Metcalf’s Slashing Double the Highlight in Newtown’s Drawn Game
Newtown’s 20-all draw with North Sydney in the Knock-On Effect NSW Cup fifth round match played on Sunday has drawn some comparisons with the Sydney Roosters 26-18 win against the Cronulla Sharks at the SCG on Saturday night.
The Sharks had run up an 18-4 lead midway through the second half at the SCG, while the Jets led the Bears 14-6 at the halftime break and by 20-6 after 48 minutes, before Norths came home strongly to force a draw.
North Sydney scored three tries in the final thirty minutes and missed a couple of other likely scoring opportunities. The Bears levelled the scores with just three minutes left on the clock, with the conversion attempt spraying wide much to the relief of the big contingent of Newtown supporters present at historic North Sydney Oval.
Spring-heeled fullback Luke Metcalf scored two tries for Newtown, emphasising what a potent strike weapon he can be for the Jets.
While Newtown’s performance was most certainly a marked improvement on the previous week’s thrashing at the hands of the Canberra Raiders, this was still a valuable competition point to concede after having run up a fourteen-point lead.
The Newtown club will pay tribute to the late Tom Raudonikis when the Jets host the Newcastle Knights at Henson Park next Saturday, 17th April.
Newtown 20 (Luke Metcalf 2, Jonaiah Lualua, Bronson Garlick tries; Braydon Trindall 2 conversions) drew with North Sydney 20 (Joseph Suuali, Sione Hopoate, Max Bailey, Matt Ikuvalu tries; Ronald Volkman 2 conversions).
Half-Time: Newtown led 14-6.
Referee: Keiren Irons.
Touch Judges: Rickey McFarlane and Nathan Loveday.
Playing surface: Excellent.
Weather: 17 degrees, 40% humidity, clear sky, sunny, strong southerly wind.
Newtown’s team was:
Luke Metcalf, Jonaiah Lualua, Jensen Taumoepeau, Kayal Iro, Nene Macdonald, Jack A. Williams, Braydon Trindall, Brock Gray, D’Rhys Miller, Bronson Garlick, Andrew Fifita, Zac Woolford, Daniel Vasquez.
Interchange: Edward Aiono, Kyle Paterson, Ethan Natoli, Franklin Pele.
18th man: Kayleb Milne.
Coach: Greg Matterson.
North Sydney:
Brad Abbey, Matt Ikuvalu, Joseph Suuali, Tony Satini, Sione Hopoate, Ronald Volkman, Josh Ralph, Tukupa-Ke Hau Tapuha, Coby Thomas, Daniel Suluka-Fifita, Harrison Edwards, Egan Butcher, Max Bailey.
Interchange: Jesse Marschke, Jerry Key, Michael Fenn, Ben Thomas.
I8th man; Tom Carr.
Coach: Jason Taylor.
Newtown’s next game:
NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup – Sixth Round
Saturday, 17th April 2021
Henson Park
Newtown v Newcastle Knights
Kick-Off: 3.00pm.
Highlights from Sunday’s North Sydney v Newtown match (courtesy of the NSWRL): –
Link: https://www.nswrl.com.au/news/2021/04/12/nswrl-tv-highlights-nsw-cup-bears-v-jets-round-5/
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.