Penrith punish rusty Roosters
12 hours ago | Aidan Edgecomb
Brookvale Oval has been an unforgiving venue for the Newtown Jets in recent years, and that tradition was certainly maintained in the VB Premier League match played there on Saturday evening. The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles dominated the first half, leading by 28-0 at the break, and then increased this lead to 38-0 as they added two more tries early in the second half. The Jets belatedly decided to clock on and narrowed the margin to 38-28, and in the process scored some of the best tries of the match. A runaway try to the Sea Eagles in the last thirty seconds of the game typified Newtown?s misfortunes on the night and extended Manly?s final winning margin to 44-28.
This was a match that defied some of the perceived wisdoms of modern Rugby League. Newtown?s completion rate for both halves was around the 80% mark, normally a positive indicator, but which counted for very little in the first fifty minutes when Manly dominated possession and field position. Newtown was down to one man on the bench for the entire second half, ironically during the very period of play that the Jets stacked on 28 unanswered points. What the first half clearly showed was that Newtown?s defensive lapses and conceded penalties were unerringly punished by Manly?s well-drilled, physically powerful forward pack and their super quick backline.
Newtown was well served in the forwards by the hard-working Glenn Hall, Steve Meredith and Mark Edmondson. Substitute hooker Luke Gordon played well in the second half after replacing the injured Heath L?Estrange. Winger Troy Malcolm collected three tries in the second half, and showed great strength and determination on one occasion as he broke through a cordon of three Manly defenders. Fullback Aidan Kirk had a very busy night and turned in his best performance for the season. Winger Michael Lett suffered a serious ankle injury twenty minutes into the first half which compounded the Jets? misadventures on a forgettable evening for the club.
The Jets made short work of the Belrose Eagles in their final Jim Beam Cup trial match played at Belrose on Saturday afternoon. Newtown led by 26-4 at half-time and maintained this dominance in the second half to run up an impressive final winning margin of 58-10. Newtown coach Greg Matterson was pleased with such a comprehensive ?kill? in the team?s final trial outing prior to the commencement of the competition on the Easter weekend. Several Sydney Roosters Jersey Flegg squad members were given a hit-out in this trial and impressed with the quality and enthusiasm of their contributions.
Newtown plays away again next Saturday (April 8th) when the Jets meet up with their 2005 partnership club Cronulla-Sutherland at Toyota Park. The VB Premier League match starts at 5.15pm, with the Sharks-Roosters NRL fixture kicking off at 7.30pm. There is no Jim Beam Cup match scheduled for this weekend.
The popular 2SM Talkin? Sport afternoon show will be broadcast live from the Jets Sports Club in Holbeach Avenue, Tempe next Wednesday (April 5th) from 4.00pm to 7.00pm. There will be several Newtown Jets club identities interviewed as well as plenty of prizes and giveaways on the program.
Photo caption:
Former English international Mark Edmondson, pictured here in action for Newtown against Manly-Warringah at Brookvale Oval on Saturday evening, has impressed with his good form this season.
Photo courtesy of Gary Sutherland Photography.