The young Jets made a real game of it against formidable opposition and the Newtown boys can take some consolation from the fact that the Bulldogs are the standout favourites to win the 2009 title.

Coach Joel Greig and his coaching staff deserve great credit for having shaped this team of youngsters into genuine premiership contenders in what was a very intense and high-standard National under 18’s competition.

The Jets led 18-4 after 25 minutes through tries to prop Samson Manu’a, backrower Dane Atkinson and centre Jack Littlejohn but the powerful Bulldogs combination was right back in the match trailing 18-16 at halftime.

One Bulldogs team official described the game as being “like a very competitive bout between a top-class heavyweight and a brave and resourceful middleweight”.

The Bulldogs punished Newtown for any errors made in the second half but the feisty Jets were still in there counter-punching right to the final siren.

Jack Littlejohn was named as Newtown’s man of the match while others to stand out in a great team effort were second-rower Dane Atkinson, fullback Cheyse Blair, front-rowers Samson Manu’a and Ethan Lowe and lock Nick Ehsman.

Clearly there were a number of first graders of the future on display in both teams.

Newtown's last minute win in the NSW Cup match against the Auckland Vulcans on the previous weekend might have been a false dawn for the Jets, as they slumped to a depressing 48-12 trouncing at the hands of the Shellharbour Dragons at Henson Park on Anzac Day.

Newtown coach Greg Matterson admits that it's back to the drawing board as the Jets strive to find consistency and a winning formula.

The Dragons had a feast of possession in the first fifteen minutes of both halves and the consequent heavy defensive workload took a lot of the sting out of the Jets attack when they did have the ball.

Newtown has conceded tries on the opposition’s fifth tackle in more than one game this season and this has to be eradicated from the Jets' game, as well as the poor options taken at the end of their own sets of possession.

Newtown’s best were lock Jimmy Andersen, prop Stanley Waqa, backrower Rohan Ahern, fullback Iwi Hauraki and winger Kyle Lodge.

Parramatta Eels v Easts Juniors Harold Matthew's Cup Rnd Of 16 Finals (Photo's : ourfootyteam.com)

And it’s not just the game’s traditional heavyweights in with a chance of achieving national champion status with Melbourne, Central Coast and Newcastle all making it through to this weekend’s quarter finals.

The quarter finals will see Queensland’s best in Townsville and Brisbane Norths go up against the Bulldogs and Parramatta respectively, with the Eels travelling to Langlands Park deep in the heart of enemy territory.

Sydney’s Toyota Stadium and Brookvale Oval host the remaining quarter final match-ups.

“Fans at these games are seeing our future State of Origin players, there’s no doubt about that,” NSWRL General Manager Geoff Carr said today.

“Many of the players are already contracted to senior NRL clubs and they represent the very best of junior Rugby League talent in the country.

“In the years down the track there will certainly be a selection of them who will push for representative honours as they mature.

“Plenty of today’s Origin stars were brought up through the Junior Representative system.

“It’s a terrific development pathway which has only grown stronger with the introduction of Queensland, Northern Territory and Melbourne teams.”

Jacob Miller scored 5 tries & booted 6 goals to score 32 points (Photo : ourfootyteam.com)
Jacob Miller lines up to convert another one of his 5 tries (Photo : ourfootyteam.com)
NEWTOWN JETS	40 - 18	BALMAIN TIGERS
TRIES : Jacob Miller 5, Tom Dawney, Paul Rokolati GOALS : Jacob Miller 6		TRIES : Politoni 2, Finau GOALS :
PK’s Best & Fairest: 3 – Jacob Miller Newtown Halfback 2 – Tom Dawney Newtown Five eighth 1 – Boyd Cordner Newtown second row
SG BALL RESULTS | MATTHEW CUP RESULTS

But everyone at the ground was talking about the performance of classy Jets half back Jacob Miller. He scored five tries and kicked six goals for a personal tally of 32 points.

The surfie from the Northern Rivers alternative culture town of Mullumbimby is no hippy.

This boy can play football and he is absolutely lethal close to an opposition tryline.

Just look at some of the teams he has represented over many years. It started when he represented NSW PSSA Under 12 Team in 2004.

Three years later he made the NSW CHS Under 15 Team that were national champions in Adelaide.

Then last year he scored two trys for NSW 16’s against Queensland in a curtain raiser before the State of Origin clash.

Yesterday the Tigers started like a house on fire after good tries to skipper Patrick Politoni and flying winger Faleula Finau in the 4th and 6th minutes of play.

Finau’s effort was superb. He supported a linebreak by team mate Tim Simone and he raced 60 metres to score a try.

He has been an unsung hero for the Tigers this year becoming the competition’s leading try scorer with sixteen touch downs. Yesterday made it 17!

His clash with Newtown’s flying winger Michael Mizrahie was much anticipated with Finau winning on points. He is not far from representative honours.

At the 18th minute Balmain were leading 12 - 0 and looking comfortable.

Then that man Miller commenced his ascendancy. He dummied ten metres out from Balmain’s line and with a determined run scored the first of his five tries.

Five minutes later he was at it again close to the Tigers line with another effort full of determination and speed. The score is now 12 all.

Politoni was in the action soon after with an individual try jinking his way to the line from five metres out.

The Tigers led 18 - 12 at half time. And there ends the Tigers season for 2009.

They decided to go to sleep and didn’t compete in the second half. They allowed the Jets halves Jacob Miller and Tom Dawney to dictate the game and they never got a look in.

Coach David Brooks must be scratching his head at the Tigers performance. They looked like a million dollars at times this season. They were the only team to beat Parramatta during the normal round games. But they are an enigma and their performances inconsistent.

In the 39th minute star forward Boyd Cordner cut through flimsy Tiger defence and passed to five eight Dawney who raced 30 metres to the line.

Five minutes later Balmain rake Dean Parata drops the ball and a scrum is set on the 10 metre line. Boyd Cordner picks up the ball from the back of the scrum and goes the blind. He draws the fullback and passes to a flying Jacob Miller who scores a very crafty try.

Coach Joel Greig must be smiling!

In the 59th minute Newtown started playing Fijian rugby. Twenty metres out from the Tigers line Newtown decide to chance their arm. Instead of kicking on the fifth tackle they run the ball to the right side.

Nothing on there but they decide to keep passing and sent the ball back infield.

After a passing flurry the ball finishes in the hands of you know who. Miller finishes off for his 4th try. The score is now 28 - 18 in Newtown’s favour.

Three minutes later Newtown winger Paul Rokolati scored a good try after centre Asipeli Fine broke through the now non-existent Tigers defence.

Miller wasn’t finished yet. Four minutes from the end Dawney again breaks the line. He comes to Tigers fullback Hayden Crouch. He looks around for support but there is no one there.

Should he kick ahead or just take the tackle. He has a second look around for support. Here comes Miller!

Miller took the ball on the burst and sprinted 40 metres to the line to make the final score 40-18.