Jets lay on five tries in thrilling win over defending premiers
by Newtown Jets Media
The Newtown Jets gave an impressive performance in defeating the 2022 NSW Cup premiers Penrith by 29-16 in the match played at Blacktown on Sunday. Newtown had led 12-0 at halftime and had to stave off a fightback by the Panthers when Penrith trailed 24-16 with eleven minutes left to play.
The match was played in slightly unusual circumstances for the Jets, with this fixture being classified as a Newtown home game and being played at the H. E. Laybutt Field in Blacktown, with the game commencing at 11.00am (as part of the arrangements for the NSW Cup Magic Round).
Newtown dominated play in the first quarter of the game but found it hard to breach the renowned Penrith Panthers defensive iron wall. The score was still locked at nil-all after 26 minutes when Newtown finally broke through to score following smart ball play involving Jayden Berrell, Billy Magoulias, Niwhai Puru and finally Daniel Atkinson, who ran in to score near the southern end goal posts.
Newtown’s second try was a sequence of passes between Jordin Leiu, Mawene Hiroti, Jayden Berrell and Billy Magoulias in the midfield, ending in Daniel Atkinson dashing fifty metres and evading several defenders to score his second try. Both of Newtown’s first half tries were converted by Mawene Hiroti and the Jets led 12-0 at the break.
The Panthers responded with a converted try early in the second half but Newtown scored again five minutes later. This try featured high-speed passing and well-practiced support play between Tuku Hau Tapuha, Jayden Berrell, Billy Magoulias, Niwhai Puru, Daniel Atkinson and finally Jensen Taumoepeau, who gave the final pass for Sam Stonestreet to dive over triumphantly in the north-eastern corner.
Newtown’s fourth try, scored in the 59th minute, was created by a clever pass from Berrell and a brilliant cross-field kick by Atkinson, ending in the flying Stonestreet gathering in the ball to score near the northern posts. Hiroti converted both of these second half tries and helped extend Newtown’s lead to 24-6 with just under twenty minutes left to play.
The Panthers proved they had plenty of fight left in them by scoring tries in the 65th and 69th minutes to get back into the contest, trailing by 24-16 with eleven minutes on the clock.
An error at Penrith’s end enabled the ever-alert Jayden Berrell to roll a grubber-kick into the in-goal that was pounced on by Kayal Iro.
The Jets applied the coup de grâce by way of a field goal kicked by the former Penrith player Niwhai Puru in the game’s final minute, for Newtown to ensure an important win by 29-16.
This had been an all-round team effort by the Jets on a day that entailed some different pre-match preparations, along with a spirited team performance that brought a valuable win against last season’s premiership-winners.
Newtown’s next match is on Sunday, 14th May, against Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles at the 4 Pines Park (Brookvale Oval). This match is timed for kick-off at 1.35pm.
CLICK HERE for round 10 match highlights.
