Newtown Jets front-rower Malakai Houma crashes through the New Zealand Warriors defence at Henson Park last Saturday. Photo: Gary Sutherland Photography
Newtown Jets front-rower Malakai Houma crashes through the New Zealand Warriors defence at Henson Park last Saturday. Photo: Gary Sutherland Photography

Jets first half blitz overwhelms the Warriors

The Newtown Jets staked their claim as one of the form teams of the Intrust Super Premiership with their commanding 38-6 win over the competition leaders, the New Zealand Warriors, at Henson Park on Saturday. Mounties and the Warriors might still be the first and second teams on the competition table, but the Jets are in clear third position one point behind them and with a better points for and against aggregate.

Newtown seized control of Saturday’s game against the Warriors when they raced to a 16-0 lead after as many minutes. The Warriors were admittedly below full strength and turned on an abysmal first half, with a low completion rate and a succession of errors. The Jets made the most of their opportunities with first half tries to Anthony Moraitis, Travis Robinson, Matt Evans and Malakai Houma, with Fa’amanu Brown converting three of the tries and kicking one penalty goal. The Warriors started to put their game together when they posted a converted try close to halftime, with Newtown going into the break with a 24-6 lead.

Coach Greg Matterson stressed to his Jets players not to let the Warriors back into the game in the second half. No doubt he had painful memories of Newtown’s third round encounter with the Warriors over in Auckland, when the Jets had led 18-4 at halftime and were run down by the Warriors in the second half for a 20-18 loss. Matterson put the challenge to his squad to shut the Warriors out of the game and to maintain their first half domination.

The Jets in fact kept their opponents scoreless for the entire second half and added two more tries through Kurt Capewell and Kenny Niko late in the game. Newtown was forced to defend for extended periods but through their discipline and teamwork managed to choke the Warriors out of the game. Coach Matterson praised his players at full-time for their second half effort, saying it was an outstanding performance against a team coming off a seven-game winning streak and who were also the competition leaders.

Newtown’s forwards laid the foundations for this win, subduing one of the competition’s biggest forward packs and winning the battle of the midfield. While the Warriors had some players out, Newtown also had key players unavailable through injury and there were also enforced changes during the game that left Newtown short on the interchange bench. Backrower Kurt Kara was Newtown’s best on the day, and Jesse Sene-Lefao, Matt McIlwrick, Kurt Capewell and Anthony Moraitis were all outstanding in the forwards. Fa’amanu Brown, Josh Cleeland and Mitch Brown were the best of the backs. The coaching staff also extended praise to all the Newtown part-timers who stepped up for this crunch game and ripped right into the challenge of upsetting the league leaders.

Newtown’s next match is against one of the emerging threats in this competition, the Penrith Panthers. This 16th round ISP match is at the St Marys Stadium on Saturday, 25th June at 3.00pm. The Jets next home game will be against the Illawarra Cutters at Henson Park on Friday, 1st July at 7.00pm.

Newtown's head coach George Ndaira (left) and Head of Football Greg Matterson are pictured with the 2024 NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup premiership trophy. George and Greg are both on deck again as the Newtown Jets head into the 2025 NSW Cup season. 
(Photo: Mario Facchini, mafphotography)

Newtown’s first NSW Cup trial game for 2025 is against Penrith at Henson Park on Saturday, 8th February at 4.00pm

This photo of the Newtown RLFC players, staff, Directors and sponsors was taken at Henson Park on the day before the final home game for the 2024 season.  (Photo: Mario Facchini)

The Newtown Jets celebrate what was a magnificent year in the history of Australia’s oldest rugby league club

Newtown Jets 2024 Presentation Night Poster

2024 NEWTOWN RLFC NSW CUP PREMIERS PRESENTATION DINNER & AWARDS NIGHT

Newtown's giant front-rower Tuku Hau Tapuha gets into stride as he carries the ball forward in Sunday's NRL State Championship Final. Photo: Mario Facchini / mafphotography

Second half errors prove costly as the Newtown Jets lose narrowly in the NRL State Championship Final

Barry Vining of the Jets celebrates after the preliminary final of the NSW Cup finals series game between the Newtown Jets and Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs at Leichhardt Oval, Sydney on September 23, 2012. Jets defeated Bulldogs 34-6. (Photo by Jason McCawley)

Vale Barry Noel Vining OAM

Image: Mario Facchini, mafphotography

Newtown Jets Team List v Norths Devils Sun 6th October, 2024 (NRL State Championship)

Australian Mutual Bank
Front of Jersey

Petersham RSL
Back of Jersey

Deicorp
Back of Jersey, Training Gear, Socks

HPH-02

Henson Park Hotel
Chest

John Singleton Group
Sleeve

PHILTER
Shoulder blades, Brewing

Coverforce
Front of Shorts

VIC on the Park
Back of Shorts

Strive Fitness
Gym

Sports Medicine Institute
Medical Services & Rehabilitation

Label Plus
Major Sponsor

Arista Technologies
Technology Partner

Newtown Jets respect and honour the Traditional Custodians of the Land and pay our respects to their Elders past and present. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on the lands we meet, gather and play on and that the land area encompassing Henson Park traditionally belonged to the Gadigal people of the Eora nation.