Mounties have kept their perfect record to start the 2017 Intrust Super Premiership NSW intact with a big 46 to 28 win over the Newtown Jets.
An undermanned Jets outfit battling key first half-injuries offered little resistance in the match’s latter stages, as Mounties ran in eight-tries-to-five en route to the 18-point victory.
Daniel Mortimer and Malakai Houma were brought from the field before the change of ends, as Newtown played out the second period with just 15 men.
The injuries offset the late inclusion of Cronulla Sharks’ regular Sam Tagataese, whose presence looked likely to bolster the Jets’ hopes of a win.
Though it was Newtown who got off to a flying start, as livewire hooker Manaia Cherrington broke through the Mounties defence from a quickly-taken penalty tap.
Kurt Dillon proved the beneficiary when he crashed across from close range, capping a dream opening minute for the Newtown side.
Mortimer turned four points into six courtesy of his conversion, as the Jets shot out to an early 6-0 lead.
In a contest plagued by early penalties, Mounties proved the quicker of the two sides to settle into their rhythm, with prop Royce Hunt hitting back for the hosts with a try adjacent to the uprights.
Hunt backed up his effort in the sixth minute with another four-pointer soon after, with Mounties pivot Jordan Turner slotting a pair of goals to send his side out by a converted try.
Mounties made it three on the bounce as centre Brent Naden finished a well-worked back line move to cross for points just moments later.
Turner again made no mistake, sending the hosts out by 12 points.
Down by two tries, Newtown’s task was made even more difficult when Houma was stretchered from the field.
Falling awkwardly in a tackle, the burley front-rower succumbed to a knee injury, with the visitors reduced to 16 men from the 26th minute of play.
Getting back into the grind after a long stoppage in play, it was the Jets next to find the line, as Matt Evans streamed through a yawning gap inside the Mounties’ 10 metres to score.
With Mortimer receiving treatment in back-play for a badly corked thigh, Cherrington stepped up to the tee, though couldn’t convert though close to the posts.
Edging back within eight points, ill-discipline both with and without the ball from Newtown gifted Mounties possession and position as half-time loomed.
Showing a clean pair of heels when presented an opportunity at the Newtown line, Naden went in untouched to find his second try of the afternoon.
Turner remained flawless with the boot, sending Mounties out by 14 points at the sound of the half-time siren.
Mortimer wasn’t sighted at the change of ends, with Cherrington shifting into the halves as the Jets went in search of points.
A left-to-right shift proved the answer for the Newtown, as Evans went in for his double to start the second half. Lock Jason Schirnack converted the try to bring the Jets back within eight points.
Dominic Reardon shut down hopes of a Newtown revival when he went in to score, as Naden completed his hat-trick on the stroke of the hour.
Makatoa added insult to injury with his try, as Turner capped a day to remember with another four points – taking his personal tally to 18 on the afternoon.
Turner couldn’t convert his own try as the score remained at 46-22.
Rounding out the afternoon’s scoring, the Jets’ Walker scored a second try in consolation, with Schirnack again successful from in front of goal, bringing the score at full-time to 46-28.
