Harold Matthews

1. Tevita Masima
2. Villiami Penisini
3. Peni Tohi
4. Campbell Byrd
5. Jandamurra Stewart
6. Tyler Field
7. Bailey Biondi-Odo
8. David Hollis
9. Jed Edwards
10. Sam Hughes
11. Jayden Skinner
12. Trey Mooney
13. Caleb Tohi
14. Josh Gatt
15. Christian Wihongi
16. Casey Sioli
17. Justin Dalby
18. Christian Dalby
19. Callum Scott
20. Tyler Waitere
21. Braith Aspin
22. Tallis Smith

 

First Half

 

Parramatta will kick off in the first half.

Solid first set for Manly as they work their way over the halfway mark and lace a flat kick through to Jandamurra Stewart. The fiery winger makes the first error of the game as he tries to fight his way free of the kick chase. Huge chance for Manly straight up here.

The Sea Eagles leap on the chance as they spread the ball down the left and beat the Eels with simple numbers. Easy try and the worst possible start for the Eels.

 

Try scored by the Manly Sea Eagles. Conversion successful.

Manly lead 6-0

3min gone

 

Good set after points for the Sea Eagles but Parramatta are far more resolute in defence this set and come away with the ball after the kick. We work left with David Hollis before heaving it downfield off the boot – Manly on top in the arm wrestle here.

Penalty to Manly late in the following set. Right on the attack again.

Two raids in the red zone and two tries. This one comes down the opposite edge now as Albert Hopoate steam rolls his way down our left edge and then offloads to the youngest Trbojevic who cross in the corner. Parramatta with the backs right against the wall now.

 

Try scored by the Manly Sea Eagles. Conversion unsuccessful.

Manly lead 10-0

8min gone

 

Much better defence in this set as the Eels finally start hitting with some venom. Sam Hughes right in the thick of things to the shock of none in attendance. A terrific kick on the last catches Tevita Masima out of position though and he is very fortunate to pick up a penalty as he is driven back in goals. Huge pressure reliever for the Eels.

The Eels string together a reasonable set of their own, concluded with a neat kick from Bailey Biondi-Odo as he finds the in-goals. Hopoate looks to have clearly grounded it but the referee allows him to play on and he beats two chasers to get back into the field of play. Very contentious decision to allow the fullback to play on there.

Manly roll with the momentum from there though and their five-eighth slices through our right edge defence from shy of halfway before stepping his way through Masima at the last line to score a sizzling 60m try. The klaxons are blaring out for the Eels here.

 

Try scored by the Manly Sea Eagles. Conversion successful.

Manly lead 16-0

13min gone

 

Urgh, another penalty to Manly now. Massive set in the context of this game for the Eels.

Manly work from left to the posts before swinging right. Big set piece which involves isolating Bailey Biondi-Odo with their monstrous #8. He is stopped short of the line but offloads to support on his right who dives over. All too easy today for the Sea Eagles.

 

Try scored by the Manly Sea Eagles. Conversion successful.

Manly lead 22-0

16min gone

 

Finally a break for the Eels as the Sea Eagles cough the ball up on their 30m line and much like the Sea Eagles earlier, a simple spread to our left is enough to breach the line and get points. Campbell Byrd is the man of the moment for the Eels as he slices through to score!

 

Try scored by Campbell Byrd. Conversion unsuccessful.

Eels trail 4-22

20min gone

 

CALEB TOHI! What a run! What an offload! He bursts through down the left edge and dances through the fullback before slipping an offload around the corner to Tevita Masima! Amazing play! The Eels are alive!

 

Try scored by Tevita Masima. Conversion successful.

Eels trail 10-22

24min gone

 

Terrific set after points as Bailey Biondi-Odo masterfully strings the Sea Eagles along before kicking in behind with terrifying precision. He leads the kick chase as well and the Sea Eagles are trapped 1m into the field of play. From there the Eels simply pour the pressure our in defence. They surge off the line and force an error! Tensions flare up as a fracas breaks out. Time off as the officials convene.

Just wow. Despite the Sea Eagles having two players spoken to, they will come away with the penalty. Raucous cries from the crowd echo out as a result. Baffling decision.

The Sea Eagles regain the initiative in the game on the back of that bizarre call-reversal. Josh Schuster makes the break for the Sea Eagles down their left edge and offloads to Hopoate who looms inside in support. Huge, huge, huge swing in the momentum of this game.

 

Try scored by the Manly Sea Eagles. Conversion unsuccessful.

Manly lead 26-10

29min gone

 

Manly can’t add to the scoreboard with a minute left on the clock. Scores will be unchanged at half time.

 

Half Time

Manly Sea Eagles 26 lead Parramatta Eels 10

 

Second Half

 

Parramatta to receive. Field finds Wihongi. Hollis and Skinner follow. Another great kick from Bailey Biondi-Odo nets the Eels a penalty when he is taken out late.

Hollis up first. The Eels spin it right when Peni Tohi beats his opposite and tries to flick a ball to Penisini but it flies into touch. A try goes begging there.

Turnover on tackles in the next set as Manly run it from halfway on the last. Parramatta hold firm.

Hang on, hang on! The Eels are coming back! Biondi-Odo slices down the left and finds a flying Tevita Masima who bursts through and pins his ear for the line as he dives over to score!

 

Try scored by Tevita Masima. Conversion unsuccessful.

Eels trail 14-26

36min gone

 

Ooph, error after points now Forward pass from dummy half. The officials miss a blatant forward pass in reply from Manly but justice is served immediately after as the Sea Eagles turn the ball over to Hollis.

The teams trade sets with Manly picking a bit more fortune as the receive a marginal penalty for an offside Eel after a kick deflection. Manly on the attack again.

The Eels lift their intensity in defence and force an error on the goal line though!

Biondi-Odo’s kicking game is really shining today. He is putting the blowtorch on the back three of the Sea Eagles and keeping the Eels in the game territory wise.

Manly cough the ball up coming out of their red zone and the Eels are right back on the attack. Tevita Masima ends up fighting his way over but he is quickly pulled up for a double movement – just how costly could that be?

 

Of course it had to be Biondi-Odo! He has single handedly kept the Eels in this game with his kicking and now it is his ability to run that is the difference. He knifes his way through the line and offloads to Sam Hughes who steams over the line! What a massive play.

 

Try scored by Sam Hughes. Conversion unsuccessful.

Eels trail 18-26

48min gone

 

And that will probably do us for this game folks as Manly keep the ball alive down their left edge and cross in the left corner. Parramatta looked out of their feet on their goal line and Manly swooped.

 

Try scored by the Manly Sea Eagles. Conversion unsuccessful.

Manly lead 30-18

55min gone

 

A chance? A hope? On the back of consecutive penalties, David Hollis storms his way over with brute power. Great individual effort!

 

Try scored by David Hollis. Conversion successful.

Eels trail 24-30

58min gone

 

Alas there is to be no miracle today as the Eels fail to conjure up an likely final try to lock the scores up. Manly simply too good today.

 

Full Time

Manly Sea Eagles 30 DEF Parramatta Eels 24

 

SG Ball
1. John Paul Nohra
2. Cliff Lea’Aetoa
3. Haze Dunster
4. Noel Aukafolau
5. Ethan Parry
6. Joe Taipari
7. Dylan Brown
8. Valance Harris
9. Kyle Schneider
10. Mark Tepu Smith
11. Matt Doorey
12. Charbel Tasipale
13. Kyle Cassel
14. Vea Tapa
15. Sione Tupou
16. Harry Duggan
17. Dallas King
18. Alex Seve
19. Dennis Mataia
20. William Kei
21. Rico Aliva
22. Atasi Matautu
23. Jesse Cronin

 

First Half

The Eels will receive the ball to start the game.

Solid first set as they fight their way over halfway and kick in behind. An unlucky bounce sees the kick take a turn towards the in goals and roll dead.

The Roosters reply with a similar set but are pinged for a high shot on the Parramatta custodian John Paul Nohra on the kick return.

Kei and Taipari get early runs this set. Harris centres the ball before Tepi-Smith has a run. Play comes unstuck down our left after that when the pass doesn’t find the right man and the Roosters dive on the loose ball.

First points to the Eels! Cliff Lea’Aetoa is over after the Eels roll the dice on a short side play from just off the line! He dives over and plants the ball down!

 

Try scored by Cliff Lea’Aetoa. Conversion unsuccessful.

Eels lead 4-0

13min gone

 

Pure class! Great try as Charbel Tasipale shows great touch to put JP Nohra into a gap. Nohra steps back across the fullback and links up with Matt Doorey who then finds Joe Taipari who scores!

 

Try scored by Joe Taipari. Conversion successful.

Eels lead 10-0

16min gone

 

Champagne footy from the Eels now. End-to-end stuff as the roll the Roosters over. Joe Taipari rolls the ball in towards the posts where Dylan Brown races through to leap on it and score!

 

Try scored by Dylan Brown. Conversion successful.

Eels lead 16-0

21min

 

The Roosters finally strike back as their #6 makes big back-to-back plays to first break through the line down our right edge and then cross on the next play. The Roosters have barely spent any time in our half to date so that try feels somewhat against the run of general play.

 

Try scored by the Roosters. Conversion successful.

Roosters trail 6-16

31min gone

 

All of a sudden the Roosters are right in it as they cross for their second try of the game. Good goal line defence for the Eels comes undone on the last tackle when a shallow grubber behind the line is swooped upon for the try. Bit of argey-bargey after the try as the teams clash.

 

Try scored by the Roosters. Conversion successful.

 

Half Time

Parramatta Eels 16 lead Sydney Roosters 12

 

Dylan Brown finally gets the Eels back into the game! He glides down the left and flicks an offload to Noel Aukafolau who dives over! The Eels are back out to a two-score lead.

 

Try scored by Noel Aukafolau. Conversion unsuccessful.

Parra lead 20-12

49min gone

 

And the Eels are over again! Noel Aukafolau runs a fantastic inside line and is cut down but an equally fantastic tackle but Vea Tapa scoots out of dummy half and fights his way over! Gee that was a bit soft but another crucial try for the Eels.

 

Try scored by Vea Tapa. Conversion successful.

Parra lead 26-12

52min gone

 

Lovely hold up ball from Dylan Brown! Shades of the earlier try to Vea Tapa where Aukafolau was turned inside – instead this time Aukafolau fights his way through two or three defenders to cross! Herculean strength there!

 

Try scored by Noel Aukafolau. Conversion successful.

Parra lead 30-12

61min gone

 

Neither team can crack the goal line in the final 9min and that will do us as the Eels cruise through to the Grand Final.

 

Full Time

Parramatta Eels 30 DEF Sydney Roosters 12