WINNING FEELING: Orange’s Daniel Mortimer lifts the trophy after captaining Newtown to the win in the 2012 NSW Cup grand final against Balmain Ryde-Eastwood. Photo: GETTY IMAGES
“TO see him lift the trophy was magic.”
A former NSW Cup champion himself, Tim Mortimer said yesterday’s 22-18 win by the Newtown Jets against the Balmain Tigers was a win to treasure for younger brother and Jets skipper Daniel.
“He’ll have a few weeks off now and just celebrate with his mates,” Tim, a grand final winner with Wentworthville ironically over Newtown in 2008, said.
“He won’t even be caring about the NRL game that’s on.
“I’m reliving it, well not reliving it, but remembering what it was like.”
Labelled too good for the NSW Cup by Phil Gould during Channel Nine’s call of the match, Daniel Mortimer helped lead the Jets to their first major piece of silverware since 1973, when the Bluebags won the Willis Cup.
The crafty No.7 booted a 40-20 in the opening 10 minutes, a piece of individual brilliance leading to the Jets’ first try.
Mortimer booted a perfectly timed cross field kick for centre Daniel Tupou to grab, with the halfback’s conversion taking the score to 6-0.
Newtown’s lead was soon 12-0 when backrower Jack Bosden crossed and Mortimer converted.
But Balmain hit back.
The Tigers, through Ava Seumanufagai and Sean Meaney, reduced the Jets’ lead to 12-10 at the break with the boot of Mortimer giving his side a two-point advantage at half-time.
In the end, Mortimer’s boot proved the difference.
In an error-riddled second period, both side’s scored two tries but Mortimer’s effort of three from four for the match made his opposite, Tigers skipper Meaney, rue just the one conversion he kicked in 80 minutes.
Daniel had a host of Mortimers cheering him on along side the throng of Newtown tragics that have followed the Jets tirelessly in 2012.
Yesterday, Tim was one of them.
“The atmosphere was great,” he said.
“We were sitting in amongst the Newtown fans, they’ve got a great fan base. It was a lot stronger than the Balmain supporters, maybe that got them over the line.”
Canterbury Bulldogs great Peter Mortimer, Daniel’s father, was another honorary Jet.
“It was good. In the first half Newtown dominated for 20 minutes then Balmain dominated 20 minutes. Then in the second half it was a comedy of errors. Newtown were probably lucky to hold on in the end,” Peter said.
“But it’s a win, and it’s a premiership.”
Peter said both he and wife Julie were extremely proud of Daniel.
And to have his efforts with the boot help guide the Jets to the win made it even more memorable.
“That’s what grand finals come down to,” he said.
“Those tiny little errors turn into momentum swings. I thought he was terrific in the first half.”