Newtown Jets coach Greg Matterson is daring to dream after his side’s promising performance in Round 4 of the Intrust Super Premiership NSW, declaring his side isn’t just aiming to make the finals - they’re determined to go deep into the playoffs.
The Jets soared at Panthers Stadium against Penrith to record their second win of the season, showing themselves to be a genuine title chance following an emphatic victory against last year’s premiers.
“We want to make sure we play finals footy, and not just play it – we want to be a force in them,” Matterson tells NSWRL.com.au.
“Every year we want to play finals – we’ve been a rollercoaster the past couple of years... two years ago we were unlucky not to be in the big one and last year was really disappointing.”
Newtown started the season with a one-point loss in Wyong, before extinguishing the Dragons and falling to Blacktown Workers – but Matterson hopes it is Saturday’s strong performance that will kick-start the Jets’ year.
“We were disappointed in Round 1, we made a fair few mistakes in the first half but we probably should have almost got the game at the end,” he says.
“Round 2 was a good performance but I thought St George Illawarra were a bit off their game. Last week we just made too many errors in the first half – Blacktown are a fair side, we were really disappointed.
“This week we turned it around with good completions in the first half. They tried to slow the game down a little bit and it hurt them – they gave us a fair few penalties but it levelled out a fair bit in the second half.
“I was impressed with some of our footy, we scored a couple of nice tries today. We’re a developing team, there’s youth mixed with experience blokes, so we’re a work in progress.”
One of the Jets’ brightest stars is halfback Kyle Flanagan – and Matterson believes he can be a fixture in the top grade… eventually.
“He’s a good kid but he’s also a work in progress. He’s a smart kid, there’s plenty of improvement left in him but he’ll get there,” Matterson say.
“It’ll be good for him to play a fair bit of Intrust, it’ll toughen him up – they’re hitting him after he kicks, he’s getting plenty of attention and it’ll put him in good stead for the NRL.
“There’s some good footy in this team and there’s some real good blokes – I’m enjoying coaching them, because they come to work and leave their crap at the door and they’re having a dig. We’re forming a good bond.”
