The Newtown Jets are the 2024 Knock-On Effect NSW Cup premiership winners, following a spine-tingling 28-22 win over North Sydney

The Newtown Jets won a thrilling NSW Cup Grand Final on Sunday against their old rivals, North Sydney. The Jets won 28-22 in a closely-contested match where Newtown had never led by more than six points, and North Sydney (the NSW Cup Minor Premiers) were never ahead on the scoreboard at any stage of the game.

The elation within the Newtown Jets rugby league community was very much tempered by the sad news of the death of their former club president, Barry Vining, who passed away on Sunday afternoon. The entire Newtown RLFC extends sincere condolences to all the members of the Vining family.

The three previous games in the 2024 season between the two 1908 foundation clubs had all been tight contests. In the NSW Cup competition rounds, Norths won by 16-12 at Henson Park and the Jets had reversed the outcome at North Sydney Oval by winning 18-8 (thereby taking out the Frank Hyde Shield for this year). In the recent major semi-final played at Leichhardt Oval, the Bears had narrowly prevailed by 18-16.

Sunday’s Grand Final at CommBank Stadium, Parramatta was played before a crowd of 10,386 and was tenaciously contested to the final siren. The Jets ended the game with a courageous and extended defensive display at their own end of the field, repelling several sets of possession by the Bears. The match statistics reveal that Norths had 66% of possession in the final fifteen minutes of the game (after Braden Hamlin Uele’s try), including 7 sets out of 8, several penalties in a row and two “six again” calls.

Newtown opened the scoring in the 17th minute when the Jets created an overlap on their left side for winger Tom Rodwell to score in the north-western corner. Halfback Niwhai Puru converted from wide out.

A handling error by the Jets in their own half enabled Norths to mount an attack and score in the 21st minute. This try was converted, levelling the scores at 6-all.

Jets winger Sam Stonestreet had a try disallowed following a prolonged examination by the video referee, but centre Chris Vea’ila did very well to get underneath several Norths defenders to score in the 27th minute. This try was not converted and Newtown led 10-6. Newtown fullback Liam Ison went close to scoring in the 31st minute and the video referee was utilised again, this time ruling a double movement.

The Bears responded with a try in the 34th minute that wasn’t converted. Norths made an error 30 metres out from their own line, ending in Newtown centre Mawene Hiroti scoring a very determined try, breaking through three Bears tacklers in the process and scoring midway between the goal posts and the north-western corner. Hiroti’s 39th minute try was described by the NSWRL TV commentary team as being “a potential game-changer.” Puru’s conversion took Newtown into half-time with a 16-10 lead.

Norths drew level again early in the second half after gaining possession from a Jets knock-on. While the Bears had deployed a relatively cautious attacking style in the first half, this try resulted from being more free-wheeling with the ball, leading to the top try-scoring winger Fitzgibbon diving over in the north-eastern corner. The successful conversion attempt from wide out had the scores locked together again, this time at 16-all.

Newtown took the lead again in the 55th minute when the master ball-handler Billy Magoulias sent backrower Jordin Leiu to the line running off a perfect flat pass. Leiu showed tremendous strength in forcing his way through three Bears defenders to ground the ball. Puru’s conversion took Newtown out to a 22-16 lead.

Norths drew level when their halfback cut through some tiring defence to score next to the posts. With the score now at 22-all, the Bears renewed their attack at Newtown’s end. What looked to be a critical situation for the Jets was reversed when Puru pounced on a Bears pass and carried the ball to the other side of the halfway line. The Jets moved the ball towards the Norths tryline and a well-crafted pass by Blake Hosking enabled the big prop Braden Hamlin-Uele to wrestle his way close to the line and reach out to score.

Puru’s conversion put Newtown into a 28-22 lead with 14 minutes left to play. The NSWRL commentators made the prescient comment that ”this had been the grand final in sixty seconds – Puru’s try-saving intercept ending several tackles later in Hamlin-Uele’s barging try.” There was great drama still to be played out, but Newtown had regained that six-point lead.

The final ten minutes were nerve-wracking in the extreme for Newtown supporters, with Norths having extended possession at the Jets end of the field. The Bears winger Fitzgibbon made a desperate lunge for the corner but was swept over the sideline by several Newtown tacklers, accompanied by a throaty roar from the huge crowd of Jets supporters concentrated at that end of the field.

Equally committed defence was needed to stop the North Sydney fullback from scoring in the 77th minute. The Jets utility forward Sam Healey, bound for the New Zealand Warriors in 2025, ran the ball dead in the dying seconds to the immense relief of several thousand Jets fans at the ground, along with many more watching the livestreamed coverage.

Niwhai Puru was named as the player of the match in the official presentation ceremony, with his probable match-saving intercept, goal kicking and on-field organisation weighing in his favour. Both Newtown wingers had prominent roles, with Rodwell being safe under several high kicks and Stonestreet running 194 metres in relieving the forwards. Jayden Berrell was the best of Newtown’s forwards, with Brad Fearnley, Blake Hosking, Tuku Hau Tapuha and the try-scorer Braden Hamlin-Uele all making great contributions.

Every Newtown player deserved commendation for the sterling collective defensive effort in the latter part of the second half, and for their team’s ability to keep drawing away again to retake the lead each time that Norths had drawn level.

Newtown’s final assignment for 2024 is the NRL State Championship Final at Accor Stadium next Sunday, 6th October. This interstate showdown between the Newtown Jets and the Queensland Cup premiers, Norths Devils, kicks off at 1.20pm. This match will be televised live on Channel 9.

Match Details: –

NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup
Grand Final
Sunday, 29th September 2024
CommBank Stadium, Parramatta
North Sydney v Newtown
Kick-Off was at 3.00pm.

Weather: Overcast, cloudy, rain was forecast;

21 degrees (felt like 19 degrees);
slight breeze from the southern end;

Humidity: 70%.

Playing surface: Excellent.

Referee: Kieren Irons
Touch Judges: Tom Cambourn, Brad Kiehne

In-Goal Judges: Braydon Hunt, Paul Eden,

The result:

Newtown 28:
Tom Rodwell, Chris Vea’ila, Mawene Hiroti,
Jordin Leiu, Braden Hamlin-Uele tries;
Niwhai Puru 4 conversions

defeated
North Sydney 22:
Bronson Garlick, Sualauvi Faalogo,

Allan Fitzgibbon, Harradyn Wilson tries;
Kieran Hayman 3 conversions.

Half-Time: Newtown led 18-10.

The Teams: –

Newtown:
Fullback: Liam Ison
Wingers: Tom Rodwell, Sam Stonestreet
Centres: Chris Vea’ila, Mawene Hiroti
Halves: Khaled Rajab, Niwhai Puru
Lock: Blake Hosking
Second-Rowers: Kyle Pickering, Billy Burns (Captain)
Front-Rowers: Braden Hamlin-Uele, Tuku Hau Tapuha
Hooker: Jayden Berrell
Interchange:
Jordin Leiu, Billy Magoulias
Sam Healey, Brad Fearnley
Concussion Substitute: Rhys Dakin
Blue Shirt Trainer: Tom Haberecht
Yellow Shirt Trainer: Fletcher Graham
Orange Shirt Trainer: Chris Moubarak
Coach: George Ndaira.

North Sydney:
Fullback: Sualauvi Faalogo
Wingers: Allan Fitzgibbon, Tuipulotu Katoa
Centres: Israel Ogden, Dean Ieremia
Halves: Kieran Hayman, Harradyn Wilson
Lock: Ativalu Lisati
Second-Rowers: Joe Chan, Matt Stimson
Front-Rowers: Tepai Moeroa, Kurt De Luis (Captain)
Hooker: Bronson Garlick
Interchange:
Nathaniel Roache, Regan Hughes,
Phillip Makatoa, Ben Talty
Concussion Substitute: Coby Thomas
Blue Shirt Trainer: Brent Banning

Yellow Shirt Trainer: John Michael
Orange Shirt Trainer: Nathan Stevens
Coach: Kieran Dempsey.

Video Clips:

NSWRL TV Highlights || 2024 NSW Cup Grand Final || North Sydney Bears v Newtown Jets || CommBank Stadium || Sunday, 29th September 2024:
https://www.facebook.com/KnockOnEffectCup/videos/1775128623022040

Post-match discussion with the Newtown Jets head coach George Ndaira – NSW Cup Grand Final Edition:
https://www.facebook.com/watch?v=501355186206104

Match Timeline: –

First Half:
Newtown kicked off, running to the northern end.
6m30s: Jayden Berrell penalised for  dangerous tackle

16m30s: Tom Rodwell try
Converted by Niwhai Puru. Newtown 6-0.
20m30s: Bronson Garlick try
Converted by Kieran Hayman. 6-all.
26th min: Chris Vea’ila try
Not converted. Newtown 10-6
34th min: Sualauvi Faalogo try
Not converted. 10-all.
39th min: Mawene Hiroti try
Converted by Niwhai Puru. Newtown 16-10.
Half-Time: Newtown 16 led North Sydney 10.
Second Half:
43m20s: Allan Fitzgibbon try
Converted by Kieran Hayman. 16-all.
52m50s: Jordin Leiu try
Converted by Niwhai Puru. Newtown 22-16.
59th min: Harradyn Wilson try
Converted by Kieran Hayman. 22-all.
64th min: Intercept by Niwhai Puru who carried the ball into North Sydney territory.
64m40s: Braden Hamlin-Uele try.
Converted by Niwhai Puru. Newtown 28-22.
Full-Time: Newtown 28 defeated North Sydney 22.


Match Statistics:

Newtown Player Statistics:
Blake Hosking – 36 tackles
Sam Stonestreet – most run metres – 194 metres
Tom Rodwell – most line breaks – 2

Newtown Match Statistics:

Completions:
First Half: N 16/20 (80%); NS 12/17 (71%)
Second Half: N 11/15 (73%); NS 16/20 (80%)
Match: N 27/35 (77%); NS 28/37 (76%)

Possession:
First Half: N 75 tackles (57%); NS 61 tackles (43%)
Second Half: N 58 tackles (43%); NS 78 tackles (%7%)
Match: N 133 tackles (49%); NS 139 tackles (51%)

Time in possession:
Newtown 24 minutes; North Sydney 23 minutes.

Penalties:
First Half: NS 1, N 0
Second Half: NS 4, N 2
Match: NS 5, N 2

Errors:
NS 17, N 11.

Missed tackles:
NS 35, N 45.

North Sydney had 66% of possession in the final 15 minutes (after Braden Hamlin-Uele’s try).
This included 7 sets out of 8, 4 penalties in a row, and 2 six-again calls.

Details of this Sunday’s game:

The NRL State Championship Final
NSW Cup Premiers v Queensland Cup Premiers
Sunday, 6th October 2024
Accor Stadium, Homebush
Newtown v Northern Suburbs (Brisbane)
Kick-Off: 1.20pm.
This match will be televised live on Channel 9.