NRL State Championship preview - Newtown v Norths

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Newtown Jets v Norths Devils Sunday 1:20pm at Accor Stadium, Sydney Olympic Park / Wanngal

Jets look to soar above gritty Devils

To kickoff NRL Grand Final Day, we will have an epic State Championship game as the Norths Devils look to be the first QLD Cup side to win the game since Ipswich in 2015 when they take on the Newtown Jets.

Kicking off with the Jets, after finishing in the top three, they were ruthless and determined to win the grand final. After a dominating week 1 win over the Raiders, Newtown went and did battle with the North Sydney Bears and went down narrowly. Newtown had a second clash with Canberra and won with a strong second half to play the Bears in the big dance. The grand final was a back and forth affair but was saved due to a great kicking performance from Niwhai Puru and an individual try from Braden Hamlin-Uele. 

To beat the Devils, they need to avoid making silly errors out of their own end. Norths punished most mistakes Newtown made on the weekend. So expect a push from George Ndaira this week to focus on ball security. Defensively, their left edge is the weak spot with three tries conceded down that edge last week as well as Puru who despite his great attack has missed the most tackles in the NSW Cup this season. Liam Ison will be a handful at the back after an extraordinary breakout season along with winger Sam Stonestreet who is looking to press his claims for regular NRL next season. Onto team news and Khaled Rajab has been named to play despite coming off last week with a shoulder injury.

The Devils had a strong overall season despite a slight collapse towards the end of the season. Onto the finals and the Devils easily accounted for the Dolphins in the qualifying final and had a perfect opening half to account for the PNG Hunters in the prelim final. The grand final saw a rematch with the Dolphins and after a tight portion of the game, the class of Tesi Niu shone through as the Devils atoned for last year's disappointment.

For the State Challenge, the Devils have been here before, they were ruthlessly slaughtered by the emerging Panthers juggernaut in 2022. Survivors include Jacob Gagan and Kierran Moseley who are experienced. The "phin-headed beast" of a backrow core of Oryn Keeley, Jeremiah Simbiken and Mason Teague also shone this season and will be putting themselves in the shop window for Kristian Woolf next season. They will have the edge up front and in the forwards while their back five is a vastly underrated core. Onto team news and the side is unchanged from their grand final win.

Who to watch: For Newtown, the focus is going to be on Jayden Berrell. With Sam Healey departing the club, Berrell is entrenched as the club's number two hooker. After a strong season where he was NSW Cup Hooker of the Year which saw him earn an NRL debut, Berrell will look to cap off a dream season with a state challenge success. 
For the Devils I am going with Cooper Jenkins. The former Knights forward has been courted by a few NRL clubs after a strong season with the Devils, averaging just under 100 metres a game and defensively stout in the middle third. A strong showing on rugby league's biggest stage will have NRL sides circling with contract offers. 

FAVOURITE: Newtown are favourites in this one as the KOE NSW Cup sides have been the dominant sides in this clash. 

MY TIP: I fancy the upset in this one. Norths have been a more consistent unit as far as squad depth and the potential loss of Rajab through injury mixes up continuity on that right edge and Niu could have a field day. Norths by 7.

1. Liam Ison 2. Tom Rodwell 3. Chris Veaila 25. Jackson Ferris 5. Samuel Stonestreet 6. Khaled Rajab 7. Niwhai Puru 8. Braden Hamlin-Uele 9. Jayden Berrell 10. Tuku Hau Tapuha 11. Kyle Pickering 12. Billy Burns 13. Blake Hosking 15. Jordin Leiu 17. Billy Magoulias 18. Samuel Healey 19. Bradley Fearnley 22. Jordan Swann

1. Jordan Lipp 2. Blake Paskins 3. Tesi Niu 4. Jacob Gagan 5. Manase Kaho 6. Jack Wright 7. Jack Ahearn 8. Cooper Jenkins 9. Kierran Moseley 20. George Fai 11. Oryn Keeley 12. Jeremiah Simbiken 13. Mason Teague 14. Zak Mcguire 15. James Flack 16. Sam Elliott 18. Campbell Duffy 19. Zach Brooks

Referees: Liam Kennedy; Sideline Officials: Jarrod Cole, Kieren Irons; Video Referees: Peter Gough;