Official Wentworthville Magpies Thread II

[Forty20]

Pritchard tries to burrow over but just falls short. From the 10m resumption of play, Wenty go down the right with Manu Mau (I believe) who goes into heavy contact with 3 defenders before slipping a ball away to Takai Moeakiola who crashes over from close range.

Conversion is waved away as Fritz can't find his range from out wide.

Wenty trail Newtown 10-12

 

[I bleed blue & gold]

Woo. Sounds like Mau is making a good impression with us so far.

 

[Forty20]

Great kick from Pritchard on the last finds touch 10m out from the Newtown goal line. Pritchard is controlling the ruck fairly well but Wenty are definitely missing Junior Paulo today.

 

[Forty20]

Close call benefits Wenty there as Ualesi makes 15m up the middle before trying to get an offload away. His pass in contested by a defender and falls to ground but Pritchard is awake to proceedings and cleans it up. Ref calls 6 again. Two tackles later Wenty earn a penalty in a nice run of possession.

 

[Forty20]

Not content with scoring a try off the hard work of some one else, Moeakiola does it all himself this time. He scores in the same spot but this time runs the ball from 10m out and smashes his way through the Jet's goal line defence.

Fritz doesn't make any adjustments from his last attempt and misses again.

Wenty lead Newtown 14-10

Wenty penalty from the kick off set. They restart play on the Jet's 40m line.

 

[Forty20]

Wenty squander a fantastic chance there with an ordinary set, beyond a good run from Tyrone Viiga there wasn't much else going on.

Fortunately, Newtown turn the ball over in the midst of their set giving Wenty another chance.

 

[Forty20]

Manu Mau makes another solid run and offload, he is causing some problems down the right.

From that play Wenty shift fast to their left but the ball is shutdown mid movement with a good jam from a Newtown defender. Wenty attack the left immediately again, this time finding Radradra with a fast face ball. Semi is left 1-on-1 with his opposing winger and leaves him in the dust with a massive fend before planting the ball in the corner.

Fritz nails the conversion from the corner.

Wenty extend their lead to 20-12

 

[Forty20]

Enterprising play from Wenty falls just short as they put a chip kick in the the fourth tackle. Fritz takes in cleanly but the Jets scramble hard to shut him down. On the next and last tackle, Wenty go down the short side trying to catch Newtown snoozing. They nearly do but Fritz is pulled down just short.

The ref doesn't blow a turnover though as we are coming back for a penalty for a late hit during the chip kick.

Despite the extra chance, Wenty fail to capitalise again as they turn the ball over and then give away a penalty.

Comedy of errors though as Newtown fail to find touch from the kick.

 

[Forty20]

Wenty had the last chance of the half as Kelly kicks, looking for Radradra...the kick however is well too long and the touchie waves it away as the half-time siren rings.

Half Time

Wenty lead Newtown 20-12

 

[Stagger eel]

Forty, I've been told that #21 is Walter Vaeu.

 

[Forty20]

Forty, I've been told that #21 is Walter Vaeu.

Thanks Stagger

Some momentary lapses of concentration have cost Wenty a big lead in the first half. While Newtown probably has the marginal ascendancy in the ruck, Wenty are dominating both edges in general as the combination of Mau and Moeakiola punishes them on our right while Gilbert and Radradra hurts them on our left.

I'm not sure how much Mau and Moeakiola had to do with the two Newtown linebreaks on our right but beyond that potential negative they have played very well, same goes for Semi.

Pritchard is playing very nicely up the middle while Ualesi and Viiga have both made some solid runs through the ruck.

 

[Forty20]

The players are filing back out from the dressing rooms for the second half.

Wenty will receive the ball from the kickoff.

 

[Forty20]

Wenty drive their way to Newtown's 40m line before sending it up high on the last.

Semi leaps up and takes the ball in the midfield before getting a desperate offload away. Wenty continue to scramble with the ball in hand before toeing it through where it is cleaned up by the fullback.

Newtown catch Wenty short on our right edge making a half break before getting roped in. They mirror Wenty's last tackle option by sending it up high but enjoy better field position for their kick.

Semi goes up again but this time loses control of it backwards where it becomes a mad scramble between him and a chaser to ground the ball ingoals.

Semi gets there first and forces the ball to give Newtown a repeat set.

Newtown aren't threatening too much in the repeat set before Wenty get lazy around the ruck and the #19 sneaks over for Newtown.

Conversion is missed.

Newtown trail 16-20

 

[Forty20]

Newtown make some good metres via a good offload but end up turning the ball over as they knock on going into contact.

Wenty scrum on their 30m line.

 

[Forty20]

Wenty make good metres with a strong run from Radradra down the left edge but complete their set with a pretty ordinary stab-chip.

Newtown burst down the middle with the blood-nut #15 who finds the ever present #1 Henare Wells backing up on the inside. Wells latches onto the pass and strolls over to score under the posts.

Conversion is good.

Newtown now lead Wenty 22-20

 

[jason taylor]

Great kick from Pritchard on the last finds touch 10m out from the Newtown goal line. Pritchard is controlling the ruck fairly well but Wenty are definitely missing Junior Paulo today.

Wait, we have a potential hooker that has a decent kicking game?
Sounds like a god send

 

[Forty20]

Newtown make huge metres again but end up wasting their set with an impotent bomb that Radradra takes comfortably in goals.

Wenty attack down their right but a Jets defender gets hand to a pass to kill the movement. Six again for Wenty.

 

[Forty20]

Wait, we have a potential hooker that has a decent kicking game?
Sounds like a god send

Alas it was the only kick I saw him take thus far today but it was a good'un.

Back to the game...

Wenty focus their attack down their right-edge again but Moeakiola is nailed in a superb one-on-one tackle. That brings up the last and Kelly receives the ball with massive pressure from two defenders. He manages to step them both and rolls in a desperate grubber towards the posts as he is wrapped up by two more defenders.

Parata is on point to pick up the ball and scores next to the posts.

The conversion is an easy one.

Wenty lead Newtown 26-22

 

[Forty20]

Sean Jackson is now on.

Wenty and Newtwon trade sets but neither can crack the opposing defence.

 

[Forty20]

Another good carry from Radradra down the right opens up the field somewhat for Wenty.

They come back centrefield where Wenty receive a 50/50 penalty for a strip...it was a pretty marginal call.

N.Smith hits the chest of Fritz with a good cut out but he can't hold onto it and Newtown get the ball on their 10m line.

The Jets then go straight through up the middle with their #10 who links up with support. Heretukuku is wrong footed and the try line is left open but the Wenty cover defence arrives in time and forces a mistake in the tackle.