Greg Matterson celebrates his 200th game at the helm of the oldest Australian Rugby League club, as the Jets finally exorcise the Curse of the Hunter

All the details from the Intrust Super Premiership NSW match between the Newcastle Knights and the Newtown Jets, played at the Cessnock Sports Ground on Saturday, 12th March 2016.

Intrust Super Premiership NSW – Round Two; Saturday, 12th March 2016; Cessnock Sports Ground; Newcastle Knights v Newtown; Kick-Off: 3.00pm.

Newtown 28:

Jordan Drew 3, Arana Taumata, Josh Cleeland, Fa’amanu Brown tries; Josh Cleeland two goals

defeated

Newcastle Knights 20:

Luke Yates, Mao Uta, Will Pearsall, James Elias tries; Bryce Donovan 2 goals.

Half-Time: Newtown led 14-6.

Referee: Damian Briscoe. Touch Judges: Brenden Wood and Benjamin Teague.

Weather: Very hot, 32 degrees Celsius, slight easterly breeze in the first half, north-easterly breeze in the second half.

Playing surface: Excellent.

Newtown’s team was:

Arana Taumata, Mitch Brown, Jordan Drew, Matt Evans, Jacob Gagan, Josh Cleeland, Fa’amanu Brown, Jason Schirnack, Anthony Moraitis, Kurt Capewell, Junior Roqica, Matt McIlwrick, Myles Taueli. Bench: Kurt Dillon, Kurt Kara, Malakai Houma, Travis Robinson, Jaline Graham (18th man).

Coach: Greg Matterson (who was celebrating his role as Newtown’s Head Coach for the 200th game of NSW Cup and ISP NSW competition matches from 2008 to the present day).

The Newcastle Knights team was:

Sam Cook, Ken Tofilau, Jacob Gagai, Bryce Donovan, Mao Uta, Danny Kerr, Will Pearsall, Luke Yates, Brett Jarrett, Tekina Vailea, Josh King, Krys Freeman, Michael Steele. Bench: James Elias, Tama Koopu, Viti Baker, Robert Mason. Coach: Matt Lantry.

Newtown’s injury list:

Arana Taumata (hip), Matt McIlwrick (eye), Kurt Capewell (knee).

Match timeline:

Knights kicked off, with Newtown defending the southern end of the Cessnock Sports Ground.

7th minute: Jets knock on midfield, Luke Yates scores for the Knights next to the posts. Converted by Bryce Donovan, Knights lead 6-0.

10th minute: Knights knock on 10 metres out from their own line.

11th minute: Jordan Drew try, Arana Taumata misses the conversion attempt from wide out. Knights lead 6-4.

14th minute: Jordan Drew seeking treatment for an injury, remains on the field.

15th minute: Knights knock on 40 metres from their own line. It was on the 2nd tackle after receiving a penalty.

16th minute: Jordan Drew scores 8 metres in from the corner, not converted by Fa’amanu Brown. Newtown leads 8-6.

19th minute: Knights win a scrum against the feed and then concede a penalty.

22nd minute: Jacob Gagan sprints into a gap and offloads to Arana Taumata who races 40 metres to score. Josh Cleeland converts the try. Newtown leads 14-6.

34th minute: Jets forced into a goal-line dropout. Big defensive set required by the Jets in very hot playing conditions. 35th minute: Knights kick the ball dead and relieve the situation for Newtown.

36th minute: Mitch Brown treated for injury. 37th minute: Newtown receives a penalty for a Knights play the ball infringement. Kurt Capewell comes off with an injury.

40th minute: Knights try disallowed for obstruction.

Half-Time: Newtown leads 14-6.

Newtown Jets kick off for the second half, defending the northern end. Breeze is now coming from the north-east.

47th minute: Josh Cleeland scores under the posts and converts his own try. Newtown 20-6.

54th minute: Knights can’t clean up a Travis Robinson grubber-kick and Fa’amanu Brown scores 12 metres in from the eastern touchline. Try not converted. Newtown leads 24-6.

59th minute: Travis Robinson and Fa’amanu Brown display great handling skills and Jordan Drew posts his hat-trick. Arana Taumata is down in the back-play. Travis Robinson misses the conversion from wide out and Newtown leads 28-6.

60th minute: Play resumes after a drinks break and Arana Taumata is still on the field.

61st minute: Arana Taumata leaves the field with a hip injury.

65th minute: Try to Mao Uta, not converted by Bryce Donovan. Newtown leads 28-10.

71st minute: Trey to Will Pearsall and converted by Bryce Donovan. Newtown leads 28-16.

74th minute: Knights back on the attack after the Jets fail to clean up a bomb.

76th minute: Jets forced into another goal-line drop-out situation. The Knights knock on 5 metres out from Newtown’s line, after the Jets had been forced to defend for three consecutive sets.

80th minute: James Elias try, not converted by Donovan.

Full-Time: Newtown 28 defeated Newcastle Knights 20.

The Newtown RLFC announced that the experienced utility back Travis Robinson had been signed and was named on the bench for this match. Robinson’s biographical details are on this link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travis_Robinson

Coach Greg Matterson was impressed overall with the Jets’ playing performance in what were very trying playing conditions, but he was concerned with the errors made in the last quarter. Newtown had last beaten a Newcastle Knights team in an away fixture in 2008. Now for the Warriors in Auckland next Sunday!

Other Round Two  ISP NSW results:

New Zealand Warriors 44 defeated Wests Tigers 6; Penrith 42 defeated North Sydney 10; Illawarra Cutters 38 defeated Canterbury-Bankstown 12; Wyong 24 defeated Mounties 18. Wentworthville and Manly-Warringah play on Sunday, 13th March.

Newtown’s next ISP NSW match:

ISP NSW – Round Three;
Sunday, 20th March 2016;
Mt Smart Stadium, Penrose, Auckland;
New Zealand Warriors v Newtown;
Kick-Off: 11.45am (NZT).