The Jets narrowly beaten in hard-fought tussle with the top of the table Warriors

The Newtown Jets kept the NSW Cup competition leaders, the New Zealand Warriors, scoreless in the second half in what was a spirited performance by the Jets

The Warriors won 22-16 after leading 22-12 at half-time. The Wahs had scored four tries to two in the first half, with three of their tries being scored within a twelve-minute period.

The Jets were first on the board when lock forward Hohepa Puru cleverly sliced through the Warriors defence to score in the fourth minute to the right of the northern end posts. The Wahs opened up a 16-6 lead and Newtown looked to be in danger of letting the game get away from them.

A try to backrower Blake Hosking and a second conversion by Niwhai Puru put the Jets back into the game, trailing by 16-12. In a similar fashion to the previous week’s game against Western Suburbs, a heart-breaking try to the Warriors in the last minute of the first half enabled the men from across the Tasman to take a 22-12 lead into the half-time break.

The crowd roared their support for Newtown as the Jets returned to the field for the second half, with their supporters being mindful of Newtown’s comebacks from being behind at half-time in three earlier games this season, these being against the Knights and Canterbury at Henson Park and against the Warriors in Auckland.

The Jets began the second half on fire when front-rower Lachlan Crouch stormed across under the southern end goal posts, only for the try to be disallowed for a shepherding offence.

Newtown then spent a lot of the game’s third quarter defending gamely at their own end of the field, as well as fielding several high kicks. The Jets winger Eparama Navale did well to catch three high kicks put up to him while under on-rushing defensive pressure, as well as having the afternoon sun in his eyes.

The final twenty minutes saw the Jets applying the pressure at the Warriors end, as they desperately tried to run down the Wahs ten points lead. Newtown centre Michael Gabrael was back in action again after a leg injury and he went close to scoring on two occasions in the final twenty minutes, once being held up over the tryline and another being tackled centimetres short of scoring.

Both the Jets wingers, Kristian Dixon and Eparama Navale, went close to scoring in the final ten minutes but the touch judges on both sides of the field denied Newtown the tries. Three minutes out from the final siren, five-eighth Riley Pollard made good ground up the left side and linked with Jayden Berrell, whose well-directed grubber kick was smartly grounded in the in-goal by Niwhai Puru. The try wasn’t converted and Newtown trailed 22-16 with just on two minutes to play.

The Jets threw all they could into those final seconds but the Warriors defended their lead in what had been an absorbing and tense second half. The Jets had either been across the tryline or were desperately close to scoring on five occasions in the game’s final quarter, but the Wahs held on for their (club record setting) eighth win a row, as well as 12 wins out of 13 games played in 2025.

Newtown’s best forwards had been Jayden Berrell, Lachlan Crouch, Jordin Leiu, Brad Fearnley and Blake Hosking, with hard-working Kyle Pickering topping the tackle count. The Jets backs had to work hard to contain their bigger opponents in the second half, and there were occasions when they couldn’t quite apply the final execution needed to finish off several try-scoring chances.

Coach George Ndaira paid tribute to Newtown’s courageous second half in what had been a fiercely-contested match.

Newtown has a bye in Round 15 of the NSW Cup (14th/15th June 2025).

Newtown’s next game is:

NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup
Round 16
Sunday, 22nd June 2025
North Sydney Oval
North Sydney v Newtown
Kick-Off: 3.00pm.
This match will be livestreamed on BarTV NSWRL.

Match Details:
NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup
Round 14
Saturday, 7th June 2025

Henson Park

Newtown v New Zealand Warriors

Kick-Off: 3.00pm.

This match was livestreamed on BarTV NSWRL.

Weather: Sunny, 17 degrees, cold wind.

Playing surface: Excellent.

Match Officials for Saturday, 7th June 2025:
Referee: Damian Brady
Touch Judges: William Greatbatch, Patrick Mackey

Match Result:

New Zealand Warriors 22:
Moala Graham-Taufa, Kayliss Fatialofa,
Eddie Ieremia-Toeava, Luke Hanson tries;

Tanah Boyd 3 conversions

defeated
Newtown 16:
Hohepa Puru, Blake Hosking, Niwhai Puru tries;
Niwhai Puru 2 conversions.
Half-Time: New Zealand Warriors led by 22-12.

The teams:
Newtown:
Fullback: Taj Ford

Wingers: Kristian Dixon, Eparama Navale
Centres: Eli Clark, Michael Gabrael

Halves: Riley Pollard, Niwhai Puru
Lock: Hohepa Puru
Second-Rowers: Kyle Pickering, Blake Hosking
Front-Rowers: Tuku Hau Tapuha, Max Bradbury
Hooker: Jayden Berrell (Captain)

Interchange:

Lachlan Crouch, Jordin Leiu

Jontay-Junior Betham-Misa, Brad Fearnley
Concussion Substitute: Josh Cook

Blue Shirt Trainer: Tom Haberecht
Yellow Shirt Trainer: Craig Tredinnick

Gold Shirt Trainer: Chris Moubarak

Game Day Doctor: Anna Maria Frangos-Young

Head Coach: George Ndaira.

New Zealand Warriors:
Fullback: Geronimo Doyle

Wingers: Morgan Harper, Edward Kosi
Centres: Ali Leiataua, Moala Graham-Taufa
Halves: Luke Hanson, Tanah Boyd
Lock: Kalani Going
Second-Rowers: Kayliss Fatialofa, Eddie Ieremia-Toeava
Front-Rowers: Tom Ale, Bunty Afoa
Hooker: Freddy Lussick
Interchange:
Jason Seu Saiaililo, Tony Crosby
Setu Tu, Jacob Auloa
Concussion Substitute: Daeon Amituanai
Blue Shirt Trainer: Patrick Gibson
Yellow Shirt Trainer: Jordan Papa
Gold Shirt Trainer: Dillon Lai
Game Day Doctor: Ben Soole
Head Coach: David Tangata-Toa
Game Day Doctor: Ben Soole

Head Coach: David Tangata-Toa

Video Clips:

Match Highlights || NSW Cup, Round 14 || Newtown v New Zealand Warriors || Henson Park, Saturday, 7th June 2025:

https://www.facebook.com/KnockOnEffectCup/videos/9991623277595695

The Newtown Jets are still in the NSW Cup top five after 14 rounds:

https://www.nswrl.com.au/ladder/?competition=113&round=14&season=2025

George Ndaira’s post-match comments:
https://www.facebook.com/newtownrlfc/videos/725801463462880

Match Timeline:
First Half:
Newtown kicked off, running to the northern end.
5th minute: Hohepa Puru try.
Converted by Niwhai Puru. Newtown 6-0.
11th minute: Moala Graham-Taufa try

Converted by Tanah Boyd. 6-all.
16th minute: Kayliss Fatialofa try.
Not converted. New Zealand Warriors 10-6.
23rd minute: Eddie Ieremia-Toeava try.

Converted by Tanah Boyd. New Zealand Warriors 16-6.
33rd minute: Blake Hosking try.
Converted by Niwhai Puru. New Zealand Warriors 16-12
39th minute: Luke Hanson try

Converted by Tanah Boyd. New Zealand Warriors 22-12.
Half-Time: New Zealand Warriors led by 22-12.

Second Half:
New Zealand Warriors kicked off, running to the northern end.
76th minute: Niwhai Puru try.
Not converted. New Zealand Warriors 22-16.
Full-Time: New Zealand Warriors 22 defeated Newtown 16.

Match Statistics:

Newtown Players Statistics:
Most tackles – Kyle Pickering – 44
Most metres run – Blake Hosking – 138
Most line breaks – Riley Pollard – 1.
Team Statistics:
(Newtown N; New Zealand Warriors W)
Possession: N 49%, W 51%
Time in possession: N 25.30s, W 27.30s
Completion Rate: N 76%, 32/42; W 76%, 30/39
Runs with the ball: N 198, W 171
Metres run: N 1517, W 1472
Post-contact metres: N 543, W 574
Line breaks: N 3, W 3
Tackle breaks: N 20, W 41
Kick return metres: N 78, W 103
Average play the ball speed: N 3.3s; W 3.46s
Passes offloaded: N 7, W 5

Total passes: N 237, W 208

Kicks: N 15, W 17
Kicking metres: N 438, W 396
Forced dropouts: N 1, W 1
Kick defusal; N 86%, W 100%
Bombs: N 3, W 5

Grubbers: N 4, W 4
Tackles made: N 341, W 339
Missed tackles: N 41, W 20
Errors: N 11, W 11
Penalties conceded: N 7, W 10
Ruck infringements: N 2, W 3

Inside the 10 metres: N 1, W 2

On report: N 1, W 0

Interchanges: N 8, W 7.