The Newtown RLFC is 111 years old on Tuesday, 8th January 2019

Soothsayers and mystics in past centuries regarded palindromic numbers such as 111 as being in possession of special magical powers. I’m sure Newtown Jets supporters everywhere will join me in hoping that any mystical powers pertaining to the number 111 will enable our boys to finish one place higher in 2019 and to claim the elusive NSWRL Intrust Super Premiership trophy.

The Newtown Jets, the foundation club of the NSW Rugby League, celebrate their 111^th birthday on Tuesday, 8^th January 2019. The club was formed at a well-attended public meeting held at the Newtown Town Hall, a public building which still stands at 1 Bedford Street, Newtown.

The Jets returned to training on Monday, 7^th January and will immediately start preparing for their first trial match against North Sydney at Wentworth Park on Sunday, 17^th February at 5.00pm.

Other 2019 trial matches will be against Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles and Newcastle Knights, with the full details for these matches to be advised in the near future,

The return of the South Sydney Rabbitohs to the ranks of the Intrust Super Premiership NSW competition means that the Jets will have another high profile local derby match to stage at Henson Park, as well as the enticing prospect of an away match at Redfern Oval.

The Wyong Roos have withdrawn from the ISP NSW, and so North Sydney and the Sydney Roosters have now formed a five-year rugby league partnership. This alliance of the Bears and Roosters will ensure that Newtown will have tough opposition in the 2019 Frank Hyde Shield series.

The full draw for the 2019 ISP NSW competition will be released soon.

Recommended viewing:
Check out the link below for this 2018 BBC TV documentary on the famous 1968 Water Splash Challenge Cup Final at Wembley Stadium between Leeds and Wakefield Trinity. This is a superbly made and thoroughly engrossing documentary about one of the most sensational English Rugby League Challenge Cup Finals of all time. The 1968 music soundtrack adds to the appeal of this fine production: https://vimeo.com/270687155