The Jets put an end to the NZ Warriors unbeaten run

In what was a NSW Cup top of the table encounter, the Newtown Jets ended the New Zealand Warriors undefeated run in 2025 by winning 28-20, after having trailed by 10-6 at halftime.

The match was played at the impressive Trusts Arena sports and entertainment complex in Henderson in west Auckland. Despite this loss to the Jets, the Warriors remain in first place on the NSW Cup competition table with a better points for and against differential.

Newtown travelled to Auckland with a less than full strength team, and had to cope with the disruption of three head injury assessments and a sin-binning during the course of the match. In fact, the Jets had a total of ten players unavailable for NSW Cup selection because of NRL promotions, injuries and suspensions, with this restructured Jets team doing well to win away from home against such strong opposition.

The Jets scored the opening try through fullback Kade Dykes, which was converted from wide out by Niwhai Puru. The Warriors had the better of the first half with over 60% of possession as well as a surplus of favourable field position.

Newtown defended for extended periods and did well to restrict the Warriors’ halftime lead to 10-6. Jets five-eighth Riley Pollard left the field in the 12th minute due to a HIA assessment, which caused a major rearrangement of Newtown’s inside backs. The Warriors took the lead with a converted try late in the first half, and with Jets centre Michael Gabrael sin-binned just before the break, the Wahs looked to be well positioned to take control of the game in the second half.

The unexpected happened in the second forty minutes, with the Jets laying on three converted tries within the first thirteen minutes of the second half. The try-scorers were halfback Niwhai Puru, young front-rower Felix Faatili and centre Michael Gabrael (when he returned from his stint in the sin-bin!) The highly capable Niwhai Puru converted all three tries and Newtown now held a commanding 24-10 lead.

The Warriors hit back with a vengeance in the game’s fourth quarter, scoring two tries and a conversion to pull back to trail 24-20 with 13 minutes left to play. The Newtown players stiffened their defence and two penalty goals by Niwhai Puru gave the Jets an eight-point lead as the clock ran down.

The Puru brothers, Niwhai and Hohepa, played very well for Newtown, along the team captain Jayden Berrell and fellow forwards Jordin Leiu and Jontay-Junior Betham-Misa. The ball-playing backrower Blake Hosking made a very useful return from injury. The former Newtown Jets player Sam Healey, now on the Warriors books, showed he is still very dangerous with his darting runs from dummy-half.

The Jets travel away again next weekend, when they meet the Newcastle Knights at the McDonald Jones Stadium in Broadmeadow on Sunday, 20th April, at 1.40pm. This round 7 NSW Cup fixture is a curtain-raiser to the Knights-Sharks NRL main game.

Newtown’s next match details:

NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup
Round 7
Sunday, 20th April 2025
McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle
Newcastle Knights v Newtown
Kick-Off: 1.40pm
This match will be live-streamed on BarTV NSWRL.

Last Saturday’s match details:

NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup
Round 6
Saturday, 12th April 2025
The Trusts Arena, Henderson, Auckland
New Zealand Warriors
Kick-Off: 1.00pm (NZST)
(Curtain-Raiser: Jersey Flegg Cup: New Zealand Warriors v Cronulla Sharks)

Weather: 20 degrees, sunny, light breeze
Playing surface: Excellent

Referee: Luke Saldern
Touch Judges: Paki Parkinson, Jack Feavers

Video clips:

George Ndaira post-match interview:
https://x.com/newtownrlfc/status/1911343349723701403

New Zealand Warriors v Newtown highlights:
https://www.facebook.com/KnockOnEffectCup/videos/9476142692435557

NSW Cup competition table after 6 rounds:
https://www.nswrl.com.au/ladder/?competition=113&round=6&season=2025

Match Result:

Newtown 28:
Kade Dykes, Niwhai Puru, Felix Faatili, Michael Gabrael tries;

Niwhai Puru 4 conversions, 2 penalty goals

defeated
New Zealand Warriors 20:
Daeon Amituanai, William Fakatoumafi,

Edward Kosi, Tanner Stowers-Smith tries;
William Fakatoumafi 2 conversions.
Half-Time: New Zealand Warriors led 10-6.

Sin Bins: Michael Gabrael 37th minute; Kalani Going 69th minute.

The Teams:

Newtown:
Fullback: Kade Dykes
Wingers: Kristian Dixon, Eli Clark
Centres: Chris Vea’ila, Michael Gabrael
Halves: Riley Pollard, Niwhai Puru
Lock: Hohepa Puru
Second-Rowers: Jordin Leiu, Chris Slater-Raptis
Front-Rowers: Jontay-Junior Betham-Misa, Sam McCulloch
Hooker: Jayden Berrell (Captain)

Interchange:
Blake Hosking, Jack Gibbons, Felix Faatili, Josh Cook
Concussion Substitute: Taj Ford
Coach: George Ndaira.

New Zealand Warriors:
Fullback: Geronimo Doyle
Wingers: Daeon Amituanai, Edward Kosi
Centres: William Fakatoumafai, Moala Graham-Taufa
Halves: Te Maire Martin (Captain), Luke Hanson
Lock: Freddy Lussick
Second-Rowers: Jacob Laban, Eddie Ieremia-Toeava
Front-Rowers: Tanner Stowers-Smith, Kalani Going
Hooker: Sam Healey
Interchange:
Caleb Laiman, Jason Seu Salalilo, Toby Crosby, Kayliss Fatialofa

Concussion Substitute: Garry Tulekutu

Coach: David Tangata-Toa.

Match Timeline:

First Half:
New Zealand Warriors (NZW) kicked off, running to the north.
6th minute: Kade Dykes try
Converted by Niwhai Puru. Newtown (N) 6-0.
12th minute: Riley Pollard (N) HIA no return
Replaced by Josh Cook
12th minute: Daeon Amituanai try

Not converted. Newtown 6-4.
27th minute: Josh Cook on report.
34th minute: William Fakatoumafi try
William Fakatoumafi conversion. NZW 10-6.
37th minute: Michael Gabrael sin-bin.

Half-Time: NZW 10 versus Newtown 6.
Second Half:
42nd minute: Niwhai Puru try.

Niwhai Puru conversion. Newtown 12-10.
51st minute: Felix Faatili try.

Niwhai Puru conversion. Newtown 18-10.
54th minute: Michael Gabrael try.
Niwhai Puru conversion. Newtown 24-10.
61st minute: Edward Kosi try.

Not converted. Newtown 24-14.
64th minute: Jacob Laban (NZW) on report
66th minute: Josh Cook HIA, replaced by Taj Ford
67th minute: Tanner Stowers-Smith try
Converted by William Fakatoumafi Newtown 24-20
69th minute: Kalani Going (NZW) sin-bin
71st minute: Niwhai Puru penalty goal
Newtown 26-20
72nd minute: Edward Kosi (NZW) on report
Niwhai Puru penalty goal. Newtown 28-20.
76th minute: Kade Dykes HIA. Replaced by Jordin Leiu.

Full-Time: Newtown 28 defeated New Zealand Warriors 20.

Match Statistics: –

Newtown players statistics:
Most tackles – Hohepa Puru – 43
Most run metres – Hohepa Puru – 164
Most line breaks – Niwhai Puru – 2

Team Statistics:

Newtown (N), New Zealand Warriors (NZW):
Possession: NZW 52%, N 48%
Time in possession: NZW 25.30s, N 23.50s
Completions: NZW 72% (29/40), N 82% (29/35)
All runs: NZW 186, N 184
All run metres: NZW 1659, N 1525
Post contact metres: NZW 539, N 420
Line breaks: NZW 4, N 3
Tackle breaks: NZW 36, N 23
Average set distance: NZW 41.5m, N 43.6m
Kick return metres: NZW 104, N 125
Average PTB speed: NZW 3.22s, N 3.37s
Passing offloads: NZW 13, N 9
Receipts: NZW 390, N 368
Total passes: NZW 211, N 206
Dummy passes: NZW 13, N 14
Kicks: NZW 16, N 18
Kicking metres: NZW 352, N 409
Kick defusal: NZW 64%, N 60%
Bombs: NZW 2, N 3
Grubbers: NZW 4, N 6
Effective tackles: NZW 89%, N 83.4%
Tackles made: NZW 315, N 312
Missed tackles: NZW 23, N 36
Ineffective tackles: NZW 16, N 26
Errors: NZW 10, N 8
Penalties conceded: NZW 10, N 8
Ruck infringements: NZW 1, N 3
On report: NZW 2, N 1
Sin bins: NZW 1, N 1 Interchanges: NZW 7, N 7.