On an afternoon celebrating club stalwart Kurt Kara’s record-breaking appearance in the Intrust Super Premiership NSW, the Newtown Jets piled on the points to down the Warriors 38 points to 12.
With the sun beaming down around a jam-packed Henson Park, the parochial home crowd was treated to a day out as the Jets ran in seven-tries-to-two to return to the Intrust Super Premiership NSW winners’ circle.
Right-side flyer Edrick Lee opened the hosts’ account in just the second minute of play, touching down with relative ease on the end of a well-worked backline shift.
The sun at his back though hard-pressed against the Eastern touchline, Joseph Paulo was unable to turn four into six as his conversion attempt sailed wide.
Continuing to apply the pressure upon the Warriors’ goal-line defence, mid-season recruit Adam Clydsdale bundled over for the Jets second try inside the opening 10 minutes.
Cleaning up a loose offload, Clydsdale brushed off the New Zealand right side defence to score adjacent to the uprights – a simpler attempt second time around, Paulo made no mistake with his shot on goal.
Up by 10 and keeping pace with the clock, Newtown showed no signs of slowing down in their ongoing search for points.
As did his wing-partner in the match’s formative stages, Leigh Higgins went over for a try to keep the scoreboard ticking over for the Jets.
Higgins was the beneficiary of a delightful pass from his inside man Jesse Ramien, finishing the play to send the Jets out by 14, then 16 as Paulo converted.
Two-from-three with the boot from the tee, Paulo’s kicking game was on-song in general play also – a neat play close to the line, albeit a grubber on the right end of a deflection, saw the five-eighth grab the side’s fourth try of the half.
Again, in the shadows of the uprights, Paulo slotted the conversion, extending the Warriors misery.
Fellow Cronulla Sharks-contracted player Sam Tagataese then soon after crashed across from close range, rounding out the Jets first-half onslaught as the Blue Bags took a 28-nil lead into the sheds.
At the change of ends the Warriors found little respite, their errors and ill-discipline ridding them of any hope of a second-half revival.
In some consolation though, the visitors managed to stem the flow of points until when Reubenn Rennie dived over for the Jets in the 56th minute.
Alike his first shot on goal for the afternoon, Paulo pushed the kick wide of the uprights as the score remained with Newtown up by 32.
Injected into the play for his second stint, Tagataese again found the try-line – a pass from Clydsdale at acting-half timed to perfection for the barnstorming front-rower to complete his double.
In a fitting gesture, Paulo handed over the kicking duties to milestone man Kara, who obliged much to the delight of the home fans, sending the Steeden through the posts to take the Jets out by 38-0.
In a testament to their staying power – despite having an afternoon to forget – the Warriors continued in their hopes to find a try, and they did so in the 69th minute courtesy of prop forward Taniela Palavi.
Junior Pauga raised the flags, with the Warriors reducing the deficit to 32 points.
Showing plenty of effort despite the scoreboard quite obviously their adversary, the Warriors asked questions of the Newtown defence as time ticked away.
Jet-turn-Warrior Manaia Cherrington was rewarded with a try against the club with who he started the 2017 season, again Pauga converted as the full-time siren sounded, the Jets running out 38 points to 12 victors in Round 20.
Newtown Jets 38 (S Tagataese 2, E Lee, A Clydsdale, L Higgins, J Paulo, R Rennie tries; J Paulo 4, K Kara 1 goals) def. NZ Warriors 12 (T Palavi, M Cherrington tries; J Pauga 2 goals)
