Newtown Jets well beaten by the Canterbury Bulldogs in the final NSW Cup trial match

In what was the final NSW Cup trial match for 2025, played at Henson Park Saturday evening (22nd February), the Newtown Jets were decisively defeated 44-16 by Canterbury-Bankstown.

The match was played in sunny conditions with a strong breeze blowing. Two forty minutes halves were played along with the usual rules for goal kicking.

The Bulldogs led 24-10 at halftime, with the wingers Te Wehi Waitere and Kristian Dixon scoring Newtown’s tries. Dixon had a try disallowed early in the game and it was noted how very rarely this talented player misses a scoring chance.

Newtown scored early in the second half and it could be said that this was one of the best tries scored in the entire match. Front-rower Felix Faatili broke through the Bulldogs defensive line and sprinted like a centre three-quarter, before off-loading a perfect pass to halfback Taj Ford who scored under the posts at the northern end.

Canterbury had the better of the last twenty minutes of the game, punishing Newtown for any turnovers in possession and defensive lapses by running in four more tries for the final winning margin of 44-16.

Newtown’s coach George Ndaira noted in his post-match remarks that the Jets had used a lot of players in this second trial game, 25 in all. This meant there were virtually two different teams on the field spread over two halves, with some inevitable lack of cohesion between the players. Some were having their first game with the Newtown Jets club in the second-tier level NSW Cup. While there were some disappointing aspects with the team’s overall performance, it had been a good opportunity for young players to be blooded at the NSW Cup level, and to experience full-on reserve grade conditions with team-mates they had not played with before.

The General Manager of Football at the Canterbury-Bankstown club, Phil Gould, made the point on the English Rugby League website Serious About Rugby League that the Bulldogs had used several NRL level players in the NSW Cup trial against Newtown, in order to ensure that some of the bigger Bulldogs forwards could have longer playing minutes in the final weekend of trial games.

Jets coach George Ndaira further observed that there would be some players moving back to the NSW Cup level from the Cronulla NRL squad once the Sharks have returned from their first round NRL competition match against Penrith in Las Vegas.

NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup

Official Trial Match
Newtown v Canterbury-Bankstown
Henson Park
Saturday, 22nd February 2025
Kick-Off: 6.00pm.

Result of today’s curtain-raiser:
NSWRL Jersey Flegg Cup trial
Cronulla Sharks and Canterbury Bulldogs drew 22-all.

Playing surface: Excellent.

Weather: Sunny, 25 degrees, strong breeze.

Referee: Kieren Irons

Touch Judges: Tom Cambourn, Charlie Suters.

Full-Time:
Canterbury-Bankstown 44:
9 tries, 4 goals

defeated
Newtown 16:
Te Wehi Waitere, Kristian Dixon, Taj Ford tries;

Eli Clark 2 conversions.

Half-Time:
Canterbury-Bankstown 24:
5 tries, 2 conversions

led
Newtown 10:
Te Wehi Waitere, Kristian Dixon tries;

Eli Clark 1 conversion.

Newtown’s team:
Fullback: Josh Latham
Wingers: Kristian Dixon, Te Wehi Waitere
Centres: Joe Nadenic, Eli Clark
Halves: Khaled Rajab, Cody Fuz
Lock: Billy Magoulias
Second-Rowers: Meli Nasau, Jordin Leiu

Front-Rowers: Lachlan Crouch, Brad Fearnley
Hooker: Josh Cook.

Bench:
Jontay-Junior Betham-Misa
Ray Maroun
Tevita Taumoepenu

Felix Faatili
Riley Pollard
Eparama Navale
Sam McCulloch
Dylan Coutts
Jack Gunton

Taj Ford
Tyrell Lafituanai
Pharrell Gray.

Coach: George Ndaira.

Canterbury-Bankstown’s team:
Fullback: Taye Cochrane
Wingers: Jordi Mazzone, Will Afualo

Centres: Trentham Peterson, Danny Gabrael
Halves: Ragarive Wavik, Drew Hutchison
Lock: Jack Todd
Second-Rowers: Alek Jones, Logan Spinks

Front-Rowers: Daniel Suluka-Fifita, Zyon Maiu’u
Hooker: Reuben Moyle.

Bench:
Taniela Otukolo
Jack Underhill
Lipoi Hopoi

Tom Amone
Louis Grossemy
Oskar Bryant
Larry Muagututia
Mac Puafisi

Coach: Mick Potter.

Newtown’s next match:

NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW cup
Round 1
Saturday, 8th March 2025
Penrith v Newtown
Kick-Off: 2.00pm.
Venue: Parker Street Reserve, Penrith.