Sitting fourth, but just one competition point ahead of the seventh placed South Sydney team, the Jets finals aspirations go on the line when they play the Rabbitohs at Redfern Oval in a round 23 clash on Saturday.
Following a loss to the Panthers last weekend, the Newtown team fell back into a log jam of teams vying for a place in top five, a Finals berth and a shot at the Knock On Effect title.
A string of injuries affecting the Sharks NRL team has filtered down to the Jets, with the likes of Connor Tracey, Braydon Trindall, Tom Hazelton and Jesse Colquhoun, all regulars for the Newtown team earlier in the year, now set to play a vital role for the Sharks in their match against Souths in Perth this weekend.
Experienced campaigners and Newtown contracted players in Josh Mansour and Billy Magoulias are also sidelined with injury, as is Sharks young gun Sam Stonestreet, while backrower Charbel Tasipale has made a mid-season move to the UK SuperLeague.
However with the injury issues affecting the senior teams, comes opportunity for a number of Sharks under-21 Jersey Flegg players, with Niwhai Puru, Manaia Waitere, Blake Hosking and Sam Healey amongst those named to play for the Jets this weekend.
The Jets v Rabbitohs match is scheduled to kick off at 3.00pm at Redfern Oval on Saturday.
KOE NSW CUP - Round 23
Jets v Rabbitohs
Saturday, August 5
Redfern Oval
Kick-off - 3.00pm
1 Manaia Waitere
2 Trentham Petersen
3 Jensen Taumoepeau
4 Kyle Pickering
5 Thomas Rodwell
6 Johnny Lee Gabrael
7 Niwhai Puru
8 Kurt Dillon
9 Jayden Berrell (c)
10 Rhys Dakin
11 Tuku Hau Tapuha
12 Brad Fearnley
13 Blake Hosking
Interchange
15 Tyler Slade
17 Caleb Uele
18 Sam Healey
19 Kai Parker
21 Wes Lolo
