Newtown goes down [8-12] after 23 minutes of Golden Point extra time
Sunday, 5 October
ANZ Stadium. Homebush
Full team list, photos and player profiles
Pre-match best wishes from around the world
Post-match acknowledgements
Grand Final highlights
The Newtown Jets, playing in the NSW Cup Grand Final in their centenary year, lost 12-8 to Wentworthville (Parramatta's feeder club) in golden point extra time at the ANZ Stadium on Sunday.
The match was a gruelling struggle between two fiercely-committed and well-matched teams, with extra time running some 24 minutes beyond the normal 80 minutes duration of a senior Rugby League match.
The Jets had led 8-4 at halftime and the teams were locked together at 8-all at the end of ordinary time. NSW Rugby League statisticians believe that this match may well have been the longest-ever Rugby League club match in the code's history. The very fact that both teams were still slugging it out after 104 minutes speaks volumes for the players' levels of fitness and resilience.
While Newtown Jets fans would be bitterly disappointed at losing so narrowly in such a tightly-contested title decider, there were some exceptionally courageous performances from Jets players like Mickey Paea, Steve Meredith, Jake Friend, Rory Kostjasyn and their resourceful captain, Sean Rudder.
The Grand Final was televised live on Channel 9 and the Newtown Jets won thousands of new admirers across eastern Australia with their never say die tenacity.
There might have been relatively few flashes of brilliance from either side but this Grand Final is sure to be remembered as an epic in Newtown Rugby League circles.
Match summary
Newtown Jets: 8
2 tries, 0 goals
Wentworthville [Parramatta]: 12
3 tries, 0 goals
Half-time: Newtown led 8-4
The score was 8-all at the end of the second half (80 minutes).
Wentworthville won after 24 minutes of Golden Point extra time had been played.
Weather: Cool, overcast.
Playing surface: Excellent.
Referee: Gerry Sutton
Touch judges: Jason Walsh and Richard Daizli.
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