The Newtown Jets completed a finals fairytale on Sunday to win the NSW Cup from seventh place.
A late try to hooker Nafe Seluini clinched a 22-18 victory over Balmain Ryde-Eastwood at ANZ Stadium in the most unlikely of grand final match-ups in the second-tier competition.
The Tigers came into the decider from eighth place.
In a tight contest, Jets captain Daniel Mortimer, who played for Parramatta in the 2009 NRL grand final loss to Melbourne, led the way for the foundation club.
Rugby League’s oldest club last won a premiership of any kind in 1943.
“It’s great for this club. You hear all the stories about how they didn’t have a team for seven years but the board kept showing up to meetings … all the Newtown fans have stuck in there too so it’s great for them too,” Mortimer said.
“To find ourselves here lifting the trophy is amazing and something I never thought would happen.
“It’s a very proud moment. NRL is where I want to be but coming back to Newtown, they make you feel like a star and I’m glad I could lift the trophy.”
Mortimer has a year to run on his contract with the Sydney Roosters and is looking forward to working with new first grade coach Trent Robinson in 2013.
“I’ve still got next year at the Roosters, a new coach coming in … it’s a fresh start, so I’ll be giving it my best,” he said.
Newtown made a brilliant start to lead 12-0 through tries to Daniel Tupou and Jack Bosden with Mortimer in everything, kicking a 40-20 before finding a flying Tupou with a neat cross-field kick to score in the corner.
Bosden crashed over soon after to extend the lead.
Balmain hit back late in the half with tries to Ava Seumanufagai and Sean Meaney to go into the break 12-10 down.
The Tigers hit the lead for the first time early in the second half through Dane Chisholm, who scored out wide before Newtown hit back soon after with centre Francis Vaiotu crashing over on the left edge.
Newtown’s 16-14 lead was short lived with Tigers centre Josh Davis finishing a neat attacking raid on the left edge to make it 18-16 inside the final 15 minutes.
Seluini then dived over from dummy half before the Jets survived a nail biting final few minutes to win the title.
Newtown Jets 22 (D Tupou, J Bosden, F Vaiotu, N Seluini tries; D Mortimer 3 goals) bt Balmain Ryde-Eastwood Tigers 18 (A Seumanufagai, S Meaney, D Chisholm, J Davis tries; S Meaney goal).
