Parramatta Eels NYC side

1. Anthony Layoun

2. Greg Leleisiuao

3. Emosi Alamoti

4. Noel Aukafolau

5. Haze Dunster

6. Dean Matterson

7. Dylan Brown

8. Sean Keppie

9. Denzal Tonise

10. Oregon Kaufusi

11. Dylan Clifford

12. Salesi Faingaa

13. Mitch Butfield

Interchange

14. Reed Mahoney

15. Tangi Hokai

16. Frank Salu

17. Nick Okladnikov

18. Joseph Taipari

19. Austin Dias

20. Kamren Cryer

21. John Fonua

22. Ethan Parry

23. Jye Challenor

 

Late Mail

 

Only change for the Eels but it is a big one with Greg Leleilsiuao dropping out of the team. Massive loss for the Eels. John Fonua makes his return on the wing in the place of Greg.

 

First Half

 

The Eels are receiving the kickoff and get an early piggy back when Salesi Faingaa picks up a penalty in the ruck. Parramatta play with some nice shape through their extended opening possession – nearly breaking through down the left edge of the Knights. The visitors hold on though and the Eels are caught running the ball on the last.

Newcastle work the ball out just over their 40m mark in reply and drive a flat kick down to Anthony Layoun who cleans it up with no troubles. Dunster has a solid early carry before the Eels work to their left edge where Dean Matterson is trapped with the ball. Keppie brings up the last with a run through the guts and on the final play of the set Matterson over cooks his bomb and it is taken in-goals. Can’t be doing that.

The Eels are playing with a compressed defensive line while the Kings are strung out across the field. Really interesting positional disparity there but as the Knights look to move the ball laterally the line speed of the Eels forces an error and Faingaa dives on the ball. A penalty immediately follows as well, Faingaa proving pretty handy at earning them today.

Oh well now that is just pretty as a picture! The Eels work a set piece move early in the tackle count as they employ a two full-back look down the right edge. It is Fonua as the extra fullback creating the numbers and he slides through the line on an overs line off a neat ball from Matterson it looked like. Great little play there!

 

Try scored by John Fonua. Conversion unsuccessful by Dylan Brown.

Eels lead 4-0

8min gone

 

Some well executed second phase ball takes the Eels deep in Newcastle’s half on the set after points and feeling adventurous Parramatta look to try and catch the Knights napping on the last by running the ball. Big double shift via cutout passes from our left to right but the later of which is ruled forwards for a turnover.

Newcastle then pickup their first penalty of the game and look to go on the attack.

The visitors are very nearly bundled into touch early in the tackle count but recover from there as they work from their right to the posts and then back to the right. Left edge shift from the Knights now and once more they are repelled, looked like a good tackle from Faingaa there. They roll the ball in on the last and to my eye it looked like Layoun got back into the field of play and was then forced back in a second effort but the ref sees otherwise.

Newcastle kick early in the line drop out set, looking to find space in behind. Layoun does well to sweep across and clean up the ball but he bumps into Fonua trying to get back into the field of play and the Knights swarm on him to keep in-goals. Second line drop out incoming.

Some good defence from the Eels early on in this set. Metres are hard to come by for the Knights as a result. Newcastle try and work the ball down their right edge short side and are turned away so they come back to the posts in reply. Another grubber kick on the last but Dunster is equal to the task and gets into the field of play. Good defensive intensity from the Eels in the face of sustained pressure.

The Eels compile a no-frills set as expected and the clearing kick from Matterson is taken on the full. Newcastle generate their first bit of enterprising play with a break down our right edge. Matterson and Layoun both made important cover defence plays there.

To the right edge for Newcastle now as they look to try and catch the Eels out from the break. Nothing doing though and they pick up a slice of luck with a 6-again call from a lazy offload. The Eels continue to show resolve in defence though and Fonua earns a 20m restart when a contested grubber kick is lost over the dead ball line by the Knights.

All the way down the field now for the Eels as they 7-tackle set sees them make easy gains. Brown looks to kick early on the fourth for Fonua and the winger leaps up for the ball and claims possession but he is wrapped up as he hits the ground. Still a tackle up their sleeves though and there is a big shift to the right where Dunster is given a 1-on-1 chance. He rolls the ball ahead for himself but it beats him dead in-goals.

An early penalty helps the Knights further downfield and from there the visitors finally make the Eels pay for the sheer weight of possession. They feed their right edge backer some early ball and he simply breezes through the set defensive line to stroll over and score under the posts. That was REALLY weak and the Eels forfeit the lead as a result.

 

Try scored by the Newcastle Knights. Conversion successful.

Newcastle lead 6-4

19min gone

 

Ahhh, NYC footy…there is nothing else really quite like it. Immediately after hitting the lead the Knights concede a line drop out from the kick off!

Parra right back on the attack. And another double fullback look! This time it is Dunster coming from the right edge and he nearly perfectly replicates the earlier effort of Fonua before he is brought down agonisngly close to the line. The Eels seem to have a concerted plan to run the ball in the red zone as they look to feed Noel Aukaofolau on the last but he is barely pulled down for a turnover.

Newcastle move the ball downfield with a booming clearing kick and the Eels fail to complete their reply set when they turn the ball over trying to offload the pill. The Knights pour on the pressure in wake of the gifted possession and force yet another line drop out with a neat kick behind our right edge.

The early run of play is down our right edge and the Eels remain firm in the face of the steady traffic. Newcastle maintain their poise in attack though and another line drop out with a grubber kick drilled across the face of the posts.

And now all the traffic comes down our left edge. Itneresting switch in dynamics from the Knights. They work to our right on the last going block for a block but the final pass in straight into the guts of Haze Dunster who has raced in for the big time jam. He scoops up the ball and is off down field with no one in cooee but the ref has called it back. Knock on against the Eels! Huge call for the Knights.

And it could prove pivotal in the context of the game. The Eels defend well throughout the set from the scrum but on the last they are caught on the back foot when the Newcastle #7 teases a grubber kick before pinning his ears back for the line. He looks to be held up initially but he rolls his way over the pile to get the ball down.

 

Try scored by the Newcastle Knights. Conversion successful.

Newcastle lead 12-4

29min gone

 

Possession must be skewed massively to the Knights this half. We have not touched the ball at all outside of the opening exchanges.

Frenetic end to the set after points as the Knights put up a mid-field bomb that is allowed to bounce by both teams. It takes a turn back to the Newcastle line and they kick ahead again which sees Fonua race back before he is cleaned up by the kick chase just inside the field of play.

From there the Eels continue to be their own worst enemies when the drop the ball cold working it out of their red zone. Simple hands across the line and we lost it.

We need a defensive play and we get it! First up Faingaa deadset stonewalls his opposite number with a great shot. The Eels race up on the next play and then force the error!

We need to harness the sudden swing in momentum and Emosi Alamoti does his best as he makes a half break down the right edge following the turnover. The Eels are suddenly surging forwards and Reed Mahoney slices through the middle with a perfectly timed dart! His support doesn’t arrive in time as he comes to the fullback so he takes him on the outside and damn nearly beats him! He is pulled down metres short of the line but the Eels are numbered out to the left and that is where they go! Matterson to Brown to Layoun who double pumps before linking up with Aukafolau. The youngest Aukafolau then pins his ears back for the line from 12m out and gets over in the corner!

 

Try scored by Noel Aukafolau. Conversion unsuccessful by Dylan Brown.

Eels trail 8-12

35min gone

 

Gee you know that Reed Mahoney is on! Another dart yields a half bust and a penalty. Parramatta hit top gear out of nowhere and are straight  down their left edge where a worked play nearly has Fonua over in the corner! He is hit by the centre and winger and looks to be going touch so he flicks the ball out the back where Dylon Clifford cleans it up. Back to the right now and Salesi Faingaa nearly storms over after running a superb overs line. It takes an outstanding tackle from the fullback to bring him down. Last tackle, where are the Eels going? They have shown a preference to run it on the last and Matterson and Brown are lined up to the left. No it is the short ball! Mahoney fiends Mitch Butfield and no one had a clue it was going down – least of all the Knights! Try time baby, Parra level the scores!

 

Try scored by Mitch Butfield. Conversion successful by Dylan Brown.

Eels lead 14-12

 

OH MY GOODNESS! Is that Benji? Heck no, it is Dylan Brown! Just how good is this young man? Barely 17 years of age and he is looking a class above in the NYC. He slices through the right edge of the Knights and just eases into top gear. Feigns taking on the fullback to the sideline before stepping infield and in shades of that legendary moment in the 2005 Grand Final, he flicks the ball perfectly to his blind side to find a flying Reed Mahoney! Mahoney dials in whatever he has left in the tank and flies for the try line. Defenders reach him at the last moment and he barrels over as the siren rings out!

 

Try scored by Reed Mahoney. Conversion successful by Dylan Brown.

Eels lead 20-12

 

Half Time

Parramatta Eels 20 lead Newcastle Knight 12

 

Second Half

 

The Eels are kicking off in the seocnd half.

Newcastle looking to play two wide of the ruck but the Eels move up well to avoid getting caught out. First splash play of the half looks to come from the Eels when Faingaa charges down the clearing kick and Alamoti leaps up to claim the ball. Could be a massive change for the home tam but Matterson looks to have lost the ball in contact on the next play. Gets up real dusty, maybe he wore a borderline short there? Hard to tell from my angle. Either way the Knights are off the hook.

The Knights work down their left in reply, clearly building for a big right edge movement. They pull the trigger on the penultimate tackle. Lots of blocks and the usual shenanigans but the Eels read it well and make the tackle. An error in the PTB results in a turnover for the Eels.

Nice solid footy from the home team now. They punch the ball up the guts, making nice metreage, and then nearly crash over with a short ball from Mahoney to I believe Salu. An ankles tackle stops the rampaging prop a metre short! Parra run the ball to the goal line now and Matterson fires a flat ball at the line. I thought it took a Newcastle hand first but the ref sees otherwise and rules a turnover.

Simple set from the Knights as they are pinned in their half and look to rake the ball downfield. Layoun makes a really nice catch above his head.

The Eels drive the ball deep into Newcastle’s half in the following set and Mahoney shows his wiles when he gets out of dummy half on the last and rolls a grubber kick down the right edge short side to earn a line drop out for the Eels. That was purdy.

Mahoney marshals his forwards to the left and very nearly has Oregon Kaufusi over for a try under the sticks when he turns him back inside. Kaufusi plants the ball on a defender though! Oh no! He is held up.

Reed Mahoney is at it again two tackles later when he rolls the ball in behind for Denzal Tonise but the hooker-come-lock juggles the take on the first attempt and runs out of space in-goals before he hits the deal ball line! Two would-be tries laid on by Mahoney in three tackles and nothing to show for it!

To make matters worse the Eels then concede a penalty on the second tackle of of the 7-tackle set when they shoot off the line too early.

Fortunately the Knights get too frisky in their attempts to reduce the deficit as they lace a kick late in their set that rolls far too deep over the dead ball line

Counter attack from the Eels! Right edge play as Alamoti releases Dunster with a superb catch and pass. Dusnter leaves his opposite grasping at thin air with a vicious in-and-away but trips over himself as he starts to stride out! Oh that would have been interesting if he kept on his feet! None the less the Eels recover and a clever kick early in the tackle count nets them a line drop out. That ball traveled a good 30m and the chase from Aukafolau was on point.

Parra then earn a penalty late in the tackle count as the ball is reefed out in front of the posts. The Eels want nothing to do with a penalty goal so the option then is to tap. A couple of plays later it is revealed to be the correct option when Tangi Hokai crashes over! Dylan Brown turned Anthony Layoun back to the posts and the fullback busted the first tackle before offloading to a surging Hokai who crashed over.

 

Try scored by Tangi Hokai. Conversion successful by Dylan Brown.

Eels lead 26-12

53min gone

 

So uh, I think Salesi Faingaa might just have actually channeled the ghost of Andrew Johns. Never mind that ‘Joey’ is still alive and kicking but Faingaa has found a way to harness to energies of 8th Immortal. He takes the ball to the line midway through the kickoff set and then with the confidence of NRL veteran, just bullets a cutout pass to Haze Dunster! It was pin-freaking-point as well. Dunster can hardly believe his luck as he sets off for the line! He isn’t to be outdone by Faingaa though as he beats the fullback and two more cover defenders to cross out wide! That was a good 70m gallop as well.

 

Try scored by Haze Dunster. Conversion successful by Dylan Brown.

Eels lead 32-12

57min gone

 

The first bad footy from the Eels in a while as they lose the ball coming over halfway. Newcastle slip back to their clear game plan as they work to a grubber kick late in the set and once more they earn a line drop out. They have done well to build all this pressure but they haven’t got much to show for it all.

Fonua drives the ball to halfway from under the posts. Really nice read and tackle from Alamoti mid-count. Newcastle then look to swing to their right but drop the ball cold and the Eels scoop it up and make a good 15m. Matterson and Layoun take some relieving carries before we begin to go left. Oh that is just class from Brown now. He reads the positioning of the fullback perfectly and rolls a deep grubber into the backfield for Fonua. John races infield and beats the Newcastle custodian by a good step or two before taking the ball to the uprights for an easy conversion. Brown is playing with the Knights here.

 

Try scored by John Fonua. Conversion successful by Dylan Brown.

Eels lead 38-12

62min gone

 

Tonise provides a good charge as he fends away defenders. Mahoney jumps out of dummy half early in the set and drives the ball downfield. Really useful kick and the Knights are knocked on to the backfoot as a result. A good kick chase pins them deep in their red zone and their forwards take an eternity to get back onside.

Next set for the Eels starts with a kick reception from Layoun who then links up with Fonua. We run a sharp play before the last as Brown lurks off the left shoulder of Matterson who instead uses Faingaa and our set is completed with a pretty ineffective kick from Matterson.

The Knights don’t look to have anything left in the tank as they ruck it to their kick and look for a bomb from halfway. Fonua takes the ball really cleanly and then makes a solid little gain. Indeed it takes a silly play from the Eels to spark the Knights to life as Alamoti is thrown the ball on the last. The centre looks to chip ahead for both himself and Dunster but the ball is taken by his opposite who then makes a good 30m gain. Newcastle swing down their right and look to be over but Layoun has somehow forced the ball out! Wowza.

End to end stuff now as Emosi Alamoti is freed up down the right sideline! He pins his ears back looking to take the ball 75m to the house! He hasn’t quite got the legs though and is pulled down 12m short! The Eels then spin it to their left where the Knights put on a MASSIVE shot! Fonua is belted from his blindside in a brutal but legal shot. Fonua recovers though to play the ball and the Eels back to the posts where Sean Keppie crashes over!

 

Try scored by Sean Keppie. Conversion successful by Dylan Brown.

Eels lead 44-12

70min gone

 

Both teams exchange sets in the wake of Keppie’s try and indeed it is Keppie that breaks the minor stalemate with a bullocking run through the ruck. He sheds multiple defenders en route to a 30m gain and the Eels sense the blood in the water. They hammer the ball through the ruck against a retreating defensive line before Mahoney scoots out of dummy half and bullets a cut out pass to Haze Dunster. Dunster showcases his trademarked in-and-away once more to beat his opposite and slam the ball down in the corner!

 

Try scored by Haze Dunster. Conversion unsuccessful by Dylan Brown.

Eels lead 48-12

76min gone

 

Another clinical set from the Eels as they march downfield. Brown very nearly ices the set with a forced drop out but the Knights do well to get back into the field of play.

Another fatigued set from the visitors and the Eels are hunting for 50. Brown takes an offload down the left and nearly splits the line before drawing a penalty for slowing down of the ruck. 30m out and just to the left of the posts, the Eels will take a shot at goal and look to close out the game with a fifty burger.

 

Penalty conversion attempt successful by Dylan Brown.

Eels lead 50-12

79min gone

 

Enough time left for a short kickoff attempt by the Knights but the Eels pull down the deflected ball and that will do us in an emphatic victory!

 

Full Time

Parramatta Eels 50 DEF Newcastle Knights 12

 

TCT Best On Field

3. Salesi Faingaa

2. Dylan Brown

1. Reed Mahoney