two valuable points and the Frank Hyde Shield
The 2025 NSW Cup draw provided for Newtown and North Sydney meeting twice in the space of three weeks, and fine weather helped draw a good crowd to Henson Park for the deciding match in this year’s Frank Hyde Shield series.
The Jets made an excellent start to this match, making use of an early penalty to take them deep into Norths territory. From within the Bears 20 metre zone, Jayden Berrell, Niwhai Puru and Daniel Atkinson combined smartly to send Eli Clark over in the south-eastern corner. Niwhai Puru’s conversion from the sideline put Newtown ahead by 6-0.
Norths were to have their share of good luck in this game, beginning with a kick charge-down in the 10th minute that saw the Bears fullback scoop up the ball and sprint 55 metres to score in the hill corner. This try was converted from out wide and it was 6-all.
This was going to be an intriguing game, what with the two fixtures being so close together on the competition draw, and with Norths mulling over having lost at North Sydney Oval in Round 16 to a Jets team that had played the entire second half with twelve men.
Newtown prop Max Bradbury left the field in the 15th minute with what appeared to be a rib injury, but he bravely came back into the game midway through the second half.
Newtown’s second try came from a thrilling passage of play where the ball was kept alive, passing through several pairs of hands before the hard running middle forward Brad Fearnley stepped, swerved and crashed his way past several defenders to score. Puru’s conversion had Newtown in the lead by 12-6 after 21 minutes.
The Jets defensive intensity forced a couple of Norths errors, and front-rower Jontay-Junior Betham-Misa was showing good leg speed in some determined midfield charges.
A Norths handling error enabled Newtown to work themselves into good field position. Team captain Billy Burns unleashed a carefully-targeted short kick into the in-goal, where it was gathered in by Michael Gabrael who scored. Puru’s conversion extended Newtown’s lead out to 18-6.
Newtown Jets edge-forward and team captain
Billy Burns
carries the ball right into the middle of the Norths forwards defence.
(Photo: Mario Facchini/mafphotography)
The commentary team pointed out that this Newtown team would be difficult to defend against, as “they have strike capacity all over the park.” This try from Billy Burns’ in-goal short kick was a case in point.
The Bears had relatively few attacking opportunities at Newtown’s end of the field in the first half, but a Jets knock-on and a six-again call put Norths on the attack. Even then the Bears lost the ball, but in a freakish sequence of play the Jets knocked on from the scrum win, enabling Norths to score in the north-east corner. The teams went into the break with Newtown now leading by 18-10. As one Newtown supporter lamented, “the Jets this year have an annoying tendency of allowing their opponents to score tries right on half-time!”
The Bears began the second half with determined midfield running, but Daniel Atkinson made a sensational break through the North Sydney defence and nearly scored a brilliant individual try. Niwhai Puru put up a well-flighted punt kick to the left side of the field where it was caught by Michael Gabrael who ran in for his second try.
Jets five-eighth
Daniel Atkinson
makes a thrilling break that put Newtown in good field position at North Sydney's end of the field.
(Photo: Mario Facchini/mafphotography)
There was a good deal of scrappy play in the third quarter, with Newtown turning over the ball inside the Bears 20 metre zone, followed by Norths losing the ball straight back in the next set. A well-executed quick hands movement of the ball saw Eli Clark diving underneath two Bears defenders to score in the corner.
Despite their handling errors, Norths defended well at their own end and prevented Newtown from running up a much bigger lead. When Puru kicked a penalty goal in the 68th minute taking Newtown’s lead out to 30-10, the commentary team said that the Bears “were now in serious miracle territory.” What had seemed to be an impossible quest now started to look slightly possible, with Norths scoring two converted tries in quick succession and trailing by 30-22 with four minutes left to play. All four of Norths tries had come from two Newtown handling errors, a kick charge-down and a failure by Jets players to gather in a kick bouncing close to the tryline.
Eli Clark defused a dangerous situation when he caught a high kick at Newtown’s end, and a six-again call in the next set ended Norths late surge. In the last minute of the game, some clever ball-play by Khaled Rajab from dummy-half sent the impressive young front-rower Felix Faatili crashing over next to the posts. Puru’s conversion ended what had been an entertaining encounter between these two 1908 NSWRL foundation clubs, with Newtown out in front by 36-22. Several members of Frank Hyde’s family were in attendance to preside over the post-match Frank Hyde Shield presentation.
The Frank Hyde Shield
on display on the playing surface of Henson Park on Saturday. The great man
Frank Hyde
played with Newtown from 1934 to 1937, and with North Sydney in 1943 and 1944. He then had an outstanding rugby league media career for over 35 years.
(Photo: Mario Facchini/mafphotography)
The Newtown Jets and members of Frank Hyde's family gather around this much sought-after Shield that honours the memory of
one of the genuine greats of the rugby league code, Frank Hyde.
(Photo: Mario Facchini/mafphotography)
Jets supporters haven’t been used to seeing Newtown win at home very often in 2025, with Saturday’s victory being the Jets third win in seven games at Henson Park so far this year.
Newtown is at home again this coming Saturday, 12th July, when the Jets host Manly-Warringah in Round 19 of the NSW Cup, with this match timed for kick-off at 3.00pm. It will be the first time since 2016 that the Jets will be playing Manly-Warringah at Henson Park, as the Sea Eagles had entered into a NSW Cup partnership with Blacktown Workers between 2017 and 2024.
Match Details:
NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup
Round 18
Saturday, 5th July 2025
Henson Park
Newtown (4th place) v North Sydney (8th place)
Kick-Off: 3.00pm.
This match was the second and deciding leg of the 2025 Frank Hyde Shield series.
It was livestreamed on BarTV NSWRL.
Weather: Fine, slightly cloudy, 19 degrees.
Playing surface: Excellent.
Match Officials:
Referee: Dillan Wells.
Touch Judges: Charlie Suters, Jake Sutherland.
Match Result:
Newtown 36:
Eli Clark 2, Michael Gabrael 2, Brad Fearnley, Felix Faatili tries;
Niwhai Puru 5 conversions, 1 penalty goal
defeated
North Sydney 22:
Jake Toby, Israel Ogden, Moses Leo, Harradyn Wilson tries;
Kieran Hayman 3 conversions.Half-Time: Newtown led by 18-10.
Built Smart Solutions
have come on board to sponsor
a Newtown Jets Player of the Match award
for the remaining home games this season. Last Saturday's winner was the in-form
Niwhai Puru
. (Photo: Mario Facchini/mafphotography)
The Teams:
Newtown:
Fullback: Taj Ford
Wingers: Kristian Dixon, Eli Clark
Centres: Michael Gabrael, Chris Vea’ila
Halves: Daniel Atkinson, Niwhai Puru
Lock: Hohepa Puru
Second-Rowers: Kyle Pickering, Billy Burns (Captain)
Front-Rowers: Max Bradbury, Felix Faatili
Hooker: Jayden Berrell.
Interchange:
Jontay-Junior Betham-Misa, Blake Hosking
Brad Fearnley, Khaled Rajab
18th Man: Dylan Coutts
Coach: George Ndaira.
North Sydney:
Fullback: Jake Toby
Wingers: Ethyn Martin, Tuipulotu Katoa
Centres: Israel Ogden, Moses Leo
Halves: Kieran Hayman, Harradyn Wilson
Lock: Coby Thomas
Second-Rowers: Riley Meyn, Matt Stimson
Front-Rowers: Ofahiki Ogden, Phillip Makatoa
Hooker: Jayden Yates
Interchange:
Gabriel Satrick, Chase Chapman
Trey Brown, Sean Vaiveiata
18th Man: Matt Komolafe
Coach: Tony Barnes.
Video Material:
NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup || Match Highlights || Round 18 || Newtown v North Sydney:
Newtown Jets head coach George Ndaira post-match comments:
https://www.facebook.com/newtownrlfc/videos/705659159109446
The NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup competition table after 18 rounds:
https://www.nswrl.com.au/ladder/?competition=113&round=18&season=2025
Built Smart Solutions Newtown Jets Man of the March, Round 18:
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1393986079393264&set=a.500866685371879
Thanks to our new sponsors Built Smart Solutions, who are sponsoring a Man of the Match award for every remaining home game of the season.
Click on the above link to check out Saturday’s winner, and it certainly was a well-deserved award!
Match Timeline: -
First half:
North Sydney kicked off, running to the northern end of Henson Park.
2nd minute: Eli Clark try.
Converted by Niwhai Puru. Newtown 6-0.
10th minute: Jake Toby try.
Converted by Kieran Hayman, 6-all.
20th minute: Brad Fearnley try.
Converted by Niwhai Puru. Newtown 12-6.
32nd minute: Michael Gabrael try.
Converted by Niwhai Puru. Newtown 18-6.
39th minute: Israel Ogden try.
Not converted. Newtown 18-10.
Half-Time: Newtown led 18-10.
Second half:
Newtown kicked off, running to the hill end of the ground.
46th minute: Michael Gabrael try.
Converted by Niwhai Puru. Newtown 24-10.
54th minute: Eli Clark try.
Not converted. Newtown 28-10.
60th minute: Kyle Pickering HIA – no return.
67th minute: Niwhai Puru penalty goal. Newtown 30-10.
72nd minute: Moses Leo try.
Converted by Kieran Hayman. Newtown 30-16.
75th minute: Harradyn Wilson try.
Converted by Kieran Hayman. Newtown 30-22.
79th minute: Felix Faatili try.
Converted by Niwhai Puru. Newtown 36-22.
Full-Time: Newtown 36 defeated North Sydney 22.
Match Statistics:
Newtown players statistics:
Most tackles: Hohepa Puru: 32 tackles
Most metres run: Kristian Dixon: 174 metres
Team Statistics:
(Newtown: N; North Sydney: NS)
Possession: N 58%, NS 42%
Time in possession: N 25m30s; NS 18m30s
Completions: N 70%, 29/41; NS 60%, 20/33
Runs with the ball: N 166; NS 124
Metres run: N 1622; NS 1155
Post contact metres: N 541; NS 376
Line breaks: N 8, NS 0
Tackle breaks: N 33; NS 22
Average set distance: N 39.6m, NS 35.1m
Kick return metres: N 77, NS 162
Offloads; N 6, NS 0
Total passes: N 236, NS 162
Dummy passes: N 9, NS 2
Kicks: N 16, NS 15
Kicking metres: N 453, NS 365
Kick defusal: N 100%, NS 100%
Bombs: N 5, NS 3
Grubbers: N 4, NS 3
Set Restarts: N 3, NS 1
Effective tackles: N 88.2%; NS 88.7%
Tackles made: N 239, NS 306
Missed tackles: N 22, NS 33
Intercepts: N 0, NS 1
Errors: N 12, NS 17
Penalties conceded: N 2, NS 5
Interchanges: N 6, NS 8
HIA: N 1 (Kyle Pickering); NS 0.
Newtown’s next match details:
NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup
Round 19
Saturday, 12th July 2025
Henson Park
Newtown (4th place) v Manly-Warringah (11th place)
Kick-Off: 3.00pm
The match will be livestreamed on BarTV NSWRL.