The Jets and Raiders turned on a thriller, but the final result went against Newtown

Fine weather drew a good crowd to Henson Park last Saturday for the Newtown-Raiders round eleven NSW Cup match. The Jets were determined to make amends for their defeat against Canberra back in round five, and to improve on their disappointing display in their 34-4 loss to St George-Illawarra in Tamworth on the previous Sunday.

In a game that defied the statistical trends, Newtown led 12-6 at halftime on Saturday but were outscored in the second half, with the Canberra Raiders scoring four converted tries to one in the second stanza to win by 30-18. The Raiders scored a runaway try in the 79th minute that blew out the extent of their final winning margin.

It was a fiercely contested match, with neither side leading by more than six points at any stage of the game, until that breakaway try to the young Raiders fullback in the last minute of play. Canberra did not take the lead during this game until the 57th minute, and Newtown did not score another point beyond the 51st minute. The match statistics also showed that Newtown had a surplus of possession in the last twenty minutes but could not make the vital break-through.

The Jets had opened the scoring in the third minute when winger Kristian Dixon made good use of five-eighth Riley Pollard’s well-targeted chip kick to score in the north-eastern corner. Halfback and captain Niwhai Puru converted from wide out for Newtown to take an early 6-0 lead.

The Raiders broke through down Newtown’s right edge defence to equal the scores. Jets hooker Josh Cook went in to score from dummy-half in the 22nd minute, not long after he had been put on report for a dangerous tackle. Puru’s conversion put Newtown in front by 12-6, a lead that the Jets took into the halftime break.

Six minutes into the second half, the Raiders drew level with a converted try to tie the scores up at 12-all. The Jets responded five minutes later when Jayden Berrell, Niwhai Puru and the young fullback Taj Ford combined to send centre Eli Clark across to score, with Puru’s conversion putting Newtown back into the lead at 18-12.

The game changed dramatically within the space of five minutes when the Raiders scored twice down their left attacking side, which along with the two conversions gave Canberra the lead for the first time in the game.

The game’s last fifteen minutes period was notable for the amount of possession that Newtown had, along with the amount of time that the Jets spent inside the Raiders twenty metres zone. There certainly was plenty of gritty defence by the Raiders, but somehow Newtown lacked the decisive attacking edge and execution in attacking plays that might have cracked open the Raiders defensive line.

In the game’s final minute, the lively Raiders fullback stepped through some tiring Newtown defenders and raced 80 metres to score under the northern end goalposts.

Newtown’s best players included Jayden Berrell, Lachlan Crouch (who ran an amazing 147 metres through the midfield), Jontay-Junior Betham-Misa and the team captain Niwhai Puru, who probably missed having his brother Hohepa there with him to join in the scheming. Middle forwards Tuku Hau Tapuha and Max Bradbury also made good metres, up against a much bigger Canberra Raiders pack.

It needs to be noted that there are several Newtown players either up in the Sharks NRL squad or on the injured list who had been key players in the Jets run of victories in the earlier rounds. There clearly was a lack of attacking execution and sharpness that could have made better use of Newtown’s surplus of possession and favourable field position in the game’s last quarter. 

Newtown is now in fifth place on the NSW Cup competition table and this Saturday the Jets take on the much-improved Sydney Roosters, who are just outside of the top five. This 12th round match is being played on Saturday, 24th May at the Industree Group Stadium, Gosford, with the match kicking off at 5.05pm.

The Newtown-Sydney Roosters NSW Cup match is preceded by a Roosters-Sharks Jersey Flegg curtain-raiser, and the Roosters-Cronulla NRL main game kicks off at 7.35pm. 

Match Details:

NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup
Round Eleven
17th May 2025
Henson Park
Newtown v Canberra Raiders
Kick-Off: 3.00pm
This match was livestreamed on BarTV NSWRL

Weather: 20 degrees, sunny, partly cloudy

Playing surface: Excellent

Match Appointments:
Referee: Mitch Currie
Touch Judges: Tom Cambourn and John Woods.

Match result: –
Canberra Raiders 30:
Noah Martin, Trey Mooney, Manaia Waitere,

Adam Cook, Ethan Alaia tries:
Adam Cook 5 conversions
defeated
Newtown 18:
Kristian Dixon, Josh Cook, Eli Clark tries;

Niwhai Puru 3 conversions.
Half-Time: Newtown led 12-6.

Video Material:

Here are the highlights of Saturday’s Newtown v Canberra Raiders NSW Cup match played at Henson Park:
https://x.com/newtownrlfc/status/1923607596403130448

Re the above link:
Kristian Dixon scored in the corner to open Newtown’s account.
Niwhai Puru converted. The Jets led 6-0 after 5 minutes.

This try wasn’t included in the NSWRL highlights clip.

NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup highlights – Newtown v Canberra Raiders:
https://www.nswrl.com.au/news/2025/05/17/the-knock-on-effect-nsw-cup-highlights–round-11—jets-v-raiders/

George Ndaira post-match interview, Saturday, 17th May 2025:
https://www.facebook.com/newtownrlfc/videos/1938422753598537

The NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup competition table after 11 rounds:
https://www.nswrl.com.au/ladder/?competition=113&round=11&season=2025

“Henson Park is a wonderful place.

We may not have got the result on Saturday, but it was great to see our loyal fans out in force at the Eighth Wonder of the World”:
https://www.facebook.com/newtownrlfc/videos/3633305433466059

“No matter the result, home game days at Henson Park always have a special vibe”:
https://www.facebook.com/reel/607237139147222

The Teams were: –
Newtown:
Fullback: Taj Ford
Wingers: Kristian Dixon, Eparama Navale
Centres: Chris Vea’ila, Eli Clark
Halves: Riley Pollard, Niwhai Puru (Captain)
Lock: Lachlan Crouch
Second-Rowers: Kyle Pickering, Blake Hosking
Front-Rowers: Max Bradbury, Tuku Hau Tapuha
Hooker: Josh Cook
Interchange:
Jayden Berrell, Jontay-Junior Betham-Misa
Jordin Leiu, Billy Magoulias
Concussion Substitute: Dylan Coutts
Blue Shirt: Tom Haberechy

Yellow Shirt: Fletcher Graham
Orange Shirt: Chris Moubarak
Coach: George Ndaira.

Canberra Raiders:
Fullback: Ethan Alaia

Wingers: Utuloa Asomua, Jed Stuart
Centres: Chevy Stewart, Manaia Waitere
Halves: Adam Cook (Captain), Ethan Sanders
Lock: Myles Martin
Second-Rowers: Noah Martin, Joe Roddy
Front-Rowers: Pasami Saulo, Trey Mooney
Hooker: Danny Levi
Interchange:
Jesen Taumoepeau, Shaun Packer
Peter Taateo, Jordan Martin
Concussion Substitute: Mitchell Prest
Coach: Chris Lewis.

Match Timeline: –

First Half:
Canberra Raiders kicked off, running to the Sydenham Road end.

3rd minute: Kristian Dixon try
Converted by Niwhai Puru. Newtown 6-0.
13th minute: Noah Martin try.
Converted by Adam Cook. 6-all.

16th minute: Josh Cook on report, dangerous tackle.
22nd minute: Josh Cook try.

Converted by Niwhai Puru. Newtown 12-6.
Half-Time: Newtown 12-6.
Second Half:
46th minute: Trey Mooney try.
Converted by Adam Cook. 12-all.
51st minute: Eli Clark try.

Converted by Niwhai Puru. Newtown 18-12.
54th minute: Jontay-Junior Betham-Misa on report, dangerous tackle.
55th minute: Manaia Waitere try.

Converted by Adam Cook. 18-all.
57th minute: Adam Cook try.

Converted by Adam Cook. Raiders 24-18.
65th minute: Max Bradbury on report, dangerous tackle.
79th minute: Ethan Alaia try.
Converted by Adam Cook. Raiders 30-18.
Full-Time: Canberra Raiders 30 defeated Newtown 18.
# The Raiders did not lead in this game until the 57th minute.
# Neither side had led by more than six points until the 79th minute.

# Newtown did not score another point after the 51st minute.

Match Statistics: –
Newtown player statistics:

Most tackles: Kyle Pickering: 28
Most metres run: Lachlan Crouch: 147
Most line breaks: Eli Clark: 1
Team statistics:

(Abbreviations: N for Newtown, R for Canberra Raiders.)
Time in possession: N 28m, R 19m
Completion rate: N 85%, R 70%
All runs: N 185, R 147
Metres run: N 1462, R !327
Post contact metres: N 511, R 379
Line breaks: N 2, R 5
Tackle breaks: N 18, R 36
Average set distance: N 36.5m, R 32.5m
Kick return metres: N 89, R 132
Average play the ball speed: N 3.6s, R 3.7s
Passes offloaded: N 10, R 12
Receipts: N 441, R 284
Total passes: N 254, R 139
Dummy passes: N 9, R 8
Kicks: N 22, R 15
Kicking metres: N 528, R 417
Effective tackles: N 82, R 91
Tackles made: N 223, R 332

Missed tackles: N 36, R 18
Errors: N 6, R 15
Penalties conceded: N 9, R 7
On report: N 3, R 0
Interchanges: N 8, R 7.

Newtown’s next match details:
NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup
Round Twelve
Saturday, 24th May 2025
Industree Group Stadium, Gosford
Sydney Roosters (8th place) v Newtown (5th place)
Kick-Off: 5.05pm.
This match will be livestreamed on BarTV NSWRL
It is also the curtain-raiser to the NRL fixture between the Sydney Roosters and Cronulla Sharks at 7.35pm.