Reserve Grade - NSW Premier League - Round 10

v Newtown, North Sydney Oval, Friday May 18 7;00pm

LOSS 18-24

Late Changes Mellor, Paea, Bobonjie were out.Boston started wing, Luke at half, Wynyard at lock The Newtown Jets went into Friday night's VB Premier League match against North Sydney very much the underdogs, bearing in mind the call-ups into the Roosters NRL squad due to State of Origin representative commitments, injuries plus the transfer of Josh Lewis to the Gold Coast Titans. North Sydney had named a near full-strength team and looked poised to regain the Frank Hyde Shield which is contested on an annual basis between the two 1908 foundation clubs. Ten of Newtown's 17-man squad were either playing Jersey Flegg last year or are still qualified for the under 20's grade this season. In a benchmark display of courage and determination, this young Newtown side led 12-6 at halftime, but then looked to have faltered when the Bears fought their way back to 18-all with nine minutes left to play only for the Jets to engineer what was to be the winning try five minutes from fulltime and an enthralling 24-18 victory. Newtown enjoyed an early territorial advantage and run of penalties in the first half but couldn't turn this surfeit of possession into precious points. Jets halfback Jamie Soward kicked a penalty goal after fifteen minutes. Fetuli Talanoa scored a great individual try when he busted through the defence and ran 60m to score which involved some great footwork and swerve to leave the Newtown fullback standing still. The relative ease of a runaway try to the Bears five minutes later looked ominous for the youthful Jets, several of whom were showing obvious signs of wear and tear from the torrid forward battle with the giant Norths pack. Soward nearly laid on a try for Troy Savage in the 32nd minute when the Junior Kiwis centre just failed to grasp his captain's well-placed corner kick. Five minutes later Soward chip-kicked ahead, regathered miraculously and sent workhorse frontrower Dale Newton in under the posts at the northern end. Soward continued to torment the Bears, this time with a pinpoint corner kick for which the debutant winger Rhys Pritchard out-jumped his opponent and scored, enabling the Jets to go in at the halftime break with a 12-6 lead. The second half of this Shield decider had all the excitement and tension of an elimination semifinal. Soward maintained his purple patch of form by threading a perfectly-weighted kick into the North Sydney in-goal zone where two Bears defenders desperately tried to ground the ball, only for the masterful Jets halfback to do the honours instead. The experienced Norths pack started to gain the ascendancy midway through the second half. The Bears started a comeback when Beau Champion barged over for a try in the 58th minute which Issac Luke converted. A 30m break down the sideline by Norths prop Scott Geddes put the Bears in good field position and Issac Luke took on the defence and was able to stretch out and plant the ball on the line. The scores were now 18-all at the 70th minute. It looked as if the Bears would rampage home despite all the bravery and resolution of this makeshift Newtown team. Five minutes from fulltime a thrilling midfield dash by Soward, coming off a Norths turnover, was halted a mere ten metres short of the tryline. The ball was swept quickly to the right for Kiwi international centre Iosia Soliola to plunge over in the corner at the Ken Irvine Scoreboard end of the ground. Soward brought a throaty roar from the large contingent of Jets faithful in attendance when he converted from the sideline, for the final score of 24-18.

15 min  0-2
20 min  6-2
32 min  6-6
38 min  6-12
45 min  6-18
58 min 12-18
70 min 18-18
75 min 18-24

Talanoa, Champion, Luke tries
Luke 3 from 3 goals

Final Line Up
                             T  G/A  FG
Flbk - Champion, Beau        1  -     - (c)
Wing - Gordon, Isaac         -  -     -
Cntr - Paulson, Germaine     -  -     -
Cntr - Talanoa, Fetuli       1  -     -
Wing - Boston, Troy          -  -     -
5/8  - Rogers, Ben           -  -     -
Half - Luke, Issac           1  3/3   -
Prop - Geddes, Scott         -  -     -
Hook - Webb, Stuart          -  -     -
Prop - Falemaka, Joe         -  -     -
SRow - Galuvao, Joe          -  -     -
SRow - McPherson, Shannon    -  -     -
Lock - Wynyard, Dave         -  -     -

Int  - Nasio, Valu           -  -     -
Int  - Verlinden, Ryan       -  -     -
Int  - Ta'akimoeaka, Conrad  -  -     -

                             3  3/3   -

Other Reserve Grade Matches

NSWRL Jersey Flegg - Under 20's - Round 10

v Parramatta, Parramatta Stadium, Saturday May 19 1:50pm

LOSS 10-34

North, Trotter tries
Reedy goal

Other U20 Matches