Dyldam Parramatta Eels NYC vs Gold Coast Titans, 3pm, Sunday June 12 at Ringrose Park

1. Mason Cerruto

2. James Gammidge

3. Tui Afualo

4. Dane Aukafolau

5. Jermaine Mati-Leifi

6. Dean Matterson

7. Anthony Layoun

8. Kurt De Luis

9. Denzal Tonise (c)

10. Jamie Stowers

11. Jack Morris

12. Tyrell Fuimaono

13. Craig Field

Interchange:

14. Matt Price

15. Tom Field

16. Tangi Hokai

17. Tui Oloapu

 

First Half

 

Poor start for the Titans as they kick it out on the full.

 

Jack Morris gets a great first touch on the other hand as he carries defenders forwards from the tap restart. The Eels then swing from left edge to the right to give rookie Tui Afualo an early first touch. Tui makes a solid run, stepping back inside the sliding defenders and earning some metres after contact. Parra may the Titans pay for the error from the kickoff when Dean Matterson produces a classy touch on the last to put James Gammidge over. Feigning the kick, he then fires a bullet pass to the short side for Gammidge.

 

Try scored by Gammidge. Conversion unsuccessful by Maiti-Leifi.

Parra lead 4-0

4min gone.

 

Very nice set after points for the Eels as they find touch 10m out from the Gold Coast try line. The Titans have issues working it out in reply and resort to a bomb from their own half. They recover the ball on the full but are quickly wrapped up.

 

The Eels surge onto the front foot with powerful carries by Auckafolau, Afualo and Fuimaono before De Luis is barely stopped short of the line after some second phase play. Layout gets the ball on the last and kicks cross field for Maiti-Leifi but the ball is struck far too hard and sails out on the full.

 

Finally some sins of life from the Titans as they make a bust up the middle but some outstanding cover defence from the Eles keeps them out and then gets the turnover on tackles.

 

The Titans get their first penalty of the game when the Eels are pinged for laying on the runner too long. The subsequent attacking raid quickly runs out of steam as they drop the ball and it is then the Eels’ turn  to pick up a penalty. A second penalty follows at the end of the new set to out the Eels in the box seat.

 

Dissapointing set follows but we do salvage it with a line drop out only to be caught asleep by a short drop out. Some messy football now as both the Titans and Eels turn the ball over in quick succession.

 

Phew! Off the back of a penalty the Titans looked to have crossed via a nice sweeping move and short ball down our left edge but some desperate last ditch cover defence and perhaps more than a dash of poor handling sees the Titans lose the ball over the line.

 

Good carry from Auckafolau now. Field and Tonise follow with useful runs. Nice kick from Matterson on the last but our right edge are hesitant to contest the bomb allowing the Titans a free play at the ball. We switch back to defence as a result and Tonise produces a rattling shot! Mason Cerruto has a great kick return at the end of the set and earns a penalty off of it.

 

Parra can’t capitalise on the change in field position and turn the ball over on tackles on the Gold Coast goal line.

 

Decent run of footy now between both teams. Tonise and Morris are really showing up in defence today.  Hitting and sticking with some venom.

 

Time is blown off now as Tom Field stays down with a leg injury. Play will resume with a 20m restart for the Eels once he is charioted off.

 

Fuimaono has a good run and picks up a penalty and gets the next run off the tap and pins his ears for the Gold Coast halfback. The Eels surge onto the front foot and Dean Matterson slices through to score down our right edge!

 

Try scored by Dean Matterson. Conversion successful by Maiti-Leifi.

Eels lead 10-0

34min gone.

 

HOT DAMN! Two brutal fends from Tui Oloapu put him into the backfield and he links up with Mason Cerruto who strides off to score. That was downright nasty stuff from Oloapu!

 

Try scored by Mason Cerruto. Conversion successful by Maiti-Leifi.

Eels lead 16-0

37min gone.

 

Some gutsy carries from our outside backs here. Cerruto and Afualo getting involved up the middle. We complete the set with a good kick and chase but a string of penalties get the Titans in position for one last shot and despite Tui Afualo putting on a great shot that seemingly killed their last attacking raid, the ref lets the Titans for all intents and purposes pass from the ground to score. Parra coaching staff are left mystified, as am I.

 

Try scored by the Titans. Conversion unsuccessful.

 

Half Time

Parramatta Eels 16 lead the Gold Coast Titans 4

 

Second Half

 

Better start to this half for the Titans. They ruck it over halfway and out in a kick that traps Cerruto 10m out. We get to our kick after a nice charge from Afualo but it isn’t without drama as Matterson turns the ball back to Cerruto who beats a defender and then gets a hurried kick off.

 

Possession comes back for the Eels and we get a big break from an unusual play when Maiti-Leifi strips Auckafolau of possession as he gets driven into touch. Jermaine races downfield and we get a great chance to attack but drop the ball on the last.

 

The Gold Coast make  a big break immediately in reply. It comes down our left edge from some seriously slick second phase ball. Cerruto makes the save at the end but the Titans look set to score closer to the posts until Oloapu makes a brilliant one-on-one strip! Seriously impressive effort from him thus far.

 

Oh dear. The Titans get a contentious 6 again call from a contested catch – not a disgraceful call by any means but we were left on the wrong side of a 50/50 and they then pick up a penalty as our defence fails to reset on our goal line. The ‘Oh dear’ part comes from the tap restart where the Eels allow the Titans to barge over and score. Very soft.

 

Try scored by the Titans. Conversion successful.

Titans trail 10-16

52min gone.

 

Huge carry from Afualo up the middle! He steps back and dips through the line and screams into the backfield. He takes on the fullback as he cant find a supporting runner and is dragged down and then held down to penalty call. Now THAT was a rubbish no call.

 

Layoun completes the set with a well stuck dab in behind the line that finds touch 10m out.

 

The Titans strike back in reply with a break down our left but play halts as a Titan player got his shoulder in a bad place as he hits the deck in a tackle. He his aided off after a bit of a break. We hold out in that set and Matt Price draws a penalty as he scoots up the middle.

 

We take a few cracks down our right edge with power attempts by Afualo and De Luis before Tonise centres the ball. Layout opts to run it himself to bring up the last so Matterson switches to the left and looks to roll it in. The Eels get a friendly deflection that allows Auckfolau to race ahead and score!

 

Try scored by Dane Auckafolau. Conversion unsuccessful by Maiti-Leifi.

Parra lead 20-10

64min gone

 

Short kickoff attempted by the Titans by we spot it and spoil their attempt at the ball. Quick arts up the middle from De Luis, Fuimaono and Auckafolau open up the edges which sees Dean Matterson replicate his first half effort to slice through and score.

 

Try scored by Dean Matterson. Conversion successful by Maiti-Leifi.

Parra lead 26-10

68min gone

 

Better success for the Titans on this short attempt as we lose the ball in the contest. A penalty comes late in the count – that hurts. We rally strongly in the next set thoug. Afualo levels a backrower unders line. Morris makes a huge try saver under the posts on the next tackle as he rolls a big prop on his back and then De Luis cleans up the grubber kick. Nice hustle from the big man.

 

Really solid set from Parra now. Another terrific carry from young Afualo and Layoun ices the set with a great kicks and chase.

 

A string of penalties for the Eels now as there is a dangerous grow, strip, backchat and holding down in the ruck in that order. The last infringement affords the Eels a shot at two points from right in front to secure the 18 point lead.

 

Penalty conversion attempt successful by Maiti-Leifi.

Parra lead 28-10

74min gone.

 

No dice on the short kickoff this time around for the Titans as Maiti-Leifi cleans it up. Dean Matterson makes a nice break down the right edge but can’t link up with support. He does however draw a penalty which allows the Eels a second shot at goal.

 

Penalty conversion attempt successful by Maiti-Leifi.

Eels lead 30-10

77min gone.

 

The Titans fire some final shots agiant our goal line defence but we stand firm and force the error to bring a close to the game.

 

Full Time

Parramatta Eels 30 DEF Gold Coast Titans 10