Jets to revisit rugby league’s historic inner-city site

The Newtown Jets returned to Wentworth Park in 2018 for the first time in 91 years, and they will be playing there again this Sunday, 17^th February, in a pre-season trial match against North Sydney.

There will in fact be three NSW Rugby League pre-season trial games at Wentworth Park on Sunday, at this historic venue which was one of the first grounds used for rugby league in 1908, the year of the code’s foundation.

Sydney University and Ryde-Eastwood will play in a Sydney Shield trial at 1.15pm on Sunday, followed by the Glebe Dirty Reds Ron Massey Cup squad up against the North Sydney Jersey Flegg trial team at 3.00pm. In the main game at 5.00pm, Newtown plays North Sydney in an Intrust Super Premiership trial match. With respect to the Glebe-North Sydney trial match on Sunday, it will be the first time these two clubs have met at Wentworth Park in over ninety years.

New signings likely to turn out with Newtown on Sunday could include lock forward Siosifa Talakai (formerly with the Penrith Panthers); fullback and winger Chris Tupou (ex-Cronulla Sharks); winger Jalen Reweti (ex-North Sydney); and winger and centre Pio Nakubuwai (ex-Melbourne Storm).

Newtown’s demanding pre-season program has been conducted in a particularly hot and humid summer, but head coach Greg Matterson says he and the Jets staff have been impressed with the squad’s thorough application to their training regimen.