Jets work hard to take the points against the Canterbury Bulldogs

The Newtown Jets turned on an improved display in defeating Canterbury-Bankstown 28-16, in what was a hard-fought NSW Cup match played at PointsBet Stadium on Friday afternoon.

The Bulldogs fielded a strong team that included several players with recent NRL match experience.

Canterbury scored out wide early in the first half and added a conversion to lead 6-0 after fifteen minutes. The Bulldogs put plenty of pressure on the Jets in the first quarter of the game, making good use of their huge forward pack as well as well-executed passing forays by their backline on both sides of the field. The Dogs also had a strong breeze blowing in their favour in the first half.

Newtown responded in the 25th minute when their wily hooker Jayden Berrell put a well-placed grubber kick into the Canterbury in-goal, and in-form backrower Billy Burns won the race to ground the ball.

The Jets mounted another attack several minutes later, when young centre Chris Vea’ila grabbed the ricocheting football and scored after a cut-out pass by Niwhai Puru had been knocked down by a Bulldogs defender.

Newtown further improved their situation right on half-time when five-eighth Daniel Atkinson put up a high ball into the south-east corner which was batted down by a Canterbury player, enabling Atkinson to regather his own kick and sprint in to score under the posts. The Jets led 16-6 at the break after having defended strongly for extended periods at their own end, as well as defusing several high kicks as the Bulldogs made use of the stiff breeze.

The ‘Dogs scored early in the second half, despite protests from Jets defenders that centre Addison Demetriou had been the first to ground the Canterbury player’s grubber kick into the Newtown in-goal.

Jets interchange forward Sam Healey showed exceptional evasive and dummying skills as he swerved past several Canterbury defenders to score midway through the second half. This unconverted try gave Newtown a 20-12 lead.

Canterbury stayed right in the contest with a spectacular diving try in the south-west corner, leaving the Bulldogs 20-16 in arrears with fifteen minutes left to play. This match certainly was a thriller, with Canterbury-Bankstown having a try disallowed just eight minutes out from full-time, when referee Kieren Irons ruled that a Jets defender had been obstructed.

Newtown finally ensured victory in this absorbing encounter, with Niwhai Puru kicking a penalty goal in the 78th minute, and winger Sam Stonestreet seizing an intercept and racing in to score right on full-time. The Jets might have scored five tries to three but the game had been in the balance until the final minutes.

Newtown’s coach George Ndaira observed after the match that Canterbury is going to be one of the strongest teams in this year’s NSW Cup competition, and that Newtown’s improved showing in this match  had been assisted by the team having more training sessions together in the preceding week.

Mr Ndaira gave a special mention to Newtown’s hard-working forward Brad Fearnley, who had put in a much longer playing spell on the field because of front-rower Max Bradbury’s ribs injury. Centre Chris Vea’ila had played well in what was just his third NSW Cup match, and he had been up against experienced opponents.

The Newtown Jets take on Western Suburbs in the third round of the NSW Cup at Lidcombe Oval next Sunday, 24th March, with this match being timed to kick off at 2.00pm.

NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup

Round Two

Friday, 15th March 2024

Newtown Jets v Canterbury Bulldogs

PointsBet Stadium, Woolooware
Kick-Off: 3.40pm

This match was shown on NSWRLTV

It was also a curtain-raiser to the Cronulla Sharks-Canterbury Bulldogs NRL second round fixture.

Weather: Partly cloudy, 24 degrees.

South-easterly wind gusts (in the first half) up to 40 km/ph.

Humidity: 58%; Dew point: 15%.

Referee: Kieren Irons

Touch Judges: Tom Cambourn and Luke Heckendorf

Newtown v Canterbury-Bankstown Match Highlights:
https://www.nswrl.com.au/news/2024/03/15/nswrl-tv-highlights–nsw-cup—jets-v-bulldogs—round-two/

 Newtown RLFC Head Coach George Ndaira’s post-match interview:

https://www.facebook.com/newtownrlfc/videos/433406619220794

Newtown 28:
Billy Burns, Chris Vea’ila, Daniel Atkinson,
Samuel Healey, Samuel Stonestreet tries;

Niwhai Puru 3 conversions, 1 penalty goal

defeated
Canterbury-Bankstown 16:
Bailey Biondi-Odo, Jordan Samrani, Jeral Skelton tries;
Toby Sexton 2 conversions.

Half-Time: Newtown led 16-6.

Newtown’s team was:
Fullback: Tyla Tamou
Wingers: Thomas Rodwell, Samuel Stonestreet
Centres: Chris Vea’ila, Addison Demetriou

Halves: Daniel Atkinson, Niwhai Puru
Lock: Billy Magoulias (Captain)
Second-Rowers: Billy Burns, Jordin Leiu
Front-Rowers: Rhys Dakin, Brad Fearnley
Hooker: Jayden Berrell.

Interchange: Blake Hosking, Max Bradbury, Samuel Healey, Kyle Pickering.
18th Man: Jackson Ferris.
Coach: George Ndaira.

Canterbury-Bankstown:
Joash Papalii

Wingers: Jeral Skelton, Eli Clark
Centres: Hayze Perham, Bronson Xerri
Halves: Bailey Biondi-Odo, Toby Sexton (Captain)
Lock: Jack Todd

Second-Rowers: Jordan Samrani, Kitione Kautoga
Front-Rowers: Liam Knight, Zane Tetevano
Hooker: Jake Turpin
Interchange: Chris Patolo, Harry Hayes, Bailey Hayward, Reece Hoffman
18th Man: Lachlan Vale

Coach: Mick Potter.

Match Timeline:
Kick-Off: 3.40pm, Friday, 15th March 2024
First Half:

14th minute: Bailey Biondi-Odo try
15th minute: Toby Sexton conversion
Canterbury-Bankstown 6-0
24th minute: Billy Burns try, not converted
Canterbury-Bankstown 6-4
28th minute: Chris Vea’ila try
30th minute: Niwhai Puru conversion
Newtown 10-6
39th minute: Daniel Atkinson try
40th minute: Niwhai Puru conversion
Newtown 16-6.
Half-Time: Newtown 16 led Canterbury-Bankstown 6
Second Half:
48th minute: Jordan Samrani try
50th minute: Toby Sexton conversion
Newtown 16-12
58th minute: Samuel Healey try, not converted
Newtown 20-12
64th minute: Jeral Skelton try, not converted
Newtown 20-16
78th minute: Niwhai Puru penalty goal
Newtown 22-16
80th Minute: Samuel Stonestreet try
80th minute: Niwhai Puru conversion.
Newtown 28-16.
Full-Time: Newtown 28 defeated Canterbury-Bankstown 16.

Next Match Details:
NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup
Third Round
Sunday, 24th March 2024
Lidcombe Oval
Western Suburbs v Newtown
Kick-Off: 2.00pm.
This match will be live-streamed on NSWRLTV