LeagueNews.co | Jess Malloy
The Newtown Jets suffered their first loss of the premiership defence in Round Five of The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup against the North Sydney Bears at Parker Street Reserve.
Despite the Bears having a poor 3-17 record against their opponents, they managed to upset the Penrith Panthers 26-24.
The Panthers, missing key players, were no match for the Bears in the first half, who took a commanding 22-6 lead at the break.
The performance of late inclusions Jake Toby and Jesse Marschke heavily influenced the Bears' success.
Although the Panthers trailed 26-6 early in the second half, they made a comeback with three unanswered tries in 10 minutes, bringing the score to 26-24.
However, they were unable to secure the win, suffering their first loss of the season.
Despite the loss, Jets coach Josh Hannay remained positive about the team's performance, acknowledging the Bears' strong effort.
He stated, "I saw what I needed to see today - everyone's trying really hard and we're just finding the feet." Hannay highlighted the importance of learning from the defeat and using it as motivation to improve in future matches.
The upcoming matches in Round Five of The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup will continue to showcase the competition's fierce competition and unpredictable results.
Fans can look forward to exciting matchups, including Parramatta Eels v St George Illawarra Dragons and Manly Warringah Sea Eagles v Western Suburbs Magpies.
Despite the setback, the Jets remain determined to bounce back and defend their premiership title.
With the lessons learned from their first loss, the team is focused on improving and regaining momentum in the upcoming games.