Newtown Jets overcome adversity in winning their Round 1 NSW Cup match against the Penrith Panthers

The defending 2024 NSW Cup premiers, Newtown Jets, made an impressive start to their 2025 competition campaign with a 26-12 win against the Penrith Panthers.

This match was played at the home ground of the Penrith Brothers JRLFC because of the major redevelopment program being undertaken at Penrith Park.

Newtown went into this match with late changes to their team that had been announced on Tuesday afternoon – hooker Jayden Berrell and lock Hohepa Puru were both ruled as being unavailable, having contracted Covid during their trip to Las Vegas as members of the Cronulla Sharks NRL squad. Onfield disruptions to the Jets included a serious knee injury to the mercurial fullback Liam Ison, head injury assessments to five-eighth Khaled Rajab and centre Chris Vea’ila, as well as a hand injury to hooker Josh Cook.

The Panthers received penalties early in the game and put pressure on Newtown’s line. Liam Ison’s injury saw the experienced Mawene Hiroti moved from the centres to fullback. Penrith laid on some of their club’s renowned punishing defence, which saw Jets forward Jordin Leiu on the receiving end of an absolute “bell-ringer” of a tackle about twenty minutes into the first half. Leiu was quickly back in action, which would have been an inspiration to his team-mates.

The Jets broke away down Penrith’s right-side defence, and the new signing and winger Eli Clark (ex-Canterbury) combined with Niwhai Puru for the halfback to score in the corner.

Penrith responded with a converted try but repeat penalties put Newtown on the attack inside the Panthers 20 metres zone. Good ball carries by Billy Magoulias and Billy Burns took the Jets close to the Penrith line, where Brad Fearnley showed fierce determination to crash through the Penrith defence to score under the posts in the 32nd minute. Puru’s conversion gave Newtown a 10-6 lead. The Newtown halfback attempted a penalty goal from wide out right on halftime, but the ball struck an upright and bounced away.

Newtown resumed their attack early in the second half but a dropped ball saw Penrith sweep upfield for about 70 metres. The hard-running Penrith centre scored his second try and the subsequent conversion gave the Panthers a 12-10 lead, the second time that the Mountain Men had hit the front in what was proving to be an enthralling contest.

The Panthers launched another all-out attack and seemed likely to score, but the Jets fullback Mawene Hiroti turned on a superb try-saving tackle, grounding the Penrith ball-carrier in the corner and forcing him to lose the ball. An overwrought Penrith player incurred the referee’s displeasure with some ill-considered comments, and Newtown took full advantage of the penalty by moving the ball downfield, ending in the Jets winger Kristian Dixon bounding over in the north-east corner. Puru, Hiroti and centre Chris Vea’ila had all been involved in the lead-up to this well-constructed try.

Newtown now led 14-12, with the Bar TV match commentator observing that this Jets-Panthers showdown was certainly providing an excellent start to the NSW Cup season.

Barely three minutes after having retaken the lead, the Jets turned on some clever ball-play, with the hard-running prop Jontay-Junior Betham-Misa combining with the interchange player Riley Pollard and Khaled Rajab for Puru to be sent sprinting in to score under the northern end goalposts. Puru’s conversion extended Newtown’s lead to 20-12.

The Panthers once again challenged at Newtown’s end and only desperate defence by the Jets prevented another Penrith try. Newtown punished an error by Penrith at their own end of the field, with Riley Pollard showing some top-class dummy half play and then delivering a flat pass for the Jets captain Billy Burns to burst through the best efforts of two Penrith defenders. Puru’s conversion put Newtown into what was now a strong position with a 26-12 lead.

Penrith attacked at Newtown’s end in the last ten minutes but the Jets defence held solid. Newtown’s lower error rate, clever ball-play and determined defence that had restricted Penrith to two tries were all important factors in this win. Hiroti (probably the best player on the ground), Rajab and Puru were the best of Newtown’s capable backline, with Fearnley, Burns, Betham-Misa (a relative of the former Kiwi international Monty Betham), Leiu and Pollard were the best of the forwards, on a day when Newtown’s overall team performance enabled the Jets to prevail.

The Jets are at home at Henson Park in Round 2 of the 2025 NSW Cup. Newtown takes on the Newcastle Knights at 3.00pm on Saturday, 15th March, with the Jersey Flegg curtain-raiser between the Cronulla Sharks and the Newcastle Knights getting underway at 12.50pm.

Match Details:

NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup
Round One
Saturday, 8th March 2025
Parker Street Reserve, Penrith
Penrith v Newtown
The two clubs were competing for the Ken Wilson-Ray Blacklock Cup
Kick-Off: 2.00pm.

Weather: Grey skies, 25 degrees, light breeze, light rain in the second half
Playing surface: Excellent.

Referee: Jake Sutherland

Touch Judges: Tom Stindl, Dillan Wells

Newtown’s team was:

Fullback: Liam Ison
Wingers: Kristian Dixon, Eli Clark

Centres: Chris Vea’ila, Mawene Hiroti
Halves: Khaled Rajab, Niwhai Puru
Lock: Jordin Leiu
Second-Rowers: Kyle Pickering, Billy Burns (Captain)
Front-Rowers: Lachlan Crouch, Tuku Hau Tapuha
Hooker: Josh Cook

Interchange: Billy Magoulias, Jontay-Junior Betham-Misa, Brad Fearneley, Riley Pollard

Concussion Sub: Tevita Taumoepenu
Reserve: Te Wehi Waitere
Blue shirt trainer: Tom Haberecht
Yellow shirt trainer: Fletcher Graham
Orange shirt trainer: Chris Moubarak
Coach: George Ndaira.

Penrith’s team was:

Fullback; Sione Fonua
Wingers: Jesse McLean, Asu Kepaoa

Centres: Tom Jenkins, David Fale

Halves: Blaize Talagi, Brad Schneider
Lock: Niko Apelu
Second-Rowers: Mavrik Geyer, Harrison Hassett
Front-Rowers: Preston Riki, Luron Patea
Hooker: Luke Sommerton
Interchange: Billy Scott, Billy Phillips, Riley Wake, Zac Lipowicz
Concussion Sub: Zach Lamont
Blue shirt trainer: Joe McNicholas
Yellow shirt trainer: Shadi Dahdal
Orange shirt trainer: Kevin McKinlay
Game Day Doctor: Dr. Mark Mousaad
Coach: Ben Harden.


Match Result:

Newtown 26:
Niwhai Puru 2, Brad Fearnley,

Kristian Dixon, Billy Burns tries;

Niwhai Puru 3 conversions
defeated
Penrith 12:
Thomas Jenkins 2 tries;

Brad Schneider 2 conversions>

Half-Time: Newtown led 10-6.


Match Timeline:

Newtown kicked off, running to the southern end of the ground
3rd minute: Khaled Rajab HIA
8th minute: Liam Ison injured and left the field

Mawene Hiroti moved back to fullback in Liam Ison’s absence.
18th minute: Khaled Rajab HIA cleared.
19th minute: Niwhai Puru try.
Not converted. Newtown 4-0.
24th minute: Thomas Jenkins (Penrith) try
Converted by Brad Schneider. Penrith 6-4.
32nd minute: Brad Fearnley try.
Converted by Niwhai Puru. Newtown 10-6.
40th minute: Niwhai Puru penalty goal attempt from wide out hits an upright and bounces away.
Halftime: Newtown led 10-6.
43rd minute: Thomas Jenkins (Penrith) try.
Converted by Brad Schneider. Penrith 12-10.
48th minute: Kristian Dixon try.

Not converted. Newtown 14-12.
50th minute: Niwhai Puru try.
Converted by Niwhai Puru. Newtown 20-12.
59th minute: Billy Burns try.
Converted by Niwhai Puru. Newtown 26-12.
71st minute: Chris Veaíla HIA.
Fulltime: Newtown wins 26-12.

Match Statistics:

Possession: Newtown 57%, Penrith 43%
Time in possession: Newtown 27m36s v Penrith 21m17s
Completions: Newtown 84% (32/38) v Penrith 64% (22/34)
Errors: Penrith 16 v Newtown 8
Penalties: 7-all.
All runs: Newtown 179 v Penrith 154
Run metres: Newtown 1811 v Penrith 1611
Tackles: Penrith 383 v Newtown 288
Missed tackles: Penrith 18 v Newtown 24

Line breaks: 5-all.

Interchange: 8 each.

HIA: Newtown 3, Penrith 2.

Video clips:

Niwhai Puru’s first try (Penrith v Newtown, 8th March 2025):

https://www.facebook.com/john.trad.391/videos/1154894986418087

Newtown’s team captain Billy Burns scores the Jets final try for the afternoon (Penrith v Newtown, 8th March 2025):
https://www.facebook.com/reel/639803911758141

Post-match interview with the Newtown Jets coach George Ndaira, Saturday, 8th March 2025:
https://www.facebook.com/newtownrlfc/videos/1321772765746492

NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup – Round One Highlights – Penrith Panthers v Newtown Jets:
https://www.nswrl.com.au/news/2025/03/08/the-knock-on-effect-nsw-cup-highlights–round-one—panthers-v-jets/

Here’s a promotional video for Newtown’s first home game at Henson Park for the 2025 season:
https://www.facebook.com/newtownrlfc/videos/1185782502926195

More news from the Inner West Council about Henson Park
https://www.facebook.com/innerwestcouncil/videos/653051790577436

Newtown’s next game details:
NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup
Round 2
Saturday, 15th March 2025
Henson Park
Newtown v Newcastle Knights
Kick-Off: 3.00pm.
(Curtain-Raiser: Jersey Flegg Cup: Cronulla Sharks v Newcastle Knights at 12.50pm).