The Jets get home narrowly against the Sea Eagles with a less than impressive display
The Newtown Jets defeated Manly-Warringah 26-24 in the 19th round NSW Cup match played at Henson Park last Saturday. The Jets led 26-12 with two minutes left to play and displayed some disinterested defensive commitment in allowing the Sea Eagles to finish the game with two quick-fire converted tries.
This was Manly-Warringah’s first appearance at Henson Park since 2016, as the Sea Eagles had entered into a NSW Cup partnership arrangement with the Blacktown Workers club between 2017 and 2024. Manly was in 11th place on the 2025 NSW Cup competition table, but they made Newtown work for this victory, especially in the first half when the Jets took a marginal 14-12 lead into the half-time break.
The multi-skilled Daniel Atkinson came back from the Cronulla Sharks into the Jets team for this match, with the 2022 Italian World Cup representative playing at fullback in the first half and five-eighth in the second. Riley Jones, a recent Sharks signing from the Newcastle Knights, made his NSW Cup debut with Newtown in this game. The rocket-propelled winger Sam Stonestreet returned from injury and came onto Newtown’s left-side wing for this encounter with the Sea Eagles.
It didn’t take the flying Stonestreet too long to stamp his class on this game. He made a long run with his first touch of the football, and then in the seventh minute Stonestreet kicked ahead, chased and regathered the ball to score wide out. Niwhai Puru converted for Newtown to lead 6-0.
Manly had the majority of possession in the first half and recorded a better completion rate than the Jets, with the home team having to defend within their twenty-metre zone for extended periods. The Sea Eagles determined running and favourable field position paid off with a crash-over converted try in the 15th minute.
Six minutes later the Jets play-makers Hohepa Puru, Jayden Berrell, Niwhai Puru and Blake Hosking laid on some top-class ball handling to send Michael Gabrael racing over to score. Niwhai Puru’s conversion put Newtown back in the lead at 12-6.
Manly’s “Billy Boston-style” left side winger cannoned his way past several Jets defenders and his deft inside pass saw the Sea Eagles fullback score near the posts, with the conversion moving the score to 12-all.
Close to half-time a midfield flare-up between the two sets of forwards brought back memories of the madcap melee that is so often recalled from the 1981 elimination semi-final between these two clubs.
When the Jets received a penalty from this midfield dust-up, Niwhai Puru kicked a 49 metres penalty goal (into the breeze) to give Newtown a 14-12 lead at half-time. The Jets had to work hard in defence in the first half on account of their poor completion rate and penalty count having ensured the Sea Eagles had plenty of ball.
This successful goal-kick ultimately provided the two points that ended up being Newtown’s two-point winning margin (26-24).
(Photo: Mario Facchini/mafphotography)
A power outage at Henson Park just prior to half-time was bound to make things interesting in the second half.
Manly went very close to scoring twice early in the second half, with the Sea Eagles being held up in-goal on one occasion. The third quarter of the game was very much a tense struggle with some poor handling by Manly denying them another try-scoring opportunity.
It wasn’t until the 58th minute when Taj Ford (who came on from the interchange bench to play fullback) combined cleverly with Sam Stonestreet for the young fullback to score near the northern end goal posts. Niwhai Puru’s conversion gave Newtown a 20-12 lead.
The Jets had the better of this period of the game and Niwhai Puru was again involved when he rolled a perfect grubber-kick into Manly’s in-goal in the 66th minute, where backrower Kyle Pickering grounded the ball. Puru’s conversion gave the Jets a 26-12 lead with just on 12 minutes still to play.
Two minutes from full-time Manly took advantage of a ragged Newtown defensive formation to score a converted try. Then the Sea Eagles struck again with another try, scored in the last minute from a grubber kick that wasn’t neutralised. This brought Manly to within two points of Newtown, but the NSWRL sideline officials (substituting as time-keepers) signalled full-time.
Niwhai Puru’s 49 metre penalty goal into the breeze in the 39th minute proved to be valuable indeed!
Newtown’s best backs had been Daniel Atkinson (the Built Smart Solutions player of the match award winner), Sam Stonestreet, Niwhai Puru, Chris Vea’ila and Taj Ford.
(Photo: Mario Facchini/mafphotography)
Jontay-Junior Betham-Misa turned on an impressive performance in the forwards, and he was well supported by Jayden Berrell, Kyle Pickering, Riley Jones, Hohepa Puru and Brad Fearnley.
(Photo: Mario Facchini/mafphotography)
(Photo: Mario Facchini/mafphotography)
The Newtown Jets are at home on Saturday, 19th July, to the much-improved Sydney Roosters (now in 6th place) who are making a spirited charge towards a place in the final five.
The rampant Roosters have a more favourable run home than does Newtown, so this Saturday’s match at Henson Park might help determine which club ultimately qualifies for the finals.
Newtown’s match details were: -
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 was livestreamed on BarTV NSWRL.
Weather: 19 degrees, scattered clouds, light southerly breeze.
Playing surface: Excellent.
Match Appointments were: -
Referee: Clayton Wills
Touch Judges: Brad Kiehne and Mitchell Stone
Match Result:
Newtown 26:
Samuel Stonestreet, Michael Gabrael,
Taj Ford, Kyle Pickering tries;
Niwhai Puru 4 conversions, 1 penalty goal
defeated
Manly-Warringah 24:
Clayton Faulalo 2, Caleb Navale,
Zaidas Muagututia tries;
Brandon Wakeham 4 conversions.
Half-Time: Newtown led 14-12.
The teams were:
Newtown:
Fullback: Daniel Atkinson
Wingers: Kristian Dixon, Samuel Stonestreet
Centres: Chris Vea’ila, Michael Gabrael
Halves: Khaled Rajab, Niwhai Puru
Lock: Hohepa Puru
Second-Rowers: Kyle Pickering, Blake Hosking
Front-Rowers: Max Bradbury, Jordin Leiu
Hooker: Jayden Berrell (Captain)
Interchange:
Jontay-Junior Betham-Misa, Taj Ford
Riley Jones, Brad Fearnley
18th Man: Eli Clark
Blue Shirt Trainer: Tom Haberecht
Yellow Shirt Trainer: Fletcher Graham
Gold Shirt Trainer: Chris Moubarak
Game Day Doctor: Dr Anna-Maria Frangos-Young
Head Coach: George Ndaira.
Manly-Warringah:
Fullback: Clayton Faulalo
Wingers: Jordan Swann, Ray Tuaimalo Vaega
Centres: Semisi Kioa, Michael Chee Kam (Captain)
Halves: Brandon Wakeham, Joey Walsh
Lock: Caleb Navale
Second-Rowers: Jacob Sykes, Aaron Schoupp
Front-Rowers: D’Jazirhae Pua’avase, Chris Patolo
Hooker: Gordon Chan Kum Tong
Interchange:
Zaidas Muagututia, Simione Laiafi
Broden Konz, Miles Edler
18th Man: Ezekial Paulo
Blue Shirt Trainer: Steve Murphy
Yellow Shirt Trainer: Mick Tonello
Gold Shirt Trainer: Sam Pinnington
Game Day Doctor: Dr Anna Krupelnicki
Head Coach: Guy Williams.
Video Details:
The NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup Highlights || Round 19, Saturday, 12th July 2025 || Newtown Jets v Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles:
Newtown Jets head coach George Ndaira's post-match comments on Saturday, 12th July 2025:
https://www.facebook.com/newtownrlfc/videos/1749216876478134
The NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup competition table after 19 rounds:
https://www.nswrl.com.au/ladder/?competition=113&round=19&season=2025
Match Timeline: -
First Half:
Manly-Warringah kicked off, running towards the northern end of Henson Park.
7th minute: Samuel Stonestreet try.
Converted by Niwhai Puru. Newtown 6-0.
14th minute: Caleb Navale try.
Converted by Brandon Wakeham. 6-all.
20th minute: Michael Gabrael try.
Converted by Niwhai Puru. Newtown 12-6.
25th minute: Clayton Faulalo try.
Converted by Brandon Wakeham. 12-all.
39th minute: Niwhai Puru penalty goal from 49 metres out, kicking into the breeze.
Newtown 14-12.
Half-Time: Newtown led 14-12.
Second Half:
Newtown kicked off, running towards the hill end of Henson Park.
58th minute: Taj Ford try.
Converted by Niwhai Puru. Newtown 20-12.
66th minute: Kyle Pickering try.
Converted by Niwhai Puru. Newtown 26-12.
79th minute: Zaidas Muagututia try.
Brandon Wakeham conversion. Newtown 26-18.
80th minute: Clayton Faulalo try.
Converted by Brandon Wakeham. Newtown 26-24.
Full-Time: Newtown 26 defeated Manly-Warringah 24.
Match Statistics:
Newtown Players Statistics:
Most tackles: Jayden Berrell: 31
Most metres run: Samuel Stonestreet: 149
Most line breaks: Samuel Stonestreet: 4
Team Statistics:
(Newtown: N; Manly-Warringah: MW).
Possession: N: 49%; MW: 51%.
Time in possession: N: 23.30s; MW: 25.00s.
Completion Rate: N: 61%, 24/39; MW: 70%, 28/40.
Runs with the football: N: 179; MW: 158.
Metres run in possession: N: 1378m; MW: 1361m.
Post contact metres: N: 370; MW: 446.
Line breaks: N;6; MW: 4.
Tackle breaks: N: 26; MW: 23.
Kick return metres: N: 85; MW: 115.
Offloads: N: 8; MW: 8.
Total passes: N: 212; MW: 232.
Dummy passes: N: 16; MW: 19.
Kicks: N: 16; MW: 15.
Kicking metres: N: 440; MW: 318.
Forced drop outs: N: 2; MW: 3.
Kick defusal: N: 100%; MW: 86%.
Bombs: N: 4; MW: 0.
Grubbers: N : 3; MW: 6.
Effective tackles: N: 89.5%; MW: 88%
Missed tackles: N: 23; MW: 26.
Intercepts: N: 2; MW: 2.
Ineffective tackles: N: 11; MW: 12.
Errors: N: 16; MW: 15.
Penalties conceded: N: 5; MW: 3.
Ruck infringements: N: 2; MW: 3.
On report: N: 1; MW: 0.
Interchanges: N: 7; MW: 8.
Newtown’s next game details:
NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup
Round 20
Saturday, 19th July 2025
Henson Park