The 2024 Beer Footy Food Festival was a huge success and Newtown won convincingly against the Parramatta Eels

The Newtown Jets laid on a top-class first half display for the big crowd at the Beer, Footy and Food Festival that was staged at Henson Park on Saturday.

The Jets went on to win this 21st round NSW Cup match by 30-16, but had to withstand a comeback by the Eels in the second half.

Newtown ran up a 22-0 lead in the first half before going in to the half-time break with a 22-6 points advantage over Parramatta.

The Eels made several mistakes early in the game and Newtown capitalised on their favourable field position, with tries scored by Sam Healey and the on-debut winger Kristian Dixon.

The Cronulla prop and Samoan international Royce Hunt had been ruled out of the Sharks away trip to Townsville because of illness, but he made himself available for the Jets late in the week. Hunt played a key role in the lead-up to Newtown’s third try, with Blake Hosking crossing near the posts after Hunt had made ground through the middle.

Trailing 16-0, Parramatta was very much on the back foot and winger Tom Rodwell was sent over for a diving touch-down in the south-eastern corner for Newtown’s fourth try.

Parramatta scored their first try ten minutes before half-time and added another try just six minutes into the second half, putting themselves back into the contest by trailing 22-10.

The Jets had been put under more defensive pressure late in the first half and into the second stanza, as the Eels improved their completion rate and took advantage of the run of penalties.

Newtown increased their lead at this critical stage of the game, when Chris Vea’ila and Sam Healey combined to send Kristian Dixon in for his second try. The lead-up to this try and its execution were outstanding and really had the big Festival Day crowd roaring. Healey’s superb cut-out pass to Dixon was straight out of the Andrew Johns-Ricky Stuart playbook.

Despite trailing by 18 points, the Eels continued to put pressure on the Jets at their end of the field. Parramatta had four sets of possession in a row right on Newtown’s tryline before breaking through for their third try, albeit with only five minutes remaining.

Jets halfback Niwhai Puru had converted four of Newtown’s five tries, and he added a penalty goal to his tally right on full-time for Newtown’s final winning margin of 30-16.

Some of Newtown’s best players had been their younger inclusions, such as winger Kristian Dixon and five-eighth Siteni Taukamo, who had played on the wing in recent games.

Newtown’s forwards had defended well when Parramatta fought back into the game in the second half.

Siteni Taukamo had moved into the five-eighth position with the in-form Khaled Rajab ruled out because of an ankle injury incurred during the Newcastle Knights match.

Big Royce Hunt’s availability late in the week added firepower to Newtown’s middle forwards, and his personal “go-forward” was a real bonus.

With both Liam Ison and Jayden Berrell making their well-deserved NRL debuts against the North Queensland Cowboys, Tyla Tamou was selected at fullback again while Sam Healey and Josh Cook covered the hooking role. Centre Jackson Ferris had been ruled out because of HIA protocols and the capable Jordan Swann had filled that vacancy.

Coach George Ndaira was pleased with Newtown’s improved work-rate and lower incidences of errors, especially in the first half when the Jets ran up a commanding 22-0 lead.

Newtown conceded several penalties in the second half that gave the Eels field position and sufficient impetus to be more of a threat in the second forty-minute period.

Saturday’s victory put Newtown into fourth place on the NSW Cup competition table, with the New Zealand Warriors, Penrith and St George-Illawarra all very close behind.

Newtown’s next NSW Cup match is against the fellow 1908 foundation club South Sydney, with this local derby being played at Henson Park on Saturday, 3rd August at 3.00pm.

Match Details: –
NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup
Round 21
Saturday, 27th July 2024
Henson Park
Newtown v Parramatta

Kick-Off: 3.00pm.

This match was livestreamed on NSWRL TV.

Weather: Mostly sunny, 16 degrees, wind 10kmh.
It had been raining in the morning.

Playing surface: Excellent.

Referee: Martin Jones.
Touch Judges: Dillan Wells and Tom Cambourn.
Referee’s Coordinator: Russell Turner.

Match Result: –
Newtown 30:
Kristian Dixon 2, Sam Healey,
Blake Hosking, Tom Rodwell tries;
Niwhai Puru 4 conversions, 1 penalty goal

defeated
Parramatta 16:
Ethan Sanders 2, Mohamed Alameddine tries;

Ethan Sanders 2 conversions.

Half-Time: Newtown led 22-6.

The teams: –

Newtown:
Fullback: Tyla Tamou
Wingers: Tom Rodwell, Kristian Dixon
Centres: Chris Vea’ila, Jordan Swann

Halves: Siteni Taukamo, Niwhai Puru
Lock: Blake Hosking
Second-Rowers: Kyle Pickering, Billy Burns
Front-Rowers: Rhys Dakin, Royce Hunt
Hooker: Sam Healey

Interchange:
Jordan Leiu, Billy Magoulias, Brad Fearnley, Joshua Cook

Reserve: Salesi Ataata

Coach: George Ndaira.

Parramatta:
Fullback: Zac Cini
Wingers: Mohamed Alameddine, Isaac Lumelume
Centres: Araz Nanva, Matt Doorey
Halves: Joshua Lynn, Ethan Sanders
Lock; Brad Parker
Second-Rowers: Jack Brazel, Domenico De Stradis
Front-Rowers: Ofahiki Ogden, Makahesi Makatoa
Hooker: Matthew Arthur
Interchange:
Meni Luke, Toni Mataele, Saxon Pryke, Reece Alderton
Reserve: Sam Tuivaiti
Coach: Nathan Cayless.

Media Clips: –

Kristian Dixon scored two tries on his NSW Cup debut with Newtown, and he gave this interview after the match:

NSWRL TV Highlights || NSW Cup, Round 21 || Newtown v Parramatta || Henson Park || Saturday, 27th July 2024:

https://www.nswrl.com.au/news/2024/07/28/nswrl-tv-highlights–nsw-cup-jets-v-eels—round-21

The NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup competition table after 21 rounds:

https://www.nswrl.com.au/ladder/?competition=113&round=21&season=2024

Newtown Jets coach George Ndaira’s post-match interview:

https://www.facebook.com/newtownrlfc/videos/873068598016349

Is this Alex Murphy, Barry Muir or Tommy Bishop throwing the long cut-out pass?
No, it’s Newtown’s Sam Healey firing out a magnificent pass to Kristian Dixon who scores:

https://www.facebook.com/newtownrlfc/videos/7932748633486050\

Match Timeline: –

First Half:
Parramatta kicked off to the northern end.

3.45s. Sam Healey try.
Converted by Niwhai Puru. Newtown 6-0.
8.50s. Kristian Dixon try.

Not converted. Newtown 10-0.
17.20s. Blake Hosking try.
Converted by Niwhai Puru. Newtown 16-0.
23.25s. Tom Rodwell try.
Converted by Niwhai Puru. Newtown 22-0.
30.50s. Ethan Sanders try.
Converted by Ethan Sanders, Newtown 22-6.
Half-Time: Newtown led 22-6.
Second Half:
46.30s. Mohamed Alameddine try.
Not converted. Newtown 22-10.
57.25s. Kristian Dixon try.
Converted by Niwhai Puru. Newtown 28-10.
74.30s. On report – Blake Hosking – dangerous tackle.
75.40s. Ethan Sanders try.
76.20s. Converted by Ethan Sanders. Newtown 28-16.
77.40s. Jordan Swann – HIA – cleared.
78.00s. On report – Ofahiki Ogden – dangerous tackle.
79.30s. Penalty goal kicked by Niwhai Puru. Newtown 30-16.
Full-Time: Newtown 30 defeated Parramatta 16.

Match Statistics: –

Newtown (N); Parramatta (P)

Newtown Jets players statistics:
Sam Healey – 28 tackles

Kristian Dixon – most run metres – 184
Tom Rodwell – line breaks – 2.

Possession: N 50%, P 50%

Time in possession: N 23.40s, P 24.20s
Completion rate: N 80%, P 74%
All runs: N 157, P 176
All run metres: N 1349, P 1507
Post-contact metres: N 338, P 437

Line breaks: N 6, P 2
Tackle breaks: N 42, P 35
Average set distance: N 38.6, P 35.2
Kick return metres: N 71, P 147
Average play the ball speed: N 3.74s, P 3.14s
Offloads: N 6, P 11
Receipts: N 350, P 361
Total passes: N 172, P 198
Kicks: N 20, P 16
Kick metres: N 691, P 380
Forced drop-outs: N 1, P 2
Kick defusals: N 60%, P 25%
Bombs: N 4, P 5
Grubbers: N 1, P 3
Effective tackles: N 83%, P 85%
Tackles made: N 284, P 308
Missed tackles: N 35, P 42
Ineffective tackles: N 21, P 9Errors: N 12, P 11
Penalties conceded: N 8, P 4
Ruck infringements: N 1, P 1
Inside the 10 metres: N 2, P 0
On report: N 1, P 1
Interchanges used: N 8, P 7
HIA: N 1 (cleared), P 0.

Next Game Details:
NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup
Round 22
Saturday, 3rd August 2024
Henson Park
Newtown v South Sydney
Kick-Off: 3.00pm.