Newtown Jets last minute field goal wins a cliff-hanger against the Newcastle Knights

Newtown won a thrilling NSW Cup match against the Newcastle Knights at Henson Park on Saturday, with halfback Niwhai Puru landing a field goal in the last 30 seconds to get the Jets home by 23-22.

The game was played in extremely hot Autumn weather which clearly impacted upon both teams and no doubt caused some discomfort to the spectators. Drinks breaks were taken at the 20 minutes and 60 minutes marks for the well-being of the players.

This was Newtown’s first competition game at home for the 2025 season and it was a very different Jets side from the team that had claimed a premiership victory back on the 29th September 2024. Only six players turned put on Saturday who had played in that Grand Final, these being Chris Vea’ila, Niwhai Puru, Jayden Berrell, Jordin Leiu, Brad Fearnley and Billy Magoulias.

Four other players made their debuts for Newtown on Saturday, and two of these were playing in a NSW Cup competition fixture for the first time. Hohepa Puru, the twin brother of Jets halfback Niwhai Puru, was playing his first game for Newtown after having transferred from the Canberra Raiders to the Cronulla Sharks during the off-season.

Two other newcomers to the Newtown team who had debuted for the Jets against Penrith in the first round match were front-rowers Tevita Taumoepenu (who had NSW Cup experience with Parramatta and South Sydney), along with Jontay-Junior Betham-Misa (who has previous NSW Cup experience with Parramatta and Queensland Cup game time with the Brisbane Tigers).

Saturday’s game was described by the BarTV commentator as being “an absolute belter”, and the game certainly turned on plenty of thrilling moments despite the unusually oppressive weather.

Newtown dominated the first half, opening up an 18-6 lead at halftime and seeming to be well positioned for a comfortable win. For the statistically minded, Newtown’s first three tries were all scored by front-rowers – the first by Lachlan Crouch (ex-Cronulla Sharks Jersey Flegg); the second by Tevita Taumoepenu and the third by that Henson Park crowd favourite, the raw-boned and hard-running Brad Fearnley (who had been a member of Penrith’s 2022 Jersey Flegg premiership winning team).

The latter minutes of the first half had seen a wild melee between several of the opposing players leading to the Jets winger Eli Clark and the Knights centre Riley Jones both being sin-binned. The Knights execution had let them down in the first half and their only try had come from an interception that could very well have been another try to the Jets. Crafty short passes from Jayden Berrell and Riley Pollard had played a role in Newtown’s first half tries, all scored from close range.

The Knights began the second half with considerably more vigour and through their upbeat play swung the momentum of the game their way. The men from the Hunter began to get the better of the Jets with their quick play the balls and overall enthusiasm, while the Jets made some contribution to this process by way of several handling errors.

Newcastle scored three unanswered tries (plus two conversions) creating a major turnaround from having trailed 18-6 to taking a 22-18 lead. Indeed, the Knights had a couple of opportunities in the final quarter of the game that would have ensured victory for the Red and Blues.

The Puru twins, Niwhai and Hohepa, were prominent in a thrilling Newtown breakout that carried the ball well into Knights territory, ending in Eli Clark being taken into touch as he dived over in the north-west corner. A penalty to Newtown at their end in the 74th minute gave the Jets one last chance to save the game. After the ball had been carried up into the Knights 20 metre zone, Niwhai Puru and riley Pollard combined cleverly to send Kristian Dixon over to score in the north-eastern corner. Puru’s difficult conversion attempt was unsuccessful, but the Jets took full advantage of a failed last-ditch 40/20 by the Knights to advance the football back towards Newcastle’s end. Niwhai Puru landed a field goal from 35 metres out for Newtown to claim an enthralling victory by the margin of 23-22.

Newtown’s dramatic recovery in that desperate final ten minutes, bearing in mind the enervating playing conditions, was an impressive effort by a relatively-young team that had not played together before.

The more experienced forwards such as Jayden Berrell, Brad Fearnley, Jordin Leiu and Billy Magoulias played a key role in holding the team together. The younger front-rowers Lachlan Crouch, Tevita Taumoepenu and Jontay-Junior Betham-Misa would have learned from this game and from Newtown’s late comeback. The Puru brothers, Riley Pollard and Josh Latham were also prominent.

The Newtown Jets take on the South Sydney Rabbitohs this coming Saturday, 22nd March, at the Sharks Stadium (the former PointsBet Stadium) at 12.40pm. This game is a curtain-raiser to the Cronulla Sharks versus South Sydney NRL match at 3.00pm. The Jets-Rabbitohs NSW Cup match will be shown live on Foxtel and on BarTV.

Match Details:

NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup
Round 2
Saturday, 15th March 2025

Henson Park
Newtown v Newcastle Knights
Kick-Off: 3.00pm.

Referee: Chris Sutton

Touch Judges: Liam Nicholls and Luke Saldern

Weather: 34 degrees, blazing sunshine, sweltering conditions.
Playing surface: Excellent.

Match Result:

Newtown 23:
Lachlan Crouch, Tevita Taumoepenu, Brad Fearnley, Kristian Dixon tries;

Niwhai Puru 3 conversions, 1 field goal

defeated

Newcastle Knights 22:
Logan Oake, Elijah Salesa-Leaumoana, Jacob Davis, Jack Welsh tries;

Will Pryce 3 conversions.

Half-Time: Newtown led 18-6.

Sin Bins: Eli Clark (Newtown) (37th minute); Riley Jones (Newcastle Knights) (37th minute).

Each team used 8 interchanges.

Drink breaks at the twenty-minute mark of each half were implemented.

Saturday’s Match Highlights: https://www.nswrl.com.au/news/2025/03/15/the-knock-on-effect-nsw-cup-highlights–round-two—jets-v-knights/

Newtown Jets coach George Ndaira’s post-match comments: https://www.facebook.com/newtownrlfc/videos/546289951814511

The NSW Cup competition table after 2 rounds: https://www.nswrl.com.au/ladder/?competition=113&round=2&season=2025

Newtown’s team was:

Fullback: Josh Latham
Wingers: Kristian Dixon, Eli Clark
Centres: Chris Vea’ila, Michael Gabrael
Halves: riley Pollard, Niwhai Puru
Lock: Hohepa Puru
Second-Rowers: Chris Slater-Raptis, Jordan Leiu
Front-Rowers: Lachlan Crouch, Tevita Taumoepenu
Hooker: Jayden Berrell

Interchange:
Brad Fearnley, Jontay-Junior Betham-Misa, Billy Magoulias, Josh Cook

Concussion Sub: Ray Maroun
Blue Shirt Trainer: Tom Haberecht
Yellow Shirt Trainer: Fletcher Graham
Orange Shirt Trainer: Chris Moubarak
Game Day Doctor: Dr Anna-Maria Frangos-Young

Coach: George Ndaira

Newcastle Knights:

Fullback: Fletcher Hunt
Wingers: Logan Aoake, Siteni Taukamo
Centres: Kyle McCarthy, Riley Jones
Halves: Will Pryce, Liam Sutton
Lock: Brock Greacen
Second-Rowers: Cody Hopwood, Callan Burgess
Front-Rowers: Jermaine McEwen, Elijah Salesi-Leaumoana

Hooker: Matt Arthur
Interchange:
Jacob Davis, Paul Bryan, Blake Woodford, Jack Welsh
Concussion Sub: Rory Whitby
Blue Shirt Trainer: Matt Craig

Yellow Shirt Trainer: Wayne Humphrey
Orange Shirt Trainer: Blake Harrington

Game Day Doctor: Dr Chris Lam
Coach: Michael Dobson.

Match Timeline:

First Half: –
Newcastle Knights kicked off, running to the northern end
5th minute: Lachlan Crouch try
Converted by Niwhai Puru. Newtown 6-0
14th minute: Tevita Taumoepenu try
Converted by Niwhai Puru. Newtown 12-0
19th minute: Logan Aoake try
Converted by Will Pryce
Newtown 12-6
26th minute: Brad Fearnley try
Converted by Niwhai Puru. Newtown 18-6
37th minute: Eli Clark (Newtown) and Riley Jones (Newcastle Knights) sin-binned
Half-Time: Newtown led 18-6.

45th minute: Elijah Salesi-Leaumoana try

Converted by Will Pryce. Newtown 18-12
51st minute: Jacob Davis try

Not converted. Newtown 18-16
60th minute: Jack Welsh try
Converted by Will Pryce. Newcastle Knight 22-18
75th minute: Kristian Dixon try
Not converted. 22-all.
79m30s: Niwhai Puru field goal
Newtown 23-22.
Full-Time: Newtown 23 defeated Newcastle Knights 22.

Match Statistics:

Possession: Newtown 49%, Newcastle Knights 51%
Time in possession: Newtown 23.13, Newcastle Knights 23.39
Completions: Newtown 66% (26/39), Newcastle Knights 61%, 22/36
All runs: Newtown 159, Newcastle Knights 165
All run metres: Newtown 1351, Newcastle Knights 1598
Post contact metres: Newtown 480, Newcastle Knights 544
Line breaks: Newtown 5, Newcastle Knights 4
Tackle breaks: Newtown 27, Newcastle Knights 24
Kick return metres: Newtown 117, Newcastle Knights 157
Offloads: Newtown 4, Newcastle Knights 5
Total passes: Newtown 197, Newcastle Knights 195
Dummy passes: Newtown 14, Newcastle Knights 4
Kicks: Newtown 11, Newcastle Knights 18
Kicking metres; Newtown 460, Newcastle Knights 377
Kick defusal: Newtown 60%, Newcastle Knights 50%
Tackles made: Newtown 274, Newcastle Knights 305
Missed tackles: Newtown 24, Newcastle Knights 27
Intercepts: Newtown 0, Newcastle Knights 2
Errors: Newtown 13, Newcastle Knights 13
Penalties conceded: Newtown  4, Newcastle Knights 8
On report: Newtown 1, Newcastle Knights 0
Sin Bins: Newtown 1, Newcastle Knights 1
Interchange: Newtown 8, Newcastle Knights 8

Next match details:

NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup
Round 3
Saturday, 22nd March 2025
Newtown v South Sydney
Sharks Stadium (formerly PointsBet Stadium)
Kick-Off: 12.40pm