Newtown Jets turn on a lacklustre performance in shock loss to Western Suburbs

The Newtown Jets laid on a disappointing performance in losing 32-22 to the 12th placed Western Suburbs at Henson Park last Saturday, in the 13th round of the NSW Cup competition.

Following the previous week’s 54-0 demolition of the Sydney Roosters, Newtown looked to be a completely different team when they trailed Wests by 20-6 at halftime, and then by 32-6 with twenty minutes of the game remaining.

Jets coach George Ndaira said that the team had prepared well coming into this match, and it was the Jets’ poor defence and lack of discipline in the first sixty minutes that had put the game beyond reach.

There were some points of comparison between this defeat and the 28-18 loss to Parramatta back on the 3rd May. In both games, Newtown gave away a large lead and then scored several tries late in the match to give their supporters some hope of an unlikely comeback victory.

The Magpies scored early in the match and then opened up a 12-0 lead midway through the first half. Newtown’s hooker Jayden Berrell directed a well-placed grubber kick into the Magpies’ in-goal which winger Eparama Navale touched down, with Niwhai Puru’s conversion bringing the Jets back into the game by trailing 12-6.

Wests swung the direction of the game very much in their favour with a penalty goal and then a converted try right on half-time, followed by another converted try just four minutes into the second half. When the Magpies scored again midway through the second half, they had run up what was almost certainly an impregnable 32-6 lead.

Newtown did stage a late points-scoring surge, featuring tries to fullback Taj Ford, halfback Niwhai Puru and backrower Blake Hosking along with two conversions, but trailing 32-22 with less than ten minutes remaining proved to be a points deficit too difficult to run down.

Jayden Berrell was once again one of Newtown’s best players, along with the forwards Lachlan Crouch and Tuku Hau Tapuha. Hohepa and Niwhai Puru were both prominent in Newtown’s late points scoring rush.

Despite the loss on Saturday, the Jets have retained the Tom Raudonikis Cup for 2025 by way of a favourable (albeit narrow) points for and against margin, calculated over the two competition games.  

The Newtown Jets face tough opposition this Saturday, 7th June at Henson Park, when they confront the current NSW Cup competition leaders the New Zealand Warriors, with this 14th round fixture kicking off at 3.00pm.

Last Saturday’s Match Details:

NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup
Round 13
Saturday, 31st May 2025

Henson Park
Newtown v Western Suburbs
Kick-Off: 3.00pm.

This match was the decider for the 2025 Tom Raudonikis Cup series.
It was livestreamed on BarTV NSWRL.

Weather: Sunny, slightly cloudy, 19 degrees.
Playing surface: Excellent.

Referee: Dillan Wells

Touch Judges: Brad Kiehne, Charlie Suters

Match Result:

Western Suburbs 32:
Izaac Tu’itupou, Tallyn Da Silva,

Solomona Faataape, Luke Laulilii,

Krystian Mapapalangi tries;

Kurt Falls 5 conversions, 1 penalty goal
defeated
Newtown 22:
Eparama Navale, Taj Ford,

Niwhai Puru, Blake Hosking tries;

Niwhai Puru 3 conversions.

Half-Time: Western Suburbs 20 led Newtown 6.

The teams were:

Newtown:
Fullback: Taj Ford
Wingers: Kristian Dixon, Eparama Navale

Centres: Chris Vea’ila, Eli Clark
Halves: Riley Pollard, Niwhai Puru
Lock: Blake Hosking
Second-Rowers: Kyle Pickering, Dylan Coutts

Front-Rowers: Lachlan Crouch, Tuku Hau Tapuha
Hooker: Hohepa Puru
Interchange:
Jayden Berrell, Max Bradbury
Jordin Leiu, Brad Fearnley
Concussion Substitute: Felix Faatili

Blue Shirt Trainer: Tom Haberecht
Yellow Shirt Trainer: Fletcher Graham

Gold Shirt Trainer: Chris Moubarak

Game Day Doctor: Anna Maria Frangos Young

Head Coach: George Ndaira.

Western Suburbs:
Fullback: Luke Laulilii
Wingers: Alex Lobb, Izaac Tu’itupou

Centres: Solomona Faataape, Josh Feledy
Halves: Krystian Mapapalangi, Kurt Falls
Lock: Kit Laulilii

Second-Rowers: Luke Jack, Elie El-Zakhem
Front-Rowers: Jaxson Rahme, Reuben Porter
Hooker: Tallyn Da Silva
Interchange:
Jayden Tanner, Noah Johannssen
Peter Taateo, Justin Matamua
Concussion Substitute: Jirah Momoisea
Blue Shirt Trainer: Nathan Lakeman
Yellow Shirt Trainer: Mark Mamo
Orange Shirt Trainer: Jay McGuinness

Game Day Doctor: Lloyd D’Costa

Head Coach: Aaron Payne.

Video Clips:

The NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup || Highlights || Round 13|| Newtown Jets v Western Suburbs Magpies || Henson Park || Saturday, 31st May 2025:
https://www.nswrl.com.au/news/2025/05/31/the-knock-on-effect-nsw-cup-highlights–round-13—jets-v-magpies/

Newtown coach George Ndaira’s post-match analysis after the Newtown Jets versus the Western Suburbs Magpies match:
https://x.com/newtownrlfc/status/1929083192381943920

The NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup competition table after 13 rounds:
https://www.nswrl.com.au/ladder/?competition=113&round=13&season=2025

Match Timeline:

First half:
Newtown kicked off, running to the northern end of Henson Park.
3rd minute: Newtown knocks on a high kick 20 metres out from the Jets tryline.
4th minute: Izaac Tu’itupou try.

Converted by Kurt Falls. Wests 6-0.
18th minute: Tallyn Da Silva try
Converted by Kurt Falls. Wests 12-0.
33rd minute: Eparama Navale try
Converted by Niwhai Puru. Wests 12-6.
37th minute: Penalty goal by Kurt Falls. Wests 14-6.
39th minute: Solomona Faataape try.
Kurt Falls conversion. Wests 20-6.
Half-Time: Western Suburbs 20 led Newtown 6.
Second half:
Newtown received the kick-off, running to the Sydenham Road end of the ground.

44th minute: Luke Laulilii try.
Kurt Falls conversion. Wests 26-6.
60th minute: Krystian Mapapalangi try.

Kurt Falls conversion. Wests 32-6.
63rd minute: Taj Ford try.

Niwhai Puru conversion. Wests 32-12.
65th minute: Niwhai Puru try.
Niwhai Puru conversion. Wests 32-18.
71st minute: Blale Hosking try.
Not converted. Wests 32-22.

Full-Time: Western Suburbs 32 defeated Newtown 22.
Newtown retained the Tom Raudonikis Cup for 2025 on the basis of points for and against calculated over two games.

(Newtown defeated Wests 18-6 in Round 8; Wests defeated Newtown 32-22 in Round 13).

Match Statistics:

Newtown Player Statistics:
Most tackles – Hohepa Puru – 37

Most metres run – Blake Hosking – 147
Most line breaks – Taj Ford – 2.

Team Statistics:
(Newtown – N; Wests – W)

Possession: N 47%, W 53%
Time in possession: N 25m, W 27.40s
Completion rate: N 80%, 29/36; W 79%, 31/39
All runs: N 169, W 184

Total metres run: N 1508, W 1564
Post contact metres: N 516, W 468
Line breaks: N 5, W 6
Tackle breaks: N 16, W 42
Average set distance: N 42m, W 40m
Kick return metres: N 164, W 124
Average play the ball speed: N 3.3s, W 3.4s
Offloads: N 9, W 9

Receipts: N 369, W 385
Total passes: N 202, W 202
Dummy passes: N 45, W 30
Kicks: N 19, W 17
Kicking metres: N 538, W 492
Forced drop outs: N 0, W 1

Kick defusal: N 67%, W 57%
Bombs: N 2, W 3
Grubbers: N 5, W 1

Effective tackles: N 86%, W 89.5%
Tackles made: N 356, W 273
Missed tackles: N 42, W 16
Intercepts: N 0, W 1
Ineffective tackles: N 15, W 16
Errors: N 10, W 12
Penalties conceded: N 6, W 2
Ruck infringements: N 1, W 2
Inside 10 metres: N 0, W 1
On report: N 1, W 0

Interchanges: N 8, W 8.