Jets well pleased to claim the points

by NRL

The season's biggest crowd was on hand at Henson Park on Saturday to see the Newtown Jets break their recent run of losses in the VB NSW Cup competition. The Jets defeated the Western Suburbs Magpies 60-8 and gave their points for and against differential a timely boost. The Magpies provided stiff opposition in the first half and made Newtown work hard for their 18-4 lead at the break, although the Jets were to take control of the match early in the second half.

The Jets are now in fifth position on the VB NSW Cup competition table in what is a very tightly bunched field. For example, the Auckland Vulcans are in 11th position on the table but with only four fewer competition points than Newtown. In the curtain-raiser played at Henson Park on Saturday, the Cronulla Sharks did Newtown a big favour with their 46-32 win against the Newcastle Knights.

Western Suburbs scored the game's first try on Saturday and took it right up to the Jets in the first twenty minutes. Giant Newtown front-rower Saulala Houma, who joined the club from the Auckland Vulcans, powered over for the Jets' first try midway through the first half. This try was quickly followed up by a spectacular effort to fullback Alofa Alofa, who backed up a break and classy offload by hooker Glenn Dumbrell. The young hooker claimed a try for himself several minutes later.

The Jets lifted their tempo early in the second half with five-eighth Mark Kheirallah sprinting away to score soon after play resumed. Kheirallah scored again late in the second half, while other Jets try-scorers were winger Daniel Tupou (2), front-rowers Dylan Napa and Andrew Pearn and impressive young centre Usaia O'Sullivan. Tupou has now taken his try-scoring tally for this season up to 16. All of Newtown's 10 tries were converted, with 8 goals kicked by Blake Lazarus and 2 by Mark Kheirallah.

The Newtown coaching staff were obviously greatly relieved to break the past month's sequence of losses, even if it was at the expense of the competition's bottom-placed team. Head coach Greg Matterson said there was still plenty of room for improvement in this performance, but it had been good enough to claim the competition points and to turn on a great attacking display in front of the season's biggest home attendance. Matterson gave special mention to the efforts of Saulala Houma, second-rower Nick Ehsman and Usaia O'Sullivan. This win had been good for confidence building and to identify areas for improvement in the tough games ahead in the run into the finals.

Saturday's SCU Family Fun Day promotion was an unqualified success with hundreds of children enjoying an array of entertainment including of course the Jets' much-needed win. SCU mascot Syd the pig proved to be a great attraction for all the youngsters.

The Jets are back home again this Saturday, 21st July, for what will be a much sterner test of their abilities. Newtown meets the Canberra Raiders feeder club, Mounties, who are making a strong challenge for a finals berth in their first season in the competition. Saturday's action at Henson Park gets underway at 3.00pm.

NSWRL VB NSW Cup 19th Round
Saturday, 14th July 2012
Henson Park
Newtown v Western Suburbs
Kick-Off: 3.00pm.

Newtown 60:
Tries: Mark Kheirallah 2, Daniel Tupou 2, Saulala Houma, Alofa Alofa, Glenn Dumbrell, Dylan Napa, Usaia O'Sullivan, Andrew Pearn
Goals: Blake Lazarus 8, Mark Kheirallah 2

Western Suburbs 8:
Tries: Henry Godinet, Michael La Manna

Half-Time: Newtown led 18-4
Referee: Daniel Olford
Touch Judges: Gavin King and Mark Bohan

Newtown: 18 Alofa Alofa, 2 Daniel Tupou, 3 Usaia O'Sullivan, 4 Jack Littlejohn, 16 Louis Vaiotu, 6 Mark Kheirallah, 7 Blake Lazarus, 13 Ahmad Ellaz, 11 Josh Ailaomai, 19 Nick Ehsman, 17 Saulala Houma, 10 Andrew Pearn, 9 Glenn Dumbrell. Subs: 8 Isaac Liu, 14 Dylan Napa, 15 Kurt Kara, 21 Isaac Maliota.

Western Suburbs: Zoran Watene, Tuki Jackson, Greg Davis, Michael Lekkas, Michael La Manna, Chris Nay, Nigel Millgate, Tom Morrison, Seffa Silafau, Henry Godinet, Latu Fifita, Terrence Green, Francis Tupu, Jay Masseuli, Henry Iuta, Tom Pritchard, Daniel La Manna.

Result of the VB NSW Cup curtain-raiser played at Henson Park:

Cronulla-Sutherland 46:
Tries: Sam Tagatese 2, John Williams, Sosaia Feki, Chad Townsend, Josh Cordoba, Tyrone Peachey, Maurice Blair
Goals: Chad Townsend 7
defeated
Newcastle Knights 32
Tries: Josh Mantellato, Junior Sau, Michael Mate, Mitch Williams, Adam Withyman, Adrian Davis
Goals: Josh Mantellato 4

Half-Time: Cronulla-Sutherland led 22-10
Referee: Michael Laverty
Touch Judges: Nathan Smith and Jason Higgins

Other results in Round 19 of the NSWRL VB NSW Cup:

Mounties 24 defeated Auckland Vulcans 20; Balmain 33 defeated Canterbury-Bankstown 16; North Sydney 46 defeated Manly-Warringah 12; Windsor Wolves 24 defeated Wentworthville 14.

Newtown's next match is:

NSWRL VB NSW Cup 20th Round
Saturday, 21st July 2012
Henson Park
Newtown v Mounties (Raiders)
Kick-Off: 3.00pm

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