The Newtown Jets have confirmed they have re-signed coach George Ndaira for the 2025 season of the NSW Cup.
In his second year as head coach, Ndaira led them to the 2024 NSW Cup title and won four other inter-club trophies and has now been rewarded with a one-year contract extension for the next season.
Winning the Frank Hyde Shield, Ken Wilson-Ray Blacklock Cup, Tom Raudonikis Cup and Tom Kirk Cup, Ndaira will be hoping to win back-to-back NSW Cup premierships and win the NRL State Championship after losing to the Norths Devils.
“No hesitation at all in going round again,” said Ndaira via nswrl.com.
“I've been with Newtown a long time now – it's a great club with a great culture, great bunch of people to be a part of. I don't see myself anywhere else at this stage.
“I thought we tried hard but just didn't finish off the game like we wanted to. We had put ourselves in a position to win the game and we just weren't good enough.
“It has left a bitter taste in the mouths of the boys so that's something that they'll remember next year.”
Seen as the feeder club of the Cronulla Sharks, the Newtown Jets will have the same relative squad as this season but will be without the likes of Samuel Healey and Tom Rodwell after they departed for the Warriors and Roosters.
However, they will add Canberra Raiders NSW Cup skipper Hohepa Puru to their ranks after he signed a one-year contract with the Cronulla Sharks to play alongside his brother on NSW Cup Grand Final Player of the Match Niwhai Puru.
“Obviously the group we had was good enough to win the comp and thankfully there's not too many changes,” Ndaira added.
“At this level players are looking for opportunities so we will lose a couple, but that creates a chance for other players.
“Every year you have that goal to be there on grand final day. We know what it's like and what it takes to get there.
"Hopefully it's given the boys that hunger to go after it again as this time we'll be more the hunted.
“Newtown wants to be known as the club that when you play us you're always up for a decent game of footy. It's not new territory for us but we need to be good at everything we do.”