Jets decisively beaten by the resurgent Dragons up in Captain Thunderbolt territory

There were several NRL teams that overcame big points deficits on the weekend, but the Newtown Jets did not have such good fortune.

Newtown was thrashed 34-4 by the St George-Illawarra Dragons in the NSWRL Regional Magic Weekend match played at Scully Park, Tamworth with an 11.00am kick-off. (The Captain Thunderbolt referred to in the headline was the mid-19th century Australian bushranger who was the scourge of the New England region for a period of more than ten years.)

The Newtown Jets were really in trouble when they conceded 18 points to their opponents in the first sixteen minutes of the game and they never really looked like getting back into the contest.

The Dragons added three more tries in the second half to complete was certainly was a clear-cut victory. This win has propelled St George-Illawarra into second place on the NSW Cup competition table and pushed the Jets back into fourth place.

Newtown had very little possession in the first quarter of the game, and even though they had more of the ball in the remainder of the first half, the Jets didn’t play well enough to pull back the Dragons’ lead.

What would have been a major concern to the Newtown coaching staff was the relative ease with which the Dragons had scored their first half tries. Two of these tries were from barge-over efforts close to the tryline and the third came from a midfield break through some less than committed defence.

The Dragons scored their first try of the second half in the 42nd minute, through a determined drive from dummy-half through some sketchy on-line defence. If this was Newtown’s response to staging a second half fightback, it was a dispiriting way to begin the task. The game was almost certainly gone in the 55th minute, when a strong-running Dragons centre spun out of several attempted tackles and then ran 40 metres to score under the posts.

Jets interchange forward Josh Cook managed to get Newtown onto the scoreboard when he burrowed over from dummy-half midway through the second stanza. The Dragons hadn’t finished for the day, with their fullback and team captain showing great acceleration and swerving ability to race away to score their sixth and final try with ten minutes left to play. The Dragons might well have scored more tries in the second half but their efforts were brought undone by overly-adventurous passing.

It should be noted that Newtown went into this match somewhat understrength, with team changes having been made late in the preceding week. The situation was seriously worsened during the course of the game, with strike centre Michael Gabrael leaving the field in the first half with what appeared to be a hamstring strain, and then will o’ the wisp five-eighth Khaled Rajab limped off in the second half with a leg injury. The consequent enforced backline changes certainly reduced Newtown’s fightback chances.

Team captain and hooker Jayden Berrell competed bravely and tried to set attacking plays in motion, and the middle forwards Tuku Hau Tapuha and Jordin Leiu did their best to generate some attacking momentum. Backrower Blake Hosking saved at least three tries with two death or glory ball and all tackles, along with an on-line intercept that brought a roar from the crowd. Halfback Niwhai Puru had a mixed day but he competed fiercely and did his best to get Newtown back into the game.

The Jets have the chance to display better form this Saturday (17th May) at Henson Park, when they take on the Canberra Raiders at 3.00pm. The Raiders beat the Jets in Canberra several weeks ago, so this is a home-game opportunity for the Newtown Jets to make this match “payback time.”

Match Details:

NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup
Round Ten
Sunday, 11th May 2025
Scully Park, Tamworth
St George-Illawarra v Newtown

Kick-Off: 11.00am.

This match was part of the NSWRL NSW Cup Magic Weekend.

This fixture was livestreamed on BarTV NSWRL.

Weather: Sunny, partly cloudy, 22 degrees, 16 km/h wind.

Playing surface: Excellent.

Match result:

St George-Illawarra 34:
Hame Sele, Nathan Lawson, Michael Molo,
Haele Finau, Nick Tsougranis, Cody Ramsey tries;

Jonah Glover 5 conversions

defeated
Newtown 4:
Josh Cook try.

Half-Time: Dragons led 4-0.

The teams were:

Newtown:
Fullback: Josh Latham

Wingers: Eli Clark, Kristian Dixon

Centres: Michael Gabrael, Tyrell Lafituanai
Halves: Khaled Rajab, Niwhai Puru
Lock: Blake Hosking
Second-Rowers: Kyle Pickering, Jorin Leiu

Front-Rowers: Tuku Hau Tapuha, Max Bradbury
Hooker: Jayden Berrell (Captain)

Interchange:
Jontay-Junior Betham-Misa, Lachlan Crouch
Billy Magoulias, Josh Cook
Concussion Substitute: Chris Slater-Raptis

Coach: George Ndaira.

St George-Illawarra:
Fullback: Cody Ramsey

Wingers: Nathan Lawson, Sione Finau

Centres: Nick Tsougranis, Hayden Buchanan

Halves: Jonah Glover, Lachlan Ilias

Lock: Finau Latu

Second-Rowers: Jacob Halangahu, Cyrus Stanley-Traill
Front-Rowers: Hame Sele, Michael Molo

Connor Muhleisen
Interchange:
Haele Finau, Jacob Webster

Viliami Fifita, Jett Liu

Concussion Substitute: Ben Rumble
Coach: Willie Talau.

Visual content:

Highlights || NSW Cup, Round 10 || St George-Illawarra v Newtown || Scully Park, Tamworth, 11th May 2025:

https://www.nswrl.com.au/news/2025/05/11/the-knock-on-effect-nsw-cup-highlights–round-10—jets-v-dragons

The NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup competition table after ten rounds:
https://www.nswrl.com.au/ladder/?competition=113&round=10&season=2025

Match Timeline:

First Half:
Newtown kicked off, running to the northern end of Scully Park.
5th minute: Hame Sele try.
Try converted. Dragons 6-0.

11th minute: Nathan Lawson try.

Try converted. Dragons 12-0.

15th minute:
Michael Molo try.
Try converted. Dragons 18-0.

Half-Time: Dragons led 18-0.

Second Half:
42nd minute: Haele Finau try.
Not converted. Dragons 22-0.

54th minute: Nick Tsougranis try.

Try converted. Dragons 28-0.

60th minute: Josh Cook try.

Not converted. Dragons 28-4.

69th minute: Cody Ramsey try.

Try converted. Dragons 34-4.

75th minute: Nick Tsougranis Sin Bin.
Full-Time: St George-Illawarra 34 defeated Newtown 4.

Match Statistics: –

Newtown player statistics:
Blake Hosking – 31 tackles
Kristian Dixon – 127 metres run

Josh Latham – 1 line break.

Team statistics:
Possession: N 47%, Dragons (D) 53%
Time in possession: N 23m40s; D 26m35s
Completions: N 71% (25/35); D 71% (28/39)
Runs made: N 164, D 193
Metres run: N 1229, D 1754
Post contact: N 384, D 578
Line breaks: N 2, D 7
Tackle breaks: N 18, D 43
Average set distance: N 35, D 45

Kick return metres: n 51, D 219
Average play the ball speed: N 3.4s, D 3.2s
Offloads: N 16, D 11
Passes made: N 211, D 229

Kicks: N 19, D 14
Metres from kicks: N 476, D 365
Forced dropouts: N 3, D 1

Kick defusals: N 50%, D 80%
Bombs: N 3, D 3

Grubbers: N 6, D 2
Effective tackles: N 83%, D 84%
Tackles made: N 304, D 257
Missed tackles: N 43, D 18
Intercepts: N 1, D 0

Errors: N 14, D 13
Penalties conceded: N 5, D 6
Ruck infringements: N 2, D 3

On report: N 1, D 0 Sin Bins: N 0, D 1
Interchanges: N 8, D 8.

Newtown’s next match details:

NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup
Round Eleven
Saturday, 17th May 2025
Henson Park
Newtown (4th place) v Canberra Raiders (8th place)
Kick-Off: 3.00pm. This match will be livestreamed on BarTV NSWRL.