Disappointing showing by the Jets as the Knights prevail

This fifth round ISP match against the Newcastle Knights was in effect Newtown’s first home game of the year, but it had to be played at the Southern Cross Group Stadium (Cronulla’s home ground) to accommodate the Fox Sports live television infrastructure requirements. The Jets fielded a strong line-up but their best-laid plans were overturned by a very determined Knights outfit.

NSWRL Intrust Super Premiership NSW – Fifth Round
Saturday, 1st April 2017
Southern Cross Group Stadium
Newtown v Newcastle Knights
Kick-Off: 12.40pm.

This match was shown live on Fox Sports.

Newcastle Knights 28:
Jacob Safiti, Jaelen Feeney, Tom Hughes, Josh King, Pat Mata’utia tries;
Kainoa Gudgeon 4 conversions

defeated

Newtown 18:
Tony Williams, Joseph Paulo, Jordan Drew tries;
Fa’amanu Brown 2 conversions, 1 penalty goal.

Half-Time: Newcastle Knights led 22-8.

Referee: Adam Cassidy.
Touch Judges: Chris Treneman and Liam Nicholls.

Playing surface: Excellent.
Weather: Sunny, blue sky.
Temperature: 23 degrees Celsius.
Humidity: 52%.
Wind: ESE 10km/ph.

Newtown’s team:
Luke Towers, Matt Evans, Jordan Drew, Jesse Ramien, Edrick Lee, Penani Manumalealii, Fa’amanu Brown, Joseph Paulo, Tony Williams, Jayden Walker, Kurt Dillon, Sam Tagataese, Kurt Kara.
Bench: Jack Williams, Jaimin Jolliffe, Kenny Niko, Manaia Cherrington.
Coach: Greg Matterson.
Edrick Lee (formerly with the Canberra Raiders) was on debut with Newtown. Players with international experience in this team included Penani Manumalealii (Samoa), Fa’amanu Brown (Samoa), Joseph Paulo (USA), Tony Williams (Australia and Tonga), Jayden Walker (Italy) and Sam Tagataese (Samoa).

Newcastle Knights:
Nick Meaney, Corey Denniss, Tom Hughes, Brayden Robson, Kainoa Gudgeon, Will Pearsall, Jaelen Feeney, Jacob Safiti, Lachlan Fitzgibbon, Pat Mata’utia, Josh King, Tyler Randell, Pauli Pauli.
Bench: David Bhana, Faitotoa Faitotoa, Tyrone Amey, Jamayne T. Brown.
Coach: Simon Woolford.

Match Summary: –

COMPLETIONS:
1st half: Newtown 13/18 (72%) Newcastle 14/18 (78%)
2nd half: Newtown 16/22 (73%) Newcastle 7/14 (50%)
F-T: Newtown 29/40 (73%) Newcastle 21/32 (66%)

POSSESSION:
1st half: Newtown 59 tackles (47%) Newcastle 67 tackles (53%)
2nd half: Newtown 82 tackles (61%) Newcastle 53 tackles (39%)
F-T: Newtown 141 tackles (54%) Newcastle 120 tackles (46%)

PENALTIES:
1st half: Newtown 9 Newcastle 5
2nd half: Newtown 4 Newcastle 1
F-T: Newtown 13 Newcastle 6

SCORE:
Half-Time: Newtown 8 Newcastle 22
FULL-TIME: NEWTOWN 18 (3 tries, 3 goals) NEWCASTLE 28 (5 tries, 4 goals)

Match timeline: –

First half:

Newtown running to the southern end of the Southern Cross Group Stadium.

5th min: Jacob Safiti try to the right of the northern end goal posts; converted by Kainoa Gudgeon.
Knights lead 6-0.

Penalty at the Knights end gave Newtown extended possession.
10th min: Try to Tony Williams to the left of the southern end goal posts.
Converted by Nu Brown 6-all.

15th min: Jaelen Feeney scores to the left of the posts.
Converted by Gudgeon.
Knights lead 12-6.

25th min: Tom Hughes scores in the right hand northern corner.
Not converted. Knights lead 16-6.

Knights go very close again in the north east corner.

34th min: Josh King scores under the posts and Gudgeon converts.
Knights lead 22-6.

40th min: Nu Brown kicks a penalty goal.

Half-Time: Knights lead 22-8.

Second half:

43rd min: Manaia Cherrington’s sweetly-struck grubber kick into the in-goal enables Joseph Paulo to score to the left of the northern goal posts.
Converted by Nu Brown. Knights lead 22-14.

Newtown has several repeat sets at the Knights but can’t crack their defence.

63rd min: Jordan Drew scores in the north-west corner.
Nu Brown’s conversion attempt from the left sideline bounces off and away from the left-hand upright.
Knights lead 22-18.

Jesse Ramien and Edrick Lee go close to scoring.
The big screen appears to show that Edrick Lee grounded the ball, which brings howls of outrage from the travelling Jets supporters.

72nd min: Pat Mata’utia scores against the run of play for the Knights. Gudgeon converts.
The Knights lead 28-18 and with six minutes left to play would appear to have secured the result.

Full-Time: Knights win 28-18.

Gary Sutherland’s photos from Saturday: http://www.pbase.com/gsphotography/newtown_vs_newcastle_010417&page=all

Mario Facchini’s photos from Saturday: http://mafphotography.blogspot.com.au/2017/04/intrust-super-premiership-2017-round-5.html

Highlights from the ISP NSW 5th Round from the NSWRL website: http://www.nswrl.com.au/news/2017/04/03/highlights_intrust_s.html

Newtown’s next game details:

NSWRL ISP NSW – 6th Round
Sunday, 9th April 2017
Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland
New Zealand Warriors v Newtown Jets
Kick-Off: 11.45am (NZT), 9.45am (AEST).
This match is to be telecast live by Fox Sports from 9.45am (AEST).