Frank Hyde steals the
show in a thrilling draw

The Sydney Airport Jets and fellow 1908 Foundation Club the North Sydney Bears turned on a thrilling 22-all draw in the NSW Premier League match played at Henson Park last Saturday. This was also the deciding match for the inaugural Frank Hyde Cup series, and fittingly that living Rugby League legend Frank Hyde himself was on hand to present the trophy to the two captains, Craig Field (Newtown) and Ben Black (Norths). Frank received an enormous reception from the good Henson Park crowd, and the old trouper was clearly delighted to be back in the thick of the action at the ground he first graced as a player with the Bluebags nearly seventy years ago. Both teams made sure this Cup decider would be a game to remember. The Jets looked the goods leading 22-6 with fifteen minutes remaining, but the Bears charged home to draw level with just three minutes left on the clock. Amazingly, the Jets then had a try controversially disallowed as the full-time siren sounded! Newtown missed the go-forward of giant prop Monah Elahmad after he left the field injured. Billy Najarrin, Tony Phillips,Tabua Cakacaka and Joe Lichaa were other Jets forwards to stand out, while Craig West and Andrew Le Breton were the best of the backs. In the Jim Beam Cup match, Newtown fought on gamely against the competition leaders Ryde-Eastwood, eventually going down by 30-14. These boys might have had a disrupted season, but they certainly don't lack "bottle" or pride in themselves. The Sydney Airport Jets meet South Sydney in the Premier League at Aussie Stadium this Sunday at 1.00pm, while on Saturday in the Jim Beam Cup the Jets travel away to take on The Entrance, with this match kicking off at 3.15pm.