Jets strong defence underpins victory over Bulldogs

The cooler weather for Saturday’s trial match at Henson Park proved to be a bonus for the players from both teams and the crowd. Newtown won this Knock-On Effect NSW Cup trial match against Canterbury-Bankstown by 22-14, after leading the Bulldogs 12-10 at half-time.

Second-rower Jordin Leiu scored Newtown’s first try but Canterbury took control for most of the first half, scoring two tries and forcing Newtown to defend for extended periods in their own twenty-metre danger zone.

Jets centre Jackson Ferris, who scored Newtown’s winning try in the 2019 NRL State Championship Final, combined with hooker Sam Healey for a classy try under the northern end goal-posts that gave the Jets their half-time lead.

The Bulldogs continued to put Newtown under pressure in the second half, but the Jets made the best of their try-scoring opportunities.  Back-rower Lachlan Crouch crashed his way through the Canterbury defence to score under the posts, and winger Kristian Dixon’s try in the 67th minute  virtually ensured a winning result for Newtown. The Bulldogs scored in the north-western corner in the 78th minute, making the final score 22-14 in Newtown’s favour.

Jets head coach George Ndaira regarded this as a satisfactory trial, noting that once again Newtown had used players from three separate sources: those players who had been training with the Newtown pre-season squad since early November; several players from the Cronulla Sharks Jersey Flegg group; and other players who have been training full-time with the Cronulla Sharks NRL squad.

George Ndaira also observed that the core of Saturday’s trial team had played regularly for Newtown in the 2023 NSW Cup, and they have shown during the pre-season program and in the two trials that they are primed for improved performances this year. The Newtown coaching staff have some interesting selection problems with the number of players who have shown they are match-ready for the NSW Cup.

Newtown’s opening NSW Cup round is for the first time against the New Zealand Warriors in Auckland on Friday, 8th March, so the Jets team staff has been planning for some unfamiliar training and travel plans. Newtown’s NSW Cup fixture will be a curtain-raiser to the Cronulla Sharks – New Zealand Warriors first round NRL match.

The Jets annual season launch function is on this Friday, 1st March, at the Petersham RSL Club, 7.00pm for 7.30pm.  

NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup

Official Trial Match:
Saturday, 24th February 2024
Henson Park
Newtown v Canterbury-Bankstown

Kick-Off: 6.00pm.

Weather:  Mostly cloudy

Temperature: 21 degrees Celsius

Humidity: 70%
Dew Point: 16%

Wind: 20 kmh, SSE

Playing surface: Excellent.

Newtown’s team on Saturday was:

Fullback: Tyla Tamou

Wingers: Tom Rodwell, Kristian Dixon

Centres: Addison Demetriou, Jackson Ferris
Halves: Siteni Taukamo, Max Riolo
Lock: Blake Hosking
Back-Rowers: Kyle Pickering, Jordin Leiu
Front-Rowers: Rhys Dakin, Kurt Dillon
Hooker: Sam Healey.

Bench:
Brad Fearnley (Newtown NSW Cup 2023), Dylan Coutts (Back-Rower, ex-Manly-Warringah), Max Bradbury (Front-Rower, Sharks Jersey Flegg), Salesi Ataata (Front-Rower, Sharks Jersey Flegg)
Lachlan Crouch (Front-Rower, Sharks Jersey Flegg), Chris Slater-Raptis (Back-Rower, ex-Newcastle Knights), Josh Cook (Hooker, ex-South Sydney NSW Cup)
Liam Ison (Fullback, ex-Penrith Jersey Flegg), Nick Stonestreet (Winger, Sharks Jersey Flegg), Te Wehi Waitere (winger, centre, Sharks Jersey Flegg).

Match Result:
Newtown 22:
Jordin Leiu, Jackson Ferris, Lachlan Crouch, Kristian Dixon tries:

Addison Demetriou 3 goals
defeated
Canterbury-Bankstown 14:
3 tries; 1 goal

Half-Time:
Newtown led 12-10

Match Timeline:
5th minute: Jordin Leiu try, Addison Demetriou goal. Newtown 6-0.
15th minute: Bulldogs try, not converted. Newtown 6-4.
21st minute: Bulldogs try, try converted. Canterbury 10-6.
24th minute: Jackson Ferris try, Addison Demetriou goal. Newtown 12-10.
Half-Time: Newtown 12-10.
49th minute: Lachlan Crouch try, Addison Demetriou goal. Newtown 18-10.
67th minute: Kristian Dixon try, not converted. Newtown 22-10.
78th minute: Bulldogs try, not converted. Newtown 22-14.

Full-Time: Newtown 22 defeated Canterbury-Bankstown 14.