Jets miss the opportunity for a direct path into a Grand Final berth.

Newtown lost a hard-fought Knock-On Effect NSW Cup Major Semi-Final by 28-18 to Penrith on Saturday afternoon.

This match was played at the Netstrata Jubilee Stadium (Kogarah), with the Panthers going straight through to the Grand Final and Newtown now facing up to Canterbury-Bankstown in the Preliminary Final at Leichhardt Oval next Saturday.

Newtown went into Saturday’s match as the Minor Premiers, although Penrith had beaten the Jets in both home and away competition rounds.

The first half was a tough contest with Penrith scoring the first try in the 12th minute. Newtown had the misfortune to lose two of their best backs, winger Matt Ikuvalu and halfback Luke Metcalf, with injuries in the first half. 

Jets fullback Kade Dykes stepped through the Penrith defence in the 28th minute and centre Kayal Iro scored Newtown’s second try in the 35th minute. The Panthers scored one minute before the siren to take a 14-12 lead into the halftime break.

Newtown’s worst period in the game was when the Jets conceded two more tries in the first ten minutes of the second half for Penrith to lead 24-12. This was compounded by Kade Dykes being sin-binned for a professional foul in the 47th minute.

The Jets fought back into the game at the 56th minute mark when interchange forward Vincent Rennie charged over next to the northern end posts after receiving a perfect short ball from the high-performance front-rower Thomas Hazelton.

The Panthers had the advantage in possession and field position for the remainder of the second half, as they added two penalty goals for their final winning margin of 28-18.

Both teams had high completion rates for the match but Penrith’s second-half surplus of possession, quality kicking game and their ability to make metres up the middle gave the Panthers a critical advantage.

Jets forwards Thomas Hazelton, Jesse Colquhoun, Kurt Dillon and Kayne Kalache all had strong games while Kade Dykes and Kayal Iro proved that the Penrith defensive wall was not impregnable.

Canterbury beat North Sydney 22-10 in the Elimination Semi-Final to win the right to play Newtown in the Preliminary Final on Saturday, 17th September at Leichhardt Oval at 3.10pm.

Saturday’s match details:
NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW cup
Major Semi-Final
Saturday, 10th September 2022
Netstrata Jubilee Stadium, Kogarah
Kick-Off: 1.00pm.

Weather: 21 degrees, partly cloudy.
Humidity: 44%
Playing surface: excellent.

Referee: Darian Furner.

Touch Judges: Liam Nicholls and Nicholas Beashel.
In Goal: Thomas Cambourn and Tom Stindl.

Penrith 28:
Robert Jennings 2, Sunia Turuva 2, Sean O’Sullivan tries;
Kurt Falls 2 conversions, 2 penalty goals
defeated
Newtown 18:
Kade Dykes, Kayal Iro, Vincent Rennie tries;

Mawene Hiroti 3 conversions.

Half-Time: Penrith led 14-12.

Newtown’s team:
Kade Dykes, Matt Ikuvalu, Mawene Hiroti, Kayal Iro, Jensen Taumoepeau, Billy Magoulias, Luke Metcalf, Jesse Colquhoun, Charbel Tasipale, Kayne-Lee Kalache, Thomas Hazelton, Rhys Davies, Kurt Dillon.
Interchange: Reubenn Rennie, Franklin Pele, Liam Harris, Tyla Tamou.
18th Man: Vincent Rennie.

Coach: Greg Matterson.

Penrith:
Charlie Staines, Christian Crichton, Robert Jennings, Thomas Jenkins, Sunia Turuva, Sean O’Sullivan, Kurt Falls, J’maine Hopgood, Chris Smith, Preston Riki, Lindsay Smith, Soni Luke, Eddie Blacker.
Interchange: Jack Cole, Alec Suaino, Liam Henry, John Faiumu.

18th Man: Isaiah Iongi.

Coach: Peter Wallace.

NSWRL TV Highlights – NSW Cup Major Semi-Final – Newtown v Penrith:
https://www.nswrl.com.au/news/2022/09/12/nswrl-tv-highlights–nsw-cup-major-semi-final—jets-v-panthers/

Saturday’s Match Statistics: –
Completions:

1st half: Newtown 18/20 (90%) Penrith 14/16 (88%)

2nd half: Newtown 12/15 (80%) Penrith 19/20 (95%)

Full-Time: Newtown 30/35 (86%) Penrith 33/36 (92%)

Possession:

1st half: Newtown 73 tackles (54%) Penrith 62 tackles (46%)

2nd half: Newtown 55 tackles (40%) Penrith 83 tackles (60%)

Full-Time: Newtown 128 tackles (47%) Penrith 145 tackles (53%)

Penalties:

1st half: Newtown 6 Penrith 1

2nd half: Newtown 3 Penrith 5

Full-Time: Newtown 9 Penrith 6

Match Timeline: –
First Half:
Penrith kicked off, running to the northern end.

12th minute: Robert Jennings try, not converted.

Penrith 4-0.

Newtown winger Matt Ikuvalu was replaced in the 14th minute with a severe knee injury.

25th minute: Penrith forward Preston Riki sin-binned.
26th minute: Kade Dykes try, converted by Mawene Hiroti.
Newtown 6-4.

28th minute: Luke Metcalf off with HIA.
31st minute: Sean O’Sullivan try, Kurt Falls conversion.
Penrith 10-6.
35th minute: Kayal Iro try, Mawene Hiroti conversion.
Newtown 12-10.
39th minute: Sunia Turuva try, not converted.

Penrith 14-12.
Half-Time: Penrith led 14-12.
Second Half:
44th minute: Robert Jennings try, Kurt Falls conversion.
Penrith 20-12.

48th minute: Kade Dykes sin-binned.
50th minute: Sunia Turuva try, not converted.
Penrith 24-12.
56th minute: Vincent Rennie try, Mawene Hiroti conversion.
Penrith 24-18.
68th minute: Kurt Falls penalty goal after a Newtown goal-line drop-out does not go the required distance.
Penrith 26-18.
79th minute: Kurt Falls penalty goal.
Full-Time: Penrith 28-18.

In the NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup Minor Semi-Final also played on Saturday, 10th September, Canterbury-Bankstown 22 defeated North Sydney 10.

Details of Newtown’s next game:
NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup
Preliminary Final
Saturday, 17th September 2022
Leichhardt Oval
Newtown v Canterbury-Bankstown
Kick-Off: 3.10pm.