Schofield King’s Throwback Thursday: Jets get Lucky Against Bears

Seeing as 2021 marks 40 years since our club’s remarkable charge to the 1981 NSWRFL Grand Final, this year Schofield King’s Throwback Thursday will focus exclusively on that season.

Each week we’ll revisit the fixture from the corresponding round in a series of articles that we hope will take our long-time fans on a fun journey down memory lane, while also educating our newer fans on our club’s illustrious history.

ROUND 21

A highly lopsided penalty count proved vital at North Sydney Oval, as the Jets moved into equal second spot on the ladder following a 14-10 win over the Bears.

Both sides were poor, but the Jets managed to stumble over the line thanks to referee Kevin Roberts who caned the Bears 20-7 in the penalty count.

“That’s one of our lowest performances of the year,” Jets coach Warren Ryan said after the game.

“But I’d rather have a slump and still win two weeks before the semi-finals.”

Norths centre Simon Brockwell scored the opening try of the match in the 12th minute, but the Jets struck back 11 minutes later through Ray Blacklock, who who scooted over from dummy-half.

Keith Harris’ 33rd-minute try gave Norths an 8-7 lead at halftime, but the Jets took an 11-8 lead in the 48th minute courtesy of penalty goals to Phil Gould and Paul Morris.

Norths hooker John Gray made it a one-point ball game with a penalty goal in the 66th minute, but Shane McKellar managed to seal it for the Jets when he crashed over in the dying embers of the match.

To add to the bittersweet feeling of the match, Phil Sigsworth and Phil Gould failed to complete the game after sustaining injuries.

Newtown 14 (R.Blacklock, S.McKellar tries; P.Morris 3, P.Gould goals) def. North Sydney (S.Brockwell, K.Harris tries; J.Gray 2 goals)

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