newtown backline to score eight tries, with a particularly lethal scoring trend being shown on the Royal Blues’ left-side attack by Messrs Gabrael and Stonestreet.

Newtown’s “spine” (Ison, Ford, Pollard and Berrell) played a significant role in most of the Jets tries, and they showed the teamwork and confidence that (if repeated) could take this team into the finals.

Newtown halfback Riley Pollard scored a try and landed 6 conversions in the match at 4 Pines Park.

Michael Gabrael’s return from suspension was another positive attacking factor for the Jets.

It was one thing to run up 52 points against the team at the bottom of the NSW Cup competition table; Newtown’s next opponent is South Sydney who are in fourth place, two competition points ahead of the fifth-placed Jets.

The Jets middle forward Jontay-Junior Betham-Misa enjoys some water at the half-time break last Sunday.

The 2026 NSW Cup is a fiercely-contested competition, with the Roosters, Warriors, Raiders, Bulldogs and Magpies all very close behind Newtown and all determined to seize their own place in the top five.

This Saturday, 1st August, Newtown confronts South Sydney at Henson Park at 3.00pm. In addition to the two crucial competition points being on the line, this match will also determine the 2026 winner of the Frank “Bumper” Farrell-Jack Rayner Cup.

Match Details:

NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup

Round 21

Sunday, 26th July 2026

4 Pines Park, Brookvale

Manly-Warringah v Newtown

Kick-Off: 1.30pm.

Weather: Fine, sunny, 19 degrees

Playing surface: Excellent.

Referee: Kieren Irons

Touch Judges: Dillan Wells, Mitchell Stone
Standby: Jake Walsh

Match Result: -
Newtown 52:

Samuel Stonestreet 3, Michael Gabrael,

Brad Fearnley, Taj Ford, Jayden Berrell,

Liam Ison, Riley Pollard, Chris Vea’ila tries;

Riley Pollard 6 conversions

defeated

Manly-Warringah 6:

Zaidas Muagututia try;

Tex Hoy conversion.

Half-Time: Newtown led 26-0.

Newtown’s team on Sunday, 26th July was:

Fullback: Liam Ison (Captain)
Wingers: Chris Vea’ila, Sam Stonestreet

Centres: Riley Jones, Michael Gabrael

Halves: Taj Ford, Riley Pollard

Lock: Sam McCulloch

Second-Rowers: Jaxon Lavender, Harrison Hassett

Front-Rowers: Braden Hamlin-Uele, Toby Rudolf

Hooker: Jayden Berrell

Interchange:
Brad Fearnley, Jontay-Junior Betham-Misa

Felix Faatili, Xavier Cacciotti

Reserve: Kristian Dixon

Coach: George Ndaira

The Manly-Warringah team was:
Fullback: William Herbert

Wingers: Navren Willett, Blake Metcalfe

Centres: Samuel Loizou, Beau Newlands

Halves: Tyler Melrose, Tex Hoy (Captain)
Lock: Jermayne Cook

Second-Rowers: Aaron Schoupp, Viliami Fifita

Front-Rowers: Miles Edler, D’Jazirhae Pua’avase

Hooker: Thomas Demeio

Interchange:
Zaidas Muagututia, Lachlan Armstrong

Kalani Peyroux-Donaldson, Beau McKee

Reserve: Benjamin Keene-O’Keefe

Coach: Brett Kimmorley.

Match Timeline: -

First Half:
Newtown kicked off to the Bob Fulton Stand end (the northern end)

6th minute: Michael Gabrael try.

Converted by Riley Pollard. Newtown 6-0.

12th minute: Sam Stonestreet try.

Not converted. Newtown 10-0.

15th minute: Sam Stonestreet try

Not converted. Newtown 14-0.

27th minute: Brad Fearnley try.

Converted by Riley Pollard. Newtown 20-0.

37th minute: Taj Ford try.

Converted by Riley Pollard. Newtown 26-0.

Half-Time: Newtown led by 26-0.

Second Half:
Manly-Warringah kicked off to the northern end.

48th minute: Jayden Berrell try.

Converted by Riley Pollard. Newtown 32-0.

52nd minute: Liam Ison try.

Converted by Riley Pollard. Newtown 38-0.

60th minute: Riley Pollard try.

Riley Pollard conversion. Newtown 44-0.

63rd minute: Chris Vea’ila try.

Not converted. Newtown 48-0.

70th minute: Sam Stonestreet try.

Not converted. Newtown 52-0.

77th minute: Zaidas Muagututia try.

Converted by Tex Hoy. Newtown 52-6.

Full-Time: Newtown 52 defeated Manly-Warringah 6.

Newtown’s hard-running back-rower Jaxon Lavender strives to break free of these Sea Eagles defenders.

Match Statistics: -

Player Statistics:
Jaxon Lavender (Newtown): 32 tackles

Liam Ison (Newtown): Most run metres: 257

Liam Ison (Newtown): 4 line breaks.

Team Statistics:

Manly-Warringah: MW; Newtown: N

Possession: MW 46%; N 54%

Time in possession: MW 20.43; N 25.12

Completion rate: MW 84%, 27/32; N 72%, 26/36

All runs: MW 127; N 172

All run metres: MW 1140; N 1985

Post-contact metres: MW 446; N 672

Line breaks: MW 3; N 9

Tackle breaks: MW 27; N 33

Average set distance: MW 35.65; N 55.16

Kick return metres: MW 59; N 269

Average play the ball speed: MW 3.39; N 3.43

Passing offloads: MW 15; N 7

Receipts: MW 328; N 382

Total passes: MW 181; N 212

Dummy passes: MW 1; N 2

Kicks: MW 19; N 16

Kicking metres: MW 571; N 273

Forced drop outs: MW 1; N 0

Kick defusal: MW 73%; N 71%

Bombs: MW 4; N 5

Grubbers: MW 5; N 7

Effective tackles: MW 86.93%; N 82.14%

Tackles made: MW 286; N 230

Missed tackles: MW 33; N 27

In effective tackles: MW 10; N 23

Errors: MW 8; N 15

Penalties conceded: MW 3; N 3

Ruck infringements: MW 2; N 0

Inside 10 metres: MW 0; N 1

Interchanges used: MW 8; N 7.

This week we're pulling on purple socks for the Souths game, joining Pankind's Play in Purple round to raise funds for pancreatic cancer research and support. 🧦

This cause is close to the Jets heart as we lost our greatest ever point scorer Ken Wilson to pancreatic cancer back in 2022. 

Kick off is at 3pm at Henson Park, so get down there and support the cause! 💜

If you have the means, please donate to Pankind today: https://pankind.org.au/donate/

Details of Newtown’s next match: -

NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup

22nd Round

Saturday, 1st August 2026

Henson Park

Newtown v South Sydney

Kick-Off: 3.00pm.

This outcome of this match will determine the winner of the Frank “Bumper” Farrell-Jack Rayner Trophy for 2026.