Dog Day Afternoon For The Battling
Jets

Flushed with success from their splendid win over Canberra the previous weekend, the Newtown Jets were handed a chastening lesson from the Bulldogs on what it's like to take on the heavyweights of the First Division competition. The Dogs, the premiership leaders and runaway title favourites, dealt out a 48-8 shellacking to the Jets at Henson Park last Saturday.

Newtown was competitive for the first twenty minutes of each half, but the full time professionalism and NRL experience of many of the Bulldogs proved too much for the game Jets. Newtown opened the scoring in the sixth minute of play when centre Ben Tickle surged onto a superbly timed and well-targeted pass from Brad Westaway. Two tries to Dogs halfback Darrell "Tricky" Trindall in the second quarter of the match were critical in giving the Bulldogs a solid half-time lead of 22-4.

Seemingly every Newtown disciplinary indiscretion and handling error in the second half was severely punished by the totally methodical and professional Dogs. The Jets battled away to the final siren with customary bravery, but it was a clear case of the well-drilled full-timers taking best advantage of their opportunities. Newtown's best were Garth Wood, Tere Glassie, Trent Dally, Luke Ellis and Luke Wardle.

An injury-depleted Jets Metro Cup squad fell back into their worst habits against Ryde-Eastwood, taking a hammering on the scoreboard to the tune of 48-10. Anthony Barone and Adam Nathaniel scored Newtown's tries.

The Newtown Jets are at home again at Henson Park in the First Division this Saturday (June 22) at 3.00 p.m., taking on the Balmain Tigers in what will be a fiercely contested inner-western local derby. The Metro Cup squad travel to McCredie Park to play Guildford on Saturday evening at 6.00 p.m. You can keep up with the Jets news and results by calling 1300 36 36 90.