The Cumberland Throw

ISP Match Report – Jets defeat Magpies

Only a few short weeks ago, the Newtown Jets absolutely demolished Wenty in an embarrassing 50 to 24 result at Henson Park. Today’s Round 19 clash would be the Magpies shot at redemption at their Ringrose Park home ground.

Of great interest for Eels supporters this afternoon was the senior debut of Dylan Brown at halfback and Haze Dunster at left wing. Throw in other youngsters on the field today, such as Oregon Kaufusi, Greg Leleisiuao, Dane Aukafolau and Jaeman Salmon and you have examples of the youth coming through the Parramatta grades. (Please note, Ray Stone is currently on the injured list.)

Unfortunately it was an inauspicious start for the Wenty team today. Leleisiuao lost the ball on the kick return in the first possession for the Magpies, and the first try was on the board for Jets winger Aufaga-Toomaga only three tackles later.

The next two possessions for Wenty fared just as poorly, with the ball turned over on the first and second tackles. The running was all with the Bluebags as they converted possession into points with a try beside the posts by lock Magoulias taking the score out to 10 nil after only 13 minutes.

Kane Evans began to play a dominant role through the middle and was rewarded with a try beside the posts following a powerful charge off a quick play the ball in the Jets quarter. The conversion had the scores at 10 to 6 with just over 20 minutes left in the first half.

On the back of a better platform from his forwards, Salmon found himself in open space only to be thwarted by the Jets fullback. Dylan Brown was soon making his mark on the game, taking on the line and bobbing up in support. He and Jaeman Salmon were combining well and they needed to, with the Jets halves, Williams and Flanagan creating plenty of opportunities themselves.

After defending solidly for the latter part of the first half, the Magpies let themselves down in conceding a soft try to Jolliffe running on to a Flanagan pass through the middle of the ruck. The conversion saw the Jets head to the dressing rooms with a 16 to 6 lead.

Newtown extended their lead just ten minutes into the second half. A left side shift 40 metres out saw the attack get outside the Wenty defence and Tamou scoring in the corner. A great sideline conversion had the score hitting 22 to 6 with just under half an hour to go.

Undisciplined defence from Newtown afforded the Magpies plenty of possession and territory via a string of penalties. Wenty took full advantage of the opportunities with Jaeman Salmon scoring a smart try darting out from dummy half, then Evans scored his second try off another massive charge. The scoreboard showed 22 to 18 with just on twenty minutes left.

Surprisingly, that scoreboard wasn’t troubled again for the rest of the match. The Magpies threatened the Jets line numerous times, but the defence held solid. Some unfortunate decisions or passes from dummy half proved costly, but the players on both teams deserved praise for an entertaining game of Sunday arvo football.

For the Magpies, Kane Evans was easily best on field in his strongest performance of the season. He created havoc with every charge, and when congratulated after the game, was more concerned with the loss rather than his own form.

Brown and Salmon look to be a promising halves pairing. The club could be playing them as a combination in the Eels Jersey Flegg team, and strengthen the team’s claims to the title. However, the club is looking at their pathway to first grade and giving them experience in senior football.

It was an impressive first outing for Brown. He distributed the ball well, often taking it right to the line, and wasn’t afraid of taking a hit. Furthermore, it was difficult to fault his defence, which has always been one of his strengths. He over-cooked a couple of kicks today, but that would be nitpicking his performance.

The other debutant, Haze Dunster, performed strongly with good carries in his kick returns and a number of strong charges through the ruck. He had few opportunities out wide and is still learning his wing craft. Haze has been playing both wing and fullback in Flegg and is obviously seen as a player of the future by the club.

For those tracking Kaufusi, the young tyro was playing as an edge forward. There weren’t many attacking opportunities today, but he maintained his aggression in defence. Leleisiuao presented a challenge for the Jets in every carry, but he has a bit to learn with his positional play in defence.

Final Score – Jets 22 defeated Magpies 18

Eels forever!
Sixties

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22 thoughts on “ISP Match Report – Jets defeat Magpies

  1. Hearndo

    Thanks for the write up Sixties! Since ISP is so irregularly featured on tv it’s so hard to get a grasp of how our fringe and developing players are performing. Very valuable insight!

    1. sixties Post author

      The draw for ISP and Flegg is not kind for those of us who like to get to these matches to track how players are performing.

  2. Milo

    Thanks for the write up mate; sounds interesting. We seem to have several players in ISP who can still play Flegg. I know we lost but that seems promising. Is Evans showing signs of improvement? Is Haze seen as a Fullback? Great read again mate and tank you.

    1. sixties Post author

      This was easily the best form that I’ve seen from Kane. I was told today that his form had really lifted over the last 3 weeks.
      I’m not sure that Haze is seen as a fullback. For mine, he’s a winger with versatlity.

  3. John Eel

    Like hearing about the ISP and this was a good report even if the result wasn’t so good. I would love to see these guys play ahead of the NRL game and I understand all the reasons why it doesn’t happen but just expressing my views
    Did Gowie play today? Would be interested to see Evans get another crack at NRL at some time before the season is over. He had a bad start to pre season and never really recovered.
    With these youngsters playing today you wonder if any like Salmon are in the top 30. I understand from other blogs that GL is in the 30 but who else.

    1. sixties Post author

      John, Gowie didn’t play. I believe you’re correct about GL, but I’m not sure if we’ve been allowed to replace our retired or departed players.

  4. Colin Hussey

    Thanks for the report 60’s, sadly another loss for the wenty team but at least they were not run over like that last outing against the jest, which I watched on the box, I actually sat through the whole game then and at its end I wondered why I watched it as it was a very poor performance by the team against the jets, where Evans was a very poor performer indeed.

    To now read this report, even though a loss, it certainly is a real turn round, especially with Evans game play today. On the last match Greg L scored after a powerful run but he defence was terrible on that day, and it could be something that could well hold him back in the game.

    I liked Kafusi back then and he seems to have continued his rise in his playing ability. I do believe that we have enough good young players coming through the system that will work for the eels in the years ahead,

    The halves pairing will be watched with a lot of interest by most eels supporters,, now is the time to try and wrap the best ones up for the future rather than losing them to opposition clubs.

    1. sixties Post author

      I feel certain that Brown will spend more than a week in this grade. Even though he did well, he needs so much more than one game to form combinations.
      We should also remember that Ray Stone was out injured.

      1. Salty Pete

        Thanks Sixties. That was Wenty’s best performance of the season. The forwards valued the pill, and the halves played off the back of it. Sadly, lack of discipline and mistakes in the engine room have proved costly for Wenty this year, but the forwards were outstanding today – especially Evans. I thought Brown and Dunster had great games, and Salmon’s always going to be good with a share of possession. It was nice to see the boys play to their potential.

        1. sixties Post author

          Cheers Salty. It was a really good game of football. There was certainly some added tension when the clock stopped working with 19 minutes left, and didn’t start up again fill there was seven minutes to go.
          I will continue to push for a Parra ISP team. It’s the only way forward.

          1. Salty Pete

            Yes, the clock!! Great report, sixties. You covered everything. Really impressed with the defence yesterday as well. They threw quite a bit at our halves, and Brown for his first game, was equal to the task.

    1. sixties Post author

      You’re welcome Anon. The draw certainly doesn’t make it easy to watch Flegg and ISP. I’d like to be able to watch more.

  5. Anonymous

    We must end our association with wenty ,we just prop them up and get nothing in return !!!!!

    1. MAX

      I don’t think Wenty get too much out of the partnership Anonymous, speak to their board of the senior league!!!

      1. Colin Hussey

        Max, I tend to agree, the primary thing they likely get is that many of the players are paid for by the eels club, and likewise the coach and some other support staff.

        However the way that Wenty is as far as an actual leagues club and therefore is a financially viable one at that, they could be better by themselves rather in the current partnership, with the eels going their own way and being an ISP side of their own.

        Problem with that may be that it would not take long for one of the other NRL clubs to make approaches to be their feeder club. So how do the eels maintain a feeder basis with a club inside its own district without supporting them somehow?

        Reality is, that even as a commercial business, Wenty leagues and Parra leagues are competing for each others business.

        1. MAX

          Thanks Col, if we look further West of Wentworthville to St Mary’s, just have a look at how many St Mary’s juniors are coming through the ranks in Penrith as we speak, and there are a few to come.

      2. John Eel

        MAX surely that would be a matter of scouting and recruiting. Not necessarily prompting an amalgamation with St Mary’s. St Mary’s has always been a strong club along with Colyton.

        I had not thought about it until Sixties raised it. However I agree that the Eels fielding their own ISP side would have a lot of benefits.

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