While TCT is and always will be a blog that focuses on the Eels, there is a certain duality to tonight’s title after witnessing a trial that had the defensive pedigree worthy of a NRL final. Two heartland Western Sydney clubs announced their lofty post-season intentions with a gladiatorial hit-out that fittingly saw scores locked up at 6-all before the Eels rang through a lengthy list of personnel changes. There is plenty to talk about, after all there were three games played today, so grab a glass of your preferred poison and join me in my light-hearted and sometimes a bit over the top post-game musings.

Holden Cup – A late stutter but youth and talent wins that day

The Penrith Panthers are always a fearsome proposition in the Holden Cup and in this particular annual pre-season fixture the results have generally erred on the side of them dispensing regular thrashings to our boys. It should come as no surprise as a result that today’s victory was a pleasing outcome – doubly so given the youthful facelift the team has under gone over the preseason.

To suggest that the Eels are fielding a young NYC team in 2017 may be slightly underselling the situation. Haze Dunster, Tui Afualo, Noel Aukafolau, John Fonua (all starting backs today), Filia Utoikamanu (starting backrower) and Ethan Parry (outside back coming back from injury) are ALL eligible to play SG Ball in 2017. Oregon Kaufusi, a formidable prop also eligible for SG Ball, would have joined them as well today if it were not for a minor injury set back. On top of that, Sean Keppie, Steve Dresler and Beni Valu are core players that are will be returning to the NYC – or whatever competition replaces it – in 2018.

This is a young and inexperienced team, missing its best half in Troy Dargan and its best back in Dane Aukafolau and they stood up and dished it out to arguably the biggest powerhouse in the Holden Cup.

The weather conditions were demanding on both teams, with torrential rain, ear-shattering bolts of lighting and peals of thunder and a short burst of hail all featuring throughout the course of the game. There was a steady flow of errors as a result but the game was entertaining none the less.

Dean Matterson and Kamryn Cryer were a pleasant surprise as a combination in the halves. Matterson has been on a slow build for the Eels over the last 12 months but he showed great poise to work with Cryer down both short sides. Crisp passing between the two halves saw the Eels cross out wide multiple times through the day. Equally pleasing was the steady kicking game that both players brought to the table. Long kicks regularly found grass and the Panthers found themselves trudging back to the posts for a line drop on more than one occasion.

Long-term followers of TCT and my work in the juniors will know his name by heart at this point but Tui Afualo continues to impress. The super-mutant genetic love child of Fui Fui Moi Moi and Konrad Hurrel is simply a force too powerful for NYC defences to handle. Afualo leaves defenders strewn in his wake every other run and has little regard for human life in defence either. His importance to the team was highlighted when he was given the orders to hit the showers early and rest up for Round 1 shortly into the second half. His best position in the long-term is a fascinating projection but gee he is a fun player to watch.

Frank Salu and Sean Keppie provided a terrific platform for the Eels up front, matching the physicality of the Panthers blow-for-blow. They were aided with a strong hand from the bench by Beni Valu but it was Steve Dresler (a.k.a THE DRESLER) who was the show-stopper for Parramatta. Dresler’s injection into the game led to a massive swing in momentum as the the barnstorming prop thumped, pummelled and otherwise manhandled the Penrith pack. The scoredboard will show one try to his name but Dresler went desperately close to a second and terrorised the middle corridor of the field on both sides of the ball. It was a statement game from one of our best forwards in the 2016 SG Ball class.

There were some late-game stutters and concentration lapses that let the Panthers come back into the contest but it was a compelling performance from a team short on NYC experience. Don’t think that this is anywhere near their ceiling either. There is some serious firepower on the sidelines currently. Salesi Faainga, Oregon Kaufusi, Greg Lelesiauo, Ray Stone and Dion Solaese will all be pushing for inclusion in Round 1 as they check out of the injury ward. It will be worth tuning into Fox (and following my updates!) whenever you can because it will be a great viewing experience to watch their growth over the season.

Intrust Super Premiership – Undermanned Magpies get the job done

In an effort eerily similar to the Wentworthville vs Newcastle trial last year, a Wenty line-up bereft of starters has held off stiff opposition for a gutsy victory. As far as a NRL outlook goes, the first half was the only passage of play that had much substance to it for the hopes and fortunes of Parramatta’s fringe first-grade prospects. The second half belonged to players directly contracted to the Magpies and gee did they own it!

Back to the first half of play and it was really encouraging to see Jamal Fogarty rebound from some of the perceived criticism following the Auckland Nines. Fogarty was in everything, lining up on the right-edge but regularly linking up with Jeff Robson and Honeti Tuha down the left. He had a sublime touch to put George Jennings over for the first try of the game and was looked sharp off the tee as well. It wasn’t a signed, sealed and stamped to play first-grade effort but it showed why we were interested in recruiting him in the first place and hinted at greater potential down the road.

Honeti Tuha is something of a Wenty stalwart, even after only a single season in the Black & White, having impressed after a fruitful individual campaign in 2016. He was at his best today again, loping across the field to defuse long kicks and chiming in through all three corridors of play. His patented ‘happy feet’ tortured Penrith defenders, often leaving the grasping at thin air.

An undiagnosed injury, at least according to the experts in the stands, may have curtailed his game earlier than expected but George Jennings was impressive in what I did see today. Lacking the freaky explosiveness and agility of his elder brother, George makes up for the difference in brutish power. Used to great effect by Robson, Tuha and Fogarty by turning him back into the ruck, Jennings made it his mission to leave the defence wincing after every carry. There were moments of guile and deftness as well. A subtle unders line for the opening try of the game, a flick pass to his winger James Gammidge and some impressive defence underscored his effort today. Knock on wood that whatever ailed him after diving in-goals for a potential try isn’t anything serious.

Dane Aukafolau was every bit as impressive as Jennings on the opposite edge. Holden Cup eligible, though you may not know it by looking at him, Aukafolau was a nightmare for Penrith defenders in his limited opportunities with the ball. Neither forward nor back alike successful tackled him at first contact throughout the game. Unlike many other prototypical Holden Cup backs there is also nuance to Aukafolau’s defensive game, a key trait that sets him apart – at least in my mind. He is far from a sure-fire prospect at this stage but there is seriously intriguing upside to this young man. Keep an eye on him.

The forwards were industrious as a unit for the Magpies. David Gower was tireless. With and without possession he was at the forefront for Wenty and his value to a young Magpies outfit is clear. He will be a player that the young forward pack gravitates to throughout the season. Rory O’Brien continues to improve. Defensive hustle and a quality offload were the highlights today for the slimmed-down bookend.

Marata Niukore had some early issues with holding onto the ball but eventually came into his own and began to look a bit like a Mack truck in attack as he thundered over defenders down the right-edge. Unfortunately, like Jennings, his night was cut short by injury. Once more, all we can hope is that it isn’t too severe. Kelepi Tanginoa was solid on the opposite edge, playing long minutes and notching up an impressive individual try late in the game.

The last player to get some love in this blog is Sam Gorman, who was a whirlwind on the field today. Whoever coined the term “it isn’t the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog” clearly had Sam Gorman in mind via a prophetic vision when they first uttered those words. Gorman is the epitome of a 100% heart player. At times he simply wills big plays to happen – even when faced with physically superior opposition week in and week out. Today he notched up a try off a kamikaze or suicide line as they are more popularly known in league circles and also made a huge break up the middle of the field out of nothing.

A trusted off-sider mentioned to me today that Gorman was his favourite player outside of the Eels from any other team in and out of the NRL and I can not fault his judgement at all. Sam Gorman is a baller in every sense of the word.

NRL – Sleeping giants stir, defence reigns in the rain

Okay, the title is only half true. The rain wasn’t really a factor in this game but it did make for a kind-of-cool headline. We cool? Cool.

I have little doubt that my talented colleague Sixtiesboy will tear into the meat and bones of this game to give you folks a quality appraisal, so let’s stick to the awesome stuff about tonight.

Let’s start with Tepai Moeroa. Big things have been expected of this young man for a while and I have seen the sentiment around the internet that fans have been left a tad underwhelmed with his production in his first two full seasons. For those of you who have been disappointed in the young bull to date, strap yourselves in this season – Moeroa has well and truly arrived in the NRL. Working predominately from the right-edge, Moeroa forced no less than 3 turn overs in defence with his punishing shots and quite literally put Panthers on his back at times in attack as he carried defenders for big gains. What will decide just how prolific Moeroa will be in 2017 is how well he gels with Gutherson in attack and that is an answer that will require some patience.

If Moeroa was the star in the forward pack, Bevan French was a tour de force in the backline. Barring one errant pass to Semi Radradra, everything French did was pure class tonight. Try saving cover tackles? You betcha. Breaking defenders’ ankles? Heck yeah. Pin-point attacking kicks for his winger? Ain’t no thang. French was playing with his hair on fire, while covered in spiders and with ALL the cards in the deck. Any other major sporting cliché I missed there? You get the gist of my rant. French was very, very good and there were hints at the greater involvement he will have in play—making this year. Get excited ladies and gents.

I am almost duty bound to give a shout-out to one last Eel given my close ties to the juniors so let’s talk about Troy Dargan. Dargan got off to a bit of a shaky start with a skewed clearing kick that eventually found touch. He settled nicely shortly after that though and played a clearly defined, if simple, role for the Eels. Pleasingly, there was plenty of talk to his compatriots on the left-edge and his short-kicking game invariably gave his chasers a real chance to make a play at the end of each set. There was a bit of a fade in the tempo of his play as the frenetic pace of first-grade wore its toll on him but the signs were truly encouraging. The onus is now on Dargan to go back to Holden Cup or Intrust Super Premiership and put a stamp on those grades.

For those that were out at the game, who stood out for you? For those that were following along with my live-updates – is there anything you want to know? Next week is bereft of any footy beyond the District Representatives so we have a world of time to dissect the games played today. Fire away!

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