Virtuoso performance by Braydon Trindall keynote of Newtown’s big win over the Newcastle Knights

Newtown five-eighth Braydon Trindall was involved in all seven of his team’s tries, with the Jets running out 40-12 winners against the Newcastle Knights at Henson Park on Saturday.

The match was played in perfect late Autumn sunny conditions, with the Newtown Jets taking a commanding 22-0 lead into the halftime break.

Newtown’s first try saw the ball shifted smartly to the right edge with solid winger Tom Rodwell crossing in the south-western corner.

The brilliant Trindall directly laid on Newtown’s next two tries with copybook short passes. The first was to the redoubtable Tuku Hau Tapuha, who ran a perfect angle to burst through to score; the second was another precisely-timed short ball that sent centre Jensen Taumoepeau charging over in the 30th minute.

Five minutes later Trindall and halfback Niwhai Puru combined to send Josh Mansour over in the south-eastern corner, with the exuberant Mansour eluding two Knights defenders as he dashed in to score.

The Jets maintained their points-scoring surge early in the second half, when Trindall sent a well-weighted grubber kick into the Knights in-goal zone, where Newtown second-rower Charbel Tasipale won the race to ground the ball.

It turned out to be a more even contest in the second half, with the Knights taking advantage of several handling errors by the Jets.

Newcastle scored their first try in the 47th minute, but the Jets responded several minutes later when Braydon Trindall fired out a cut-out pass to Josh Mansour, with the veteran international winger again beating two Knights defenders to score in the left-side corner.

The Knights scored their second try in the 63rd minute and bearing in mind Newtown’s recent second-half experiences against Norths and the Sea Eagles, no Jets supporters would have been taking victory for granted.

Braydon Trindall capped off a superb individual performance by dummying and stepping past several Knights defenders to score under the posts in the 76th minute, followed by the reliable Mawene Hiroti landing his sixth conversion for the afternoon.

Other than Trindall’s bravura showing, Newtown’s back three of Mawene Hiroti, Tom Rodwell and Josh Mansour defused Newcastle’s kicking game with safe handling and strong kick-returns.

Niwhai Puru combined well with Trindall and tall centre Sam Stonestreet often looked dangerous in possession.

Jayden Berrell was in command at dummy-half, and all the Newtown forwards contributed well to taking control of the midfield and gaining field position that put the backs into favourable attacking situations.

Newtown had 54% of possession but second-half handling errors lowered the Jets’ overall completion rate to 74%.

Newtown’s next NSW Cup match is against Sydney Roosters on Sunday, 28th May at Wentworth Park (Glebe), with the kick-off set down for 3.15pm.

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Saturday’s match details:

NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup
Round 12
Saturday, 20th May 2023

Henson Park

Newtown v Newcastle Knights
Kick-Off: 3.00pm.

The match was broadcast live on HHH-FM and also livestreamed on: www.facebook.com/newtownrlfc

Playing surface: Excellent
Weather: Sunny, crisp, 19 degrees

Referee: Damian Brady
Touch Judges: Mitchell Stone and Cameron Mitchell

Match Result:

Newtown 40:
Josh Mansour 2, Tom Rodwell, Tuku Hau Tapuha,

Jensen Taumoepeau, Charbel Tasipale, Braydon Trindall tries:
Mawene Hiroti 6 conversions
defeated
Newcastle Knights 12:
Dane Aukafolau, Adam Clune tries;

Ryan Rivett 2 conversions.

Half-Time: Newtown led 22-0.

NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup Highlights || Newtown v Newcastle Knights || Round 12:
https://www.nswrl.com.au/news/2023/05/20/nsw-cup-highlights–jets-v-knights—round-12/

NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup competition table after 12 rounds:
https://www.nswrl.com.au/ladder/?competition=113&round=12&season=2023

Post-match interview with Newtown Jets winger Josh Mansour:
https://twitter.com/newtownrlfc/status/1660163276049903621

Newtown’s team:
Fullback: Mawene Hiroti
Wingers: Josh Mansour, Tom Rodwell

Centres: Jensen Taumoepeau, Samuel Stonestreet
Halves: Braydon Trindall, Niwhai Puru
Lock: Billy Magoulias (Captain)
Second Rowers: Jordin Leiu, Charbel Tasipale
Front Rowers: Rhys Dakin, Tuku Hau Tapuha
Hooker: Jayden Berrell

Interchange:
Tyler Slade, Caleb Uele, Kyle Pickering, Brad Fearnley
18th man: Harrison Geraghty

Coach: George Ndaira

Newcastle Knights:
Fullback: Bailey Hodgson

Wingers: Laitia Moceidreke, Luke Pietzner
Centres: Chris Vea’ila, Simi Sasagi
Halves: Ryan Rivett, Adam Clune (Captain)
Lock: Brodie Jones
second Rowers: Dylan Lucas, Dane Aukafolau
Front Rowers: Cooper Jenkins, Callan Burgess
Hooker: Temple Kalepo
Interchange:
Kobe Rugless, Thomas Cant, John Toleafoa, Ben Talty
18th man: Brock Greacen
Coach: Michael Monaghan.

Match Timeline:

Kick-off at 3.00pm.

The Newcastle Knights kicked off, running towards the northern end.

8th minute: Tom Rodwell try. Not converted. Newtown 4-0.
19th minute: Tuku Hau Tapuha try.
21st minute: Mawene Hiroti conversion. Newtown 10-0.

30th minute: Jensen Taumoepeau try.
32nd minute: Mawene Hiroti conversion. Newtown 16-0.

34th minute: Josh Mansour try.
36th minute: Mawene Hiroti conversion. Newtown 22-0.
Halftime: Newtown led 22-0.
43rd minute: Charbel Tasipale try.
44th minute: Mawene Hiroti conversion. Newtown 28-0.

47th minute: Dane Aukafolau try.
48th minute: Ryan Rivett conversion. Newtown 28-6.
53rd minute: Josh Mansour try.

55th minute: Mawene Hiroti conversion. Newtown 34-6.
63rd minute: Adam Clune try.
65th minute: Ryan Rivett conversion. Newtown 34-12.

76th minute: Braydon Trindall try.
78th minute: Mawene Hiroti conversion. Newtown 40-12.
Fulltime: Newtown 40 defeated Newcastle Knights 12.

In the Illawarra Rugby League Mojo Cup first grade competition, Newtown’s partnership club De La Salle defeated the competition leaders Collegians 28-14.
Collegians had led 14-6 at halftime.
De La Salle are now second on the competition table.

Newtown’s next match details:

NSWRL Knock-On Effect NSW Cup
Round 13
Sunday, 28th May 2023
Wentworth Park, Glebe
Sydney Roosters v Newtown
Kick-Off: 3.15pm.