1981 Grand Final Re-imagined:
Newtown vs. Parramatta
Sunday 26th September, 3pm

Big front-rower and Australian Schoolboy representative Franklin Pele might still be eligible for the Cronulla Sharks Jersey Flegg team, but he made a strong impression in his senior rugby league debut with the Newtown Jets at North Sydney Oval on Sunday. He is pictured here charging into the thick of the North Sydney Bears defence. Photo:
Mario Facchini, mafphotography

April 11, 2021 - North Sydney, NSW, Australia, Franklin Pele of the Newtown Jets during the Round 5 NSW Cup match between the North Sydney Bears and the Newtown Jets North Sydney Oval in North Sydney, NSW. (Mario Facchini/mafphotography)

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, 17^th 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.

18^th 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, 17^th 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/