See the Jets on Saturday

The Newtown Jets host Manly-Warringah in a critical VB Premier League match at Henson Park this coming Saturday (July 8th). The Jets were well beaten by the Sea Eagles back in early April and Manly-Warringah was the only team to lower Newtown?s colours at Henson Park last year. With the Jets unbeaten at home in 2006, Saturday?s match takes on real blockbuster status. Giant Newtown and NSW front-rower Steve Bowden, who was very much the central figure in the famous Newtown versus Manly semi-final confrontation at the SCG 25 years ago, will be the guest of honour at Saturday?s game.

The Newtown club invites all Jets supporters to wear as much blue as possible in their chosen outfits when they attend Henson Park next Saturday, and to spread the word to all their friends to come along and help the Jets defend their unbeaten record in the VB Premier League at home this season. A suitable prize will be awarded to the Newtown supporter who ?gets into the Big Blue? at Henson Park with the most flamboyance and enthusiasm.

With no VB Premier League fixture last weekend, the Newtown Jets Jim Beam Cup team held centre-stage on Saturday when they met Erina at the Narellan Sports Ground in south-western Sydney. Narellan of course is at the epicentre of the south-western region?s wildfire economic and population growth, yet there are vestiges of the area?s former rural industry base still in evidence. Last Saturday?s match may well have been the first Newtown ?home game? in history where dairy cattle contentedly watched the Rugby League action from a nearby hillside!

Despite the bucolic setting the Jets had to dig deep to ?take the cash? in this match, winning 26-18 after trailing 18-12 well into the second half. The Jets fielded a very much recast side due to injuries and representative team commitments. Newtown coach Greg Matterson observed that this was still a somewhat disjointed and lacklustre performance from his team and that he was very glad the boys salvaged the two competition points. Lock Darren Lang and front-rower Ritchie Parker were Newtown?s best forwards while young half-back Charlie Herekotukutuku did his utmost to spark the Jets backline.

In the Sydney Metro Women?s Rugby League competition, the Newtown Jetettes had a runaway 64-18 win over the Guildford Owls. In Group 11 Rugby League action, the Parkes Spacemen trailed Dubbo CYMS 32-4 at half-time, but regained some degree of respectability in eventually going down to CYMS by 38-28.

Newtown has another bye in the Jim Beam Cup competition next weekend. The Jets take on Manly-Warringah at Henson Park on Saturday (July 8th) with this important VB Premier League match kicking off at 3.00pm. Come along and get stuck into the Big Blue and help cheer the Jets home against the Sea-Eagles!