The Newtown Jets slay the Dragons in front of a huge Festival attendance
In what was a triumphant day for the Newtown Rugby League Football Club, a crowd of over 12,000 attended the Newtown versus St George Illawarra NSW Cup 21st round match, along with the Beer, Footy and Food Festival at Henson Park.
A closer view of the crowd on the famous Henson Park Hill on Saturday, 26th July 2025. Photo: Mario Facchini, (maf photography)
Proving just how much difference a week makes, the Jets put their indifferent showing against the Sydney Roosters behind them and turned on one of their best performances of the 2025 season, beating the second-placed Dragons 40-16 after leading 16-10 at half-time.
Changes to the Newtown team for this game included Mawene Hiroti coming into fullback, Eli Clark into the centres, Khaled Rajab to five-eighth and Jordin Leiu to lock forward. Giant front-rower Tuku Hau Tapuha wore the number eight jersey and the Cronulla Sharks Jersey Flegg team captain Sam McCulloch joined the interchange bench.
Jets fullback Mawene Hiroti threw down the gauntlet to the Dragons with his first touch of the football, making a seventy-metre run through his first kick return. Winger Kristian Dixon was also involved early in the game, building on his record of having made the most runs in this season’s NSW Cup, being second in the tally of run metres and third on the post-contact metres list.
A penalty to Newtown in the 6th minute took the Jets deep into Dragons territory, where Mawene Hiroti ran onto a flat pass and proved to be too strong for the defenders. This try was not converted.
Rain had fallen in the morning, but sunny skies prevailed in the afternoon. Hiroti made another strong return from a Dragons clearing kick. In the following set, Jayden Berrell split the Dragons midfield defence and the backrower Kyle Pickering accepted his pass and ran in to score under the northern end goal posts. Puru’s conversion gave Newtown a 10-0 lead after 13 minutes.
When Tuku Hau Tapuha, Jordin Leiu and Brad Fearnley were on the field together midway through the first half, they were giving the Dragons middle forwards more heavy contact than they might have bargained for.
Another penalty and a six again call placed the Jets in “prime rugby league real estate.” Jordin Leiu crashed over in the 21st minute, prompting the BarTV commentator to remark that “the Dragons have barely got out of neutral so far.” Puru’s second conversion gave Newtown a 16-0 lead.
Middle forward Jordin Leiu
scores in the first half with backrower
Kyle Pickering
in the background.
Photo: Mario Facchini/mafphotography
The Jets paid a big price for a midfield handling error – the Dragons went on the attack at Newtown’s end for the first time in the game, but they missed a possible try-scoring opportunity.
Another Newtown handling error invited the Dragons deep into Jets territory, and they showed why they were second on the competition table with a high speed, quick handling try in the 31st minute.
The red jerseys men renewed their attack at Newtown’s end, and they made it clear that the momentum of the game had swung their way with a try in the south-west corner in the 38th minute. Just to further emphasise that the outcome of the game was still wide open, the Dragons converted from the sideline and went into the half-time break trailing 16-10.
Newtown’s persistent half-time try syndrome had struck again and clearly the Dragons were going to be highly motivated for the second half.
As fate would have it, events favoured Newtown early in the second half. Repeat Dragons errors brought Newtown into the attack at the southern end, and in an extraordinary example of defensive negligence, Kristian Dixon was left completely unmarked and he received a pass from Niwhai Puru to score what might well be the easiest try of his career. The livestream commentator said it all when he remarked that “Kristian Dixon had a postcode all to himself.” This was Dixon’s 10th try for the season but it wasn’t converted.
The unmarked winger Kristian Dixon
about to score early in the second half.
Photo: Mario Facchini/mafphotography
The Dragons moved the play back to Newtown’s end but a pass on the last tackle in a scoring situation was ruled forward.
The Jets left-side winger Sam Stonestreet made a thrilling dash deep into Dragons territory that had the big crowd roaring. The ball-playing utility signing from the Hunter, Riley Jones, combined smartly with Puru who grubber-kicked into the in-goal where it was pounced on by centre Michael Gabrael, scoring his 13th try in 15 games. Puru’s conversion pushed the Jets out to a 26-10 lead.
The Dragons were still in this game but they hadn’t faced a points deficit like this in any game all season. The solidly-built middle forward Jontay-Junior Betham-Misa put on an absolute bellringer of a (legal) hit on a Dragons forward, making the men in red appreciate all the more exactly what sort of a contest they had on their hands. The Jets interchange forward Sam McCulloch was doing some clever work with the football at first receiver.
Near the 60th minute mark, a high kick by Puru was put to ground in the in-goal, where the ever-vigilant Jayden Berrell grounded the football. Newtown now led 30-10 with 19 minutes to play, but after the traumas of the previous Saturday many thousands of Jets supporters wouldn’t have been entirely confident. Just to confirm that previous point, the Dragons kept the ball alive and scored in the north-east corner, then converting from the sideline to trail 30-16 and (hypothetically) to be still in the game. Any team that dropped their defensive intensity could very well concede 14 points in the last 15 minutes.
The Dragons did in fact get across Newtown’s tryline from a high kick in the 67th minute, but the referee ruled that the visitors had knocked on in the contest for the football.
Jayden Berrell demonstrated what a tremendous worker he is when he led the chase on a kick and heavily tackled the Dragons fullback. This was in the 70th minute of the game and the indefatigable Berrell was still leading from the front and inspiring his team-mates.
Newtown Jets hooker and captain
Jayden Berrell
with the ball, with backrower
Kyle Pickering
and five-eighth
Khaled Rajab
in the background.
Photo: Mario Facchini/mafphotography
That man Mawene Hiroti burst up the left side after Newtown had gained possession at the Dragons end, and once again the Taranaki product proved to be too strong for the right-edge Dragons defenders. The sheer power and determination of Hiroti’s running style brought to mind the exceptional try that he scored just before half-time in the 2024 NSW Cup Grand Final. Puru converted this try from the sideline and Newtown now led by 36-16.
Sam Stonestreet made another threatening run down the left side, and the ball was moved across to the Jets right edge where centre Eli Clark nearly broke through to score.
The Jets made good use of being at the Dragons end when Jayden Berrell darted from dummy half, showed the ball to the right and then cleverly turned the football back to the admirable Hiroti, who brushed through several tackles to score his third try. Newtown now led 40-16 but the Dragons tried to go down with guns blazing by way of a late try, only for the football to go to ground right on the Jets tryline.
This had been an impressive win for Newtown, scoring eight tries to three against the team running second. Mawene Hiroti had turned on a masterclass performance, scoring three tries and catching every high, swirling kick sent his way. Puru and Berrell had tremendous games, along with all the forwards who had tackled strongly and in numbers, and they had carried the ball up with vigour. Newtown’s backs had combined well and had made the most of their scoring chances.
Mawene Hiroti
, winner of the
Built Smart Solutions
-
Newtown RLFC Man of the Match award
at Henson Park on Saturday, 26th July 2025.
Photo: Mario Facchini,
maf
photography
These had most certainly been two important competition points for Newtown to capture, and there is another tough assignment in round 22 of the NSW Cup. The fourth-placed Jets are drawn away against the seventh-placed Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs at Belmore Sports Ground on Sunday, 3rd August at 3.00pm.
There is a Jersey Flegg curtain-raiser between the Bulldogs and the Cronulla Sharks at Belmore Sports Ground on Sunday at 12.30pm.
Match Details:
NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup
Round 21
Saturday, 26th July 2025
Henson Park
Newtown v St George-Illawarra
Kick-Off: 3.30pm
The match was livestreamed on BarTV NSWRL.
Weather: Sunny, 18 degrees, strong southerly breeze
Rain had fallen in the morning; breeze made the temperature feel like 14 degrees
Playing surface: Excellent.
Match Officials Appointments:
Referee: Jake Sutherland
Touch Judges: Benjamin Teague and Charlie Suters
Match Result:
Newtown 40:
Mawene Hiroti 3, Kyle Pickering,
Jordin Leiu, Kristian Dixon,
Michael Gabrael, Jayden Berrell tries;
Niwhai Puru 4 conversions
defeated
St George-Illawarra 16:
Nick Tsougranis 2,
Lyric Craft-Te Moananui tries;
Jonah Glover 2 conversions.
Half-Time: Newtown led 16-10.
Jets backrower Kyle Pickering
with the football with a great crowd on the hill. (Photo: Mario Facchini/mafphotography)
The teak tough Newtown Jets front-rower
Max Bradbury
has the football, and
Khaled Rajab
(left) and
Tuku Hau Tapuha
are in the background.
(Photo: Mario Facchini/mafphotography)
The Teams: -
Newtown:
Fullback: Mawene Hiroti
Wingers: Sam Stonestreet, Kristian Dixon
Centres: Eli Clark, Michael Gabrael
Halves: Khaled Rajab, Niwhai Puru
Lock: Jordin Leiu
Second-Rowers: Kyle Pickering, Dylan Coutts
Front-Rowers: Tuku Hau Tapuha, Max Bradbury
Hooker: Jayden Berrell (Captain)
Interchange:
Jontay-Junior Betham-Misa,
Sam McCulloch, Riley Jones, Brad Fearnley
18th Man: Josh Cook
Blue Shirt Trainer: Tom Haberecht
Yellow Shirt Trainer: Fletcher Graham
Orange Shirt Trainer: Chris Moubarak
Game Day Doctor: Dr Anna-Maria Frangos-Young
Coach: George Ndaira.
St George-Illawarra:
Fullback: Cody Ramsey (Captain)
Wingers: Lyric Craft-Te Moananui, Jesse Williams
Centres: Nick Tsougranis, Hayden Buchanan
Halves: Jonah Glover, Lachlan Ilias
Lock: Jacob Webster
Second-Rowers: Jacob Halangahu, Cyrus Stanley-Traill
Front-Rowers: Loko Pasifiki Tonga, Hame Sele
Hooker: Connor Muhleisen
Interchange:
Jett Liu, Haele Finau
Viliami Fifita, Raymond Faitala-Mariner
18th Man: Tyler Peckham-Harris
Blue Shirt Trainer: Peter Dalley
Yellow Shirt Trainer: Gemma Afflick
Orange Shirt Trainer: Matthew Gleeson
Game Day Doctor: Dr Lachlan Eunis
Coach: Willie Talau.
Video Material:
Newtown v St George-Illawarra highlights, Saturday, 26th July 2025:
NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup competition table after 21 rounds:
https://www.nswrl.com.au/ladder/?competition=113&round=21&season=2025
Find out what the Jets coach George Ndaira had to say following Newtown’s big win over the St George Illawarra Dragons yesterday:
https://www.facebook.com/newtownrlfc/videos/774260025553907
Niwhai Puru’s post-match comments, 26th July 2025:
https://www.facebook.com/newtownrlfc/videos/1857731984953718
Looking back at a perfect day and a great victory:
https://www.facebook.com/newtownrlfc/videos/1492134168612325
Match Timeline:
First Half.
Newtown kicked off to the northern end of Henson Park.
7th minute: Mawene Hiroti try.
Not converted. Newtown 4-0.
11th minute: Kyle Pickering try.
Niwhai Puru conversion. Newtown 10-0.
20th minute: Jordin Leiu try.
Converted by Niwhai Puru. Newtown 16-0.
29th minute: Lyric Craft-Te Moananui try.
Not converted. Newtown 16-4.
34th minute: Michael Gabrael on report.
38th minute: Nick Tsougranis try.
Converted by Jonah Glover. Newtown 16-10.
Half-Time: Newtown led 16-10.
Second Half.
St George-Illawarra kicked off to the northern end.
44th minute: Kristian Dixon try.
Not converted. Newtown 20-10.
49th minute: Michael Gabrael try.
Converted by Niwhai Puru. Newtown 26-10.
59th minute: Jayden Berrell try.
Not converted. Newtown 30-10.
63rd minute: Nick Tsougranis try.
Converted by Jonah Glover. Newtown 30-16.
68th minute: Mawene Hiroti try.
Converted by Niwhai Puru. Newtown 36-16.
75th minute: Mawene Hiroti try.
Not converted. Newtown 40-16.
Full-Time: Newtown 40 defeated St George-Illawarra 16.
(St George-Illawarra won the Tom Kirk Cup for 2025 on a two-game points for and against basis.)
Match Statistics:
Newtown players statistics:
Jayden Berrell: Most Tackles: 28
Mawene Hiroti: Most Metres Run: 312
Mawene Hiroti: Most Line Breaks: 4
Team Statistics:
(Newtown: N; St George-Illawarra: D).
Possession: N: 55%; D: 45%.
Time in possession: N; 26m15s; D: 21m10s.
Completion Rate: N: 83%, 30/36; D: 58%, 18/31.
All runs: N: 169; D: 148.
Metres Run: N: 1608; D: 1258.
Post-contact metres: N: 478; D: 427.
Line breaks: N: 8; D: 4.
Tackle breaks: N: 28; D: 27.
Average set distance: N: 44.7m; D: 40.6M
Kick return metres: N: 224m; D: 104m.
Offloads: N: 7; D: 8.
Receipts: N: 390; D: 325.
Total passes: N: 224; D: 179.
Dummy passes: N: 25; D: 1.
Kicks: N: 16; D: 12.
Kicking metres: N: 446; D: 378.
Kick defusal: N: 67%; D: 70%
Bombs: N: 7; D: 2.
Grubbers: N: 3; D: 1.
Effective tackles: N: 86.7%; D: 87.9%
Tackles made: N: 262; D: 320.
Missed tackles: N: 27; D: 28.
Ineffective tackles: N: 13; D: 16.
Errors: N: 6; D: 14.
Penalties conceded: N: 3; D: 5.
Ruck infringements: N: 1; D: 0.
Inside 10 metres: N: 0; D: 1.
On report: N: 1; D: 0.
Interchanges: N:8; D; 8.
Newtown’s next game details:
NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup
Round 22
Sunday, 3rd August 2025
Belmore Sports Ground
Canterbury-Bankstown v Newtown
Kick-Off: 3.00pm.
This match will be livestreamed on BarTV NSWRL.
Curtain-Raiser:
NSWRL Jersey Flegg Cup
Sunday, 3rd August 2025
Belmore Sports Ground
Canterbury Bulldogs v Cronulla Sharks
Kick-Off: 12.30pm.