NZ RUGBY LEAGUE NEWS:

Jets Keep on Track for the Finals

Written by:Glenn Dwyer - Newtown Jets Media officer

July 20th 2009 03:53 PM

The Newtown Jets might have made an ordinary start to the 2009 NSW Cup season but they have now won five of their last six competition matches. The Jets are travelling in eighth place on the premiership table following their rather “scratchy” 36-26 win over the Auckland Vulcans at Henson Park last Saturday. The men from across “The Ditch” made the Jets work hard for this victory, as the Aucklanders led 22-16 at halftime and Newtown only claimed the lead ten minutes out from fulltime. Newtown’s best player was fullback Iwi Hauraki, who has shaken off his early season injuries and is now one of the form players of the competition. Strong performances from Jets forwards Ray Moujalli, Khalid Deeb and James Kolomatangi helped pave the way for this important win. Jets coach Greg Matterson said after the match that he regarded this as a fairly average performance by his players and that they hadn’t given the Vulcans the respect they deserved. There were too many missed tackles, particularly in the first half, and there had been some poor finishing at the end of several of Newtown’s sets of possession. The Jets had a fairly good completions rate for the game but there had been some squandered opportunities. Congratulations are in order for Newtown SG Ball Cup (Under 18’s) representative players Jacob Miller and Cheyse Blair who have won selection in the 2009 Australian Schoolboys Rugby League representative team, which will play the touring Great Britain Schoolboys team in a test series later this month. The Newtown Jets will be looking to continue their drive towards the 2009 NSW Cup finals series when they take on the Windsor Wolves (Penrith’s feeder team) at the Windsor Rugby League Complex next Saturday evening (25th July) at 6.00pm. NSWRL NSW Cup Saturday, 18th July 2009 Henson Park. Newtown Jets 36: Sonny Tuigamala 2, Sean Rudder, Tu’U Maori, Chris Tuatara, Jimmy Andersen, Pat Rosser tries; Chris Tuatara 4 goals defeated Auckland Vulcans 26: Glen Fisiiasi 2, Ukuma Ta’ai, Pita Godinet, Sione Tongia tries; Aaron Heremaia 3 goals. Half-Time: Auckland Vulcans led 22-16. Newtown’s team was: 1 – Iwi Hauraki 2 – Sonny Tuigamala, 19 – Sisa Waqa 3 – Chris Tuatara, 4 – Tu’U Maori 6 – Tinetali Papalii, 7 – Liam Foran 13 – Jimmy Andersen 11 – James Koloamatangi, 12 – Rohan Ahern 8 – Ray Moujalli, 9 – Sean Rudder. 10 – Khalid Deeb Bench: 14 – Matthew Hall 15 – Kyle Lodge 17 – Pat Rosser 19 – Tavite Vatuvei 20 – Iosia Soliola. Referee: Matt Hawkins Touch Judges: Peter Sciberras, David Ryan. Best player award: Iwi Hauraki.

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