Virtual Match Report – Jets win another elimination semi-final against the odds

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The Newtown Jets have survived another week of sudden-death Canterbury Cup NSW rugby league, having seen off the North Sydney Bears 30-28 in a thrilling elimination semi-final played at Leichhardt Oval on Sunday.

Norths are partners with the powerful Sydney Roosters NRL club, and several Roosters NRL squad members turned out with North Sydney in this elimination semi-final.

This semi-final was played in the middle of the day to accommodate live television coverage requirements, and both sets of forwards felt the pinch of the unseasonably warm conditions.

The Bears opened up an early 14-0 lead and then led 20-6 after they had dominated possession for most of the first half. A superb try to Jets captain Jack A. Williams that involved several players kept Newtown in the contest by trailing 20-12 at half-time.

The Newtown players lifted their defensive intensity in the second try, plus two tries to fullback Will Kennedy put the Jets in the lead by 24-20. The Bears levelled the scores but a critical penalty goal kicked by halfback Braydon Trindall put the Jets back in front at 26-24.

The Jets increased their lead to 30-24 through a try to skilful lock forward Billy Magoulias. The Bears hit back with their sixth try, but their goal-kicker sent the ball wide of the posts from close range.

Newtown survived several anxious moments to hang on to their two-points lead and advance to next weekend’s preliminary final round.

Newtown’s best players were lock Billy Magoulias, fullback Will Kennedy, second-rowers Toby Rudolf and Siosifa Talakai and centre Matt Evans. Braydon Trindall’s four conversions and penalty goal provided a vital edge for the Jets.

Newtown now plays St George-Illawarra in a Canterbury Cup NSW preliminary final at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium (Kogarah) on Sunday, 22^nd September at 3.10pm.

The Jets and Bears have met three times in second tier-level rugby league semi-finals and they have been thrillers on each occasion. In 2011 Norths won 17-16, and in 2012 Newtown won 32-30 with Daniel Mortimer kicking a long-range penalty goal in golden point extra time. In the 2012 game the Bears had led 24-6 in the 51^st minute! Sunday’s thriller clearly continued this tradition.

Match details:

Newtown 30:
Will Kennedy 2 (48^th minute and 51^st minute), Tyrone Phillips (19^th), Jack A. Williams (35^th), Billy Magoulias (70^th) tries;

Braydon Trindall 4 conversions and 1 penalty goal

defeated

North Sydney 28:
Sitili Tupouniua 2 (4^th minute and 26^th minute), James Tuitahi (8^th), Kieren Moss (12^th), Asu Kepaoa (56^th), Billy Smith (75^th) tries;

Drew Hutchison 2 conversions.

In keeping with the almost unbearable tension of this elimination semi-final, Braydon Trindall’s attempted conversion of Billy Magoulias’ try hit the right-hand upright, ricocheted across and hit the left-hand upright and then fell on the wrong side of the cross-bar!

Half-Time: North Sydney led 20-12.

Referee: Todd Smith.

Assistant Referee: Cameron Paddy.

Touch Judges: Adam Reid and Benjamin Teague.

The Leichhardt Oval playing surface was excellent.

Weather: 27 degrees Celsius, sunny, clear skies, very little breeze.

Newtown’s team was:
Will Kennedy, Sione Katoa, Matt Evans, Jackson Ferris, Tyrone Phillips, Jack A. Williams (Capt), Braydon Trindall, Jayson Bukuya, Scott Sorensen, Siosifa Talakai, Wes Lolo, Blayke Brailey, Jimmy Jolliffe.

Bench: Teig Wilton, Billy Magoulias, Daniel Vasquez, Toby Rudolf.

Coach: Greg Matterson.

North Sydney:
Kieren Moss, Asu Kepaoa, Billy Smith, James Tuitahi, Ryan Hall, Lachlan Lam, Drew Hutchison, Max Bailey, Sitili Tupouniua, Tom Freebairn, Poasa Faamausili, Bradley Deitz, Lindsay Collins.

Bench: Elih Jackson, Ben Thomas, Egan Butcher, Jerry Key.

Coach: Jason Taylor.

Here are the highlight’s from yesterday’s game: https://www.nswrl.com.au/news/2019/09/16/highlights–north-sydney-v-newtown/

And here are the match statistics:  http://rugbyleague-reports.stats.com/nrl-match-report.php?matchId=20191132620

Some interesting statistics to emerge from these figures: – 

Norths completed at 87% in the first half and 69% in the second half; Newtown completed at 76% in the first half and 94% in the second half!

Will Kennedy ran 193 metres, the most of any player on the field; Jets second-rower Scott Sorensen ran 169 metres. Newtown missed 31 tackles and Norths missed 55.

Newtown’s next game:

NSWRL Canterbury Cup NSW – Preliminary Final (Finals Week 3)

Sunday, 22^nd September 2019

Netstrata Jubilee Stadium (Kogarah)

St George-Illawarra  v Newtown

Kick-Off: 3.10pm

This match will be televised live on Channel 9.