No quarter will be given by either the Jets or the Tigers in their 16th Round showdown

Tomorrow’s Intrust Super Premiership NSW match against Wests Tigers could be the last time that Newtown plays the merged club entity, if reports that Western Suburbs are going to re-enter the second-tier level of rugby league in 2018 are correct.

Tomorrow is also the annual occasion that we invite Newtown Jets supporters from far and wide to take a crack at beating the mythical Henson Park crowd figure of 8972. That famous crowd figure was conjured up by the one and only John Lynch on a cold, wet and miserable mid-winter night at Redfern Oval in the 1990’s. As Lynchy says, “that particular attendance figure was definitely not Newtown’s final crowd at Henson Park when the Jets played Balmain on 7^th August 1983. And yet I still meet people who swear blind that 8972 really was the crowd figure recorded on that day!”

Anyway, bring all your family members and friends to Henson Park tomorrow and let’s have another lash at topping that often-quoted crowd figure.

NSWRL Intrust Super Premiership NSW – 16^th Round

Saturday, 24^th June 2017

Henson Park

Newtown (currently in 8^th position on 13 points) v Wests Tigers (currently in 12^th position on 8 points)

Kick-Off: 3.00pm.

Referee: Chris Treneman.

Touch Judges: Darren Burtenshaw and Joseph Eid.

Newtown’s team:

Matt Evans, Edrick Lee, Jordan Topai-Aveai, Jesse Ramien, James Tuitahi, Jason Schirnack, Fa’amanu Brown, Kurt Dillon, Kurt Kara, Jaimin Jolliffe, Khalid Deeb, Jack Williams, Jayden McDonogh.

Bench: Tepatasi Fuiavailili, Jordan Galloway, Saulala Houma, Leigh Higgins.

Coach: Greg Matterson.

Wests Tigers:

Watson Heleta, Ryland Jacobs, Nathan Milone, Veiru Mapesone, Luke Garner, Bayley Sironen, Jack Littlejohn, Junior Tatola, Jack Wheelhouse, Jordan Grant, Jackson Williams, Ashley Nisbet, Darcy Cox.

Bench: Jaleel Seve, Wes Lolo, Pio Sokobalavu, Christian Yassmin.

Coach: David Heath.

The Newtown RLFC and the Mark Hughes Foundation wish to thank everyone who supported our brain cancer fundraiser so generously. We extend special thanks to Café Nulla Nulla in Cronulla for their support. The amount raised for the Mark Hughes Foundation was $1053.

Check out Jets front-rower Saulala Houma on the YouTube Truth Booth. Big Saulala recently attained the milestone of playing 100 games with the Newtown Jets RLFC:  https://youtu.be/sFE_wsbnY-A

Some former Jets players are with teams in the UK that are enjoying good form. Jesse Sene-Lefao is playing with the red-hot Castleford Tigers in the UK Super League, while Junior Roqica is playing with the London Broncos, who are currently having a great run of success in the Kingstone Press Championship.

Congratulations also to 2016 hooker and captain Matt McIlwrick who recently had his contract with Wests Tigers extended. And what about the form of the man who began his senior rugby league career with Newtown back in 2012 and 2013, Dylan Napa, who was one of the best forwards on the field in State of Origin II on Wednesday night?

The Newtown RLFC extends best wishes to centre Jordan Drew who has decided to return to Queensland. Jordan was contracted with the Cronulla Sharks and gained selection with the NSW Intrust Super Premiership representative team in both 2016 and 2017. We thank him for his efforts with the Newtown Jets and we wish him the best of luck for the future.