The Newtown Jets staged a remarkable second-half comeback to defeat the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 28-18 in a thrilling contest at Henson Park on Saturday.
Canterbury dominated and came out firing, striking within two minutes as Luke Smith split the defence and backed himself to score. Blake Taaffe added the extras for a 6-0 lead.
Moments later, luck was on the Bulldogs' side when Josh Hutchinson's boot found a perfect bounce for a 40/20, putting them in a prime attacking position.
Sensing a defensive mismatch, the Bulldogs exploited the Jets' left edge, allowing Cooper Toy to dive over untouched. Taaffe's conversion made it 12-0.
Newtown's first attacking opportunity came after a desperate scramble defence, but back-to-back penalties saw them back on their own line. The Bulldogs nearly extended their lead but lost control of the ball over the try line. Another penalty and a break from Smith put the visitors in attacking range, forcing a goal-line dropout. Winger Jethro Rinakama soon capitalised, crossing on the left edge for an 18-0 advantage following Taaffe's third conversion.
With momentum against them, Newtown needed a spark. A high tackle penalty and repeat infringements finally gave them field position. Canterbury's discipline crumbled as captain Josh Hutchinson was sent to the sin bin for repeated offside penalties. The extra-man advantage and loss of captaincy paid off when Riley Pollard's pinpoint kick found Kristian Dixon in the right corner on the half-time buzzer. Niwhai Puru's conversion reduced the deficit to 18-6.
The Jets carried that momentum into the second half. An early break put them on the front foot, and sustained pressure forced a Bulldogs handling error. On the very last play before Hutchinson returned, Michael Gabrael crashed over on the left edge. Another successful conversion from Puru closed the gap to 18-12.
With their captain back, the Bulldogs steadied but Newtown controlled the arm-wrestle, camping inside Canterbury's 40-metre zone with repeated attacking sets. Niwhai Puru orchestrated the equaliser, threading Bradley Fearnley through a gap to score under the posts. Puru converted, leveling the game at 18-18 with 30 minutes remaining.
The Jets wasted no time taking the lead, capitalising on a Bulldogs knock-on for back-to-back tries. Hohepa Puru powered over, set up by his brother Niwhai giving Newtown their first lead of the match. The simple conversion pushed them ahead 24-18.
With fresh legs off the bench, the Jets found their rhythm. Gabrael completed his double soon after, extending the lead to 28-18, though Niwhai Puru's conversion attempt was his first miss of the match.
With six minutes left, the Bulldogs desperately searched for six points. A penalty gave them a late attacking chance, but they struggled to find space. As tensions rose, a last-minute line break nearly sparked a Bulldogs miracle, but Newtown's defence held firm to complete an incredible comeback victory at home.
The game was one of halves with the Bulldogs winning the first half by miles after securing over nine penalties in 30 minutes.
Captain of the Jets Billy Burns stated in a post-match interview, "Doggies came out nice and hard, they startled us there, but we found our groove our bench came on and certainly made an impact.
"We spoke a bit about our discipline; we had about nine penalties in the first half, when we cleared that up and got the footy back we knew we would could come over the top."
Talking points
- The Jets now sit at the top of the ladder after securing their fourth consecutive win, with their sights set on a back-to-back premiership as they continue to build momentum.
- Michael Gabrael's crucial double, including a try that helped spark the comeback was instrumental in the Jets' second-half turnaround and ultimate victory.
Key moment
The key moment of the match came when the Bulldogs' captain, Drew Hutchinson was sent to the sin bin. This gave the Jets a crucial one-man advantage, which they capitalised on immediately. With the momentum shifting, Newtown's attack found their rhythm and just before half-time, Kristian Dixon crossed the line in the right corner off a perfect kick from Riley Pollard, who also had a stand-out game.
What's next?
The Jets will head to Canberra to take on the Raiders in their next match, with their recent win putting them at the top of the ladder.
Meanwhile, the Bulldogs will face the Knights at Allianz Stadium in a crucial middle-of-the-ladder battle. Both teams will be aiming to gain ground and improve their standings as the season progresses.
