It is a massive week in the junior representatives for the Parramatta Eels as all three grades look to bounce back from their first-up losses in Round 1. Unfortunately, once again the Tarsha Gale is scheduled to clash with the Harold Matthews and SG Ball meaning that we will not be able to provide coverage for the girls today. Rather, TCT will out at Macquarie University as the Eels clash with the Bears on a dreary and grey-clad day.

Join us with kickoff at 1:00PM for the Harold Matthews!

 

 

Tarsha Gale Team Lists

12:30PM @ New Era Stadium

 

1	Demia Pritchard	1	Tylah Vallance
2	Hannah McFayden	2	Alyssa Shoulders
4	Jacinta Tui	3	Tori Blazer
3	Tahleisha Pugh	4	Mia Middleton
5	Tamerah Leati	5	Shanti Kennedy
6	Loreen Luamanuvae	6	Kyah Watters
9	Jada Toevai	7	Matilda Jones
20	Losalio Payne	8	Lexi Beagan
7	Kristen Cawthorne	9	Monica-Lee Morris
8	Martha Fua	10	Kiya Simon
15	Summah Terare	11	Carissa Reid
12	Lei-Lani Tua	12	Bree Chester
13	Ruby-Jean Kennard	13	Kyhamoana Tevi-Fuimaono
14	Ameena Kanj	14	Sophie Clancy
21	Summer Brown	15	Ebony Woodcock
24	Taimani Kolomati	16	Janaya Trapman
17	Katalina Vave	17	Montana Shoesmith
16	Rosalia Lea	18	Terri-Lee Van Wyk
19		19	Bianca Blackhall

 

Harold Matthews Team List

1:00PM @ Macquarie University Sports Field

 

1	Patrick Spence	1	Malachi Tareke
2	Suliasi Aho	2	Tomasi Tupou
3	Charlie Guymer	3	Jakai Dixon-Davis
4	Declan Murray	4	Jason Collison
5	Josh Lealaiaulto	5	Benjamin Zahra
6	Terrence Lafai	6	Joseph Jaber
7	Ethan Sanders	7	Marbam Wichmann
8	Sam Tuivaiti	8	Aiafi Pomale
9	Yehya Ayache	9	Joshua Coinakis
10	Aufago Mino	10	Philip Talaileva
11	Domenic Destradis	11	Riley Price
12	Saxon Pryke	12	Jake Ellyard
13	Myles Martin	13	Eden Devonshire
14	Blaise Talagi	14	Moustafa Dirani
15	Jacob John	15	Matthew Newlyn
16	Josh Alhazim	16	Christian Loleni
17	Cooper Sinclair	17	Papaseea Tamaseu
18	Tyrese Lokeni	18	Joshua Tajhya
		19	Jhet Carroll
		20	Malakye Enasio

First Half

Torrid conditions out here at Macquarie University. The eels are kicking off to start this slog off and to the credit of the North Sydney Bears they get through their set without an error but they offset that by conceding the first penalty of the game. Parramatta work their way downfield and play to the conditions as Yehya Ayache drives the team to the posts and then links up with Myles Martin on the goal line. Martin is taken in a cracking ball-and-all effort, seriously that was a really good defensive effort, but rolls through the tackle once and even twice to get the ball over the line.

Try scored by Myles Martin. Conversion successful by Ethan Sanders.

Eels lead 6-0

Quality set after points! Massive turnaround from last week as Ethan Sanders stabs in a perfect kick for the conditions to pin the Bears deep in their own half. Ah geez, rookie mistake in reply from big Josh Lealaiauloto. He will regret that one as he misses that the Bears’ clearing kick was from inside their 40m mark. He had time to clean it up but he lets it roll out and North Sydney get a massive inversion of field position.

Huge set incoming for the Eels. They can’t let the Bears return serve so quickly and they rally superbly. North Sydney work a really nice shift down their right edge considering the conditions and defenders fly over in support. The Bears roll the ball in-goals on the last but it is a supremely small in-goal zone out here at Macquarie University and Patrick Spence is able to carefully watch it roll dead.

Conditions take their toll over the next few sets as both teams fail to complete.

Big tackle from Terrence Lafai! Jolts the ball loose as the Bears try to grind their way out of their own half. A penalty follows for the Eels and they take the tap restart. They put on a brilliantly executed backline move down their left that has Lealaiauloto in for all money from 20m out but the last pass has been called forwards! Oh man. We have a bad angle from our position so we will have to defer to the touchy but that is tough.

Another sensational goal line stand for Parra as Myles Martin powers through multiple tackles up until the last where he cuts down a big prop forward from the Bears to save a try. It saves a try but puts them in line for a tough set off their goal line. They punch it down their left edge before Sanders tries to drive the ball low down the same side. Kick isn’t the cleanest but the opposition flanker makes a complete meal of it! What a gift!

Alas the Eels cough the ball up late in the set. Think it was Saxon Pryke there that got jammed it heavy contact. That change of possession takes us to the drink break.

Parramatta seize the initiative from the resumption of play when the Bears’ clearing kick is undone by offside chasers. Lafai marshals his team down the right edge before Sanders turns Pryke loose on the opposite side. His surging carry back to the posts positions the Eels beautifully and again some magic from dummy half undoes the Bears. Ayache jumps out to his right and then finds Martin flying back inside. The rangy lock sums up the conditions perfectly and dives early at the defenders to slide over for his second!

Try scored by Myles Martin. Conversion successful by Ethan Sanders.

Eels lead 12-0

For the second time today Parramatta complete a quality set after points! Love to see it, especially considering the weather.

North Sydney work the ball aggressively down their left in response. They spy the Eels set up deep down that side for the clearing kick and run the ball. Big Suliasi Aho comes up and produces a belter of a hit in reaction though. Might give them second thoughts for next time!

The Eels are really gaining the ascendancy here as they force another error from the home team. They go wide left immediately from the scrum win to unleash big Lealaiauloto and he sorties infield and ends his run with half the damn team on his back before falling just short of the goal line. Parramatta have them dead to rights on the opposite edge as a result but find themselves one pass short as Martin takes an overs angle to the right of the posts only to lose the ball in contact.

A rare shot for the Bears develops in the following possession as they pick up a late penalty to set-up shop in Parramatta’s red-zone. Once again the Eels prove stalwart defending their line. They don’t have to defend to the last mind you as a rare offensive penalty is called for taking out the markers.

Fast forward two sets later and the Bears are trying to make something happen again. Once more they venture down their left when they spy Aho back and once more he rattles a cage with a cracking hit. Despite that the Bears get the ball away, perhaps off the ground, but Jacob John the big unit makes a brilliant cover tackle. Love seeing a big man hustle downfield and his effort results in an error in the play-the-ball! That escalates into a penalty for some backchat and the Eels have a prime chance to punish the home team before half time.

They direct play towards their left-edge with just over a minute left and Sanders sums the situation up beautifully with a well-weighted grubber kick that is pounced upon by a flying Declan Murray!

Try scored by Declan Murray. Conversion successful by Ethan Sanders.

Eels lead 18-0

 

Half Time

Parramatta Eels 18 lead North Sydney Bears 0

 

Second Half

The precipitation continues to come down ahead of the second half. The Eels are slated to receive the ball from the kick-off.

Strong start to the second stanza for Parramatta as they pound it through the middle. Sanders kicks across the field and a hearty kick chase rewards the half with a win in the territory column. North Sydney struggle to muster a strong reply and have to hoof it from deep in their own half. Spence flies onto the clearing kick and earns a penalty when the defenders slow down his play-the-ball.

Big Jacob John crashes onto a ball and picks up a second penalty on the goal line. Spence injects himself into the game immediately after on a well executed set piece as the Eels attack right early but lace the grubber instead of playing to the edge. Lafai the man with the try assist as he hits a shallow grubber that barely goes over the try line. Spence flies through a congested log-jam of chasers to plant it down!

Try scored by Patrick Spence. Conversion successful by Ethan Sanders.

Eels lead 24-0

The rain finally eases up, at least momentarily, as the game itself slows down. Penalties and errors in the wake of Spence’s try eventually see the Bears take possession in Parramatta’s half. Jacob John is right there for another big hit early in the set. The Bears switch from left to right for the last where the try to roll in a grubber kick. The Eels jam a foot down on the ball and the referee correctly calls a 6-again as the Bears dive on the ball.

Little patience shown from the home team though as they throw caution to the wind and toss a massive cut-out pass to their left winger. To be fair, the opportunity was there but the execution is off as the winger has to try and pick it up off his ankle and fails to do so. To make things worse for the Bears, the Eels then pick up a penalty for ruck shenanigans. Play resumes in North Sydney’s half as the Eels tap from the touch finder.

Some quality defence from the Bears in this set. They can feel the game slipping and have to lift. Jacob John is met with a heavy shot and the same happens for Myles Martin on the following tackle when Sanders turns play back inside to the lock-forward. Parramatta see a chance out wide on their left edge as Murray tries to link up with the freshly introduced Cooper Sinclair but the pass hits the shooting defender. Was a clear knock down from our vantage point but the referee pings Murray for a knock-on and the Bears survive.

Consecutive penalties careen the Bears downfield and into an attacking position as Parramatta set-up to defend their goal line. After initially rebuffing a number of dummy half attempts, the Eels eventually crack as the Bears attacker somehow grounds a ball despite the attention of numerous defenders.

Try scored by the North Sydney Bears. Conversion successful.

Bears trail 6-24

Gee that is rough on the Bears. They lose the kickoff backwards – and it was clearly backwards – only for the referee to call it a knock-on. Knowing that they cant afford the Eels to score again, the Bears roll the dice on a short drop-off and execute successfully. They have to settle for grinding their way out of their end though as the Eels aim up defensively. Suliasi Aho rips in with his kick return and from there some quick hands unleashes Dom De Stradis! The wiry backrower looks a fine sight in open field as he storms his way past several cover defenders to fight his way to a four-pointer!

Try scored by Dom De Stradis. Conversion successful by Ethan Sanders.

Eels lead 30-6

For the first time today the Eels fail to complete the set following points. It puts the Bears on the attack but Parramatta’s defence is suffocating this set and Myles Martin snags the grubber kick in the front-line with some slipper hands.

A booming clearing kick and equally energetic chase pins the Bears on their goal line and two tackles later the ball is lost in a desperation offload to avoid going back in-goals. The Eels deploy a set piece probably better suited for conditions from the scrum win as Saxon Pryke flies onto a crash ball. He somehow takes the pass cleanly mind you but it was called forwards.

Martin uncorks back-to-back monster tackles. The first is negated by a penalty for an offside defender and sees tempers flare up slightly. The second is on the very next tackle as he unloads and knocks the ball loose. Players pour in and time is called off as the officials convene to decide the course of action.

Martin and the Bears’ #10 are cautioned as the Eels get the scrum feed. Martin takes the opening hit-up with gusto and from there Parramatta produce a bloody gem of a play. They play wide to Ethan Sanders and he works a spectacular outside-inside pass to his fullback Patrick Spence who scythes through. The referee has called out the Bears #6 after the play and put him on report. I missed the action itself but I assume it was a late or off-the-ball incident.

Try scored by Patrick Spence. Conversion unsuccessful by Ethan Sanders.

Eels lead 34-6

The Eels drop the ball from the kickoff and the Bears get one final chance to impact the scoreboard as they attack via their backline on their left. Full credit to Parramatta though as they rally with seconds left and Aho covers his opposite over the line to force a drop in the process of scoring. Great defensive finish to the game.

 

Full Time

Parramatta Eels 34 def. North Sydney Bears 6

 

SG Ball Team List

2:30PM @ Macquarie University Sports Field

 

1	Tyrone Sau	1	Rory Togiatu
2	Junior Wright	2	Issac Rosario
3	Francis Tuitino	3	Aaron Dimovitch
4	Jabriel Kalache	4	Samuel Woollett
5	Freeman Forsythe	5	Peter Poulos
6	Joshua Chappell	6	Finn Douch
7	Keahlan Bray	7	Michael Farah
8	Jontay Junior Mesa Betham	8	Tayson Fakaosi
9	Drew LLoyd	9	Elijah Sarkis
10	Brock Parker	10	Lafi Tuinauvai
11	Jock Brazel	11	Selwyn Smith
12	Maximus Tupou	12	Max Sedgman
13	Peter Taateo	13	Samuel Iese
14	Vlado Jankovic	14	Kobe Poching
15	Larry Muagututia	15	Blake Coombes
16	Kamoe Fekitoa	16	Nat Latu
17	David Langi	17	Taine Boland
18	Koevy Lemusu	18	Kobe Bone
		19	Damian Nati
		20	John Wesley-Vunga
		21	Jordan Dickson
		22	Ernest Maccarthy

First Half

The Eels field the ball to start the game and work their way through a productive set that sees the home team take possession on their goal-line. Unfortunately Parramatta collar a falling runner as he loses traction on the slippery field and a penalty is correctly called.

The Bears surge downfield with the momentum from that penalty and draw a second penalty late in the following set. They are now in a position to score the opening points of the game and as we so often see in these grades, the dart from dummy half does the damage. Costly ill-discipline there from Parramatta sees the home team playing out from in front today.

Try scored by the North Sydney Bears. Conversion successful.

The Bears lead 6-0

Oh they have made a meal of that one! Uncertainty between the half and the prop sees the Bears grass the kickoff.

Brock Parker takes the lead off run before the Eels spin the ball to Maximus Tupou who nearly splits the line and then picks up a penalty for a flopping defender. Vlado taps and goes before he is stopped a metre short. A big right edge shift to Jabriel Kalache nearly sees the rangy centre score out wide. The Bears barely stop him but are short on the other side of the field as a result. The Eels know it too as they work from right-to-left and the left winger, Junior Wright gets the ball down despite the efforts of his opposite!

Try scored by Junior Wright. Conversion successful by Joshua Chappell.

Eels lock the score up at 6-all

Excellent follow up to the try now as the Eels punch it up the guts and then drive it downfield from the boot of Joshua Chappell. The kick chase traps the Bears on their goal line and a strong set of defence follows. North Sydney have to clear the ball from deep in their own half. The try scorer Junior Wright is the man to tidy up the kick, just inside his own half, but he completely loses his bearings as he runs a good 4m out in touch in his kick return! Poor man, that one will haunt him all year.

Fortunately the Bears sees the ball squirt out in a tackle early in the set and the Eels immediately re-establish themselves in the arm wrestle as they play though the ruck and lace another tidy kick – this one courtesy of Keahlan Bray.

When possession comes back to the Eels they find themselves with plus field position, built on the back of that previous set, and once more they venture to their right. Early ball for Kalache who has proven to be so devastating out wide in other games. This time Kalache links up with Forsythe on his outside. Freeman steps back inside the first cover defender and just when it looks like he is going to be bundled into touch he somehow gets the offload away and Jabriel scoops up the bouncing ball to score!

Try scored by Jabriel Kalache. Conversion successful by Joshua Chappell.

Eels lead 12-6

The flow of the game now swings back to the Bears as they pick up a penalty for an obvious flop. The consecutive possessions puts them in Parra’s red zone and although the Eels are able to stand resolute until the last, a clever grubber traps Sau in-goals for a line drop-out. That takes us to drinks.

The two teams trade errors from the drop-out as the Bears end up back on the attack. The tide of possession proves too much as the Bears work their way through a third consecutive set. The Eels turn the home team away down Parra’s left only to see them cross two tackles later when Bray (?) gets left on an island and is beaten by the backrower.

Try scored by North Sydney. Conversion unsuccessful.

Bears trail 10-12

Big opportunity here for Parra. On the back of some punishing defence the bears have kicked it out on the full. After some promising runs near the posts the Eels spin wide to Kalache he but he is cut down in a ripper of a tackle. Chappell later earns a repeat set with a great pick up and kick but despite a great first up carry in the next set by David Langi, the Eels turn it over by forcing things to the right. Plenty of real estate on the other side of the field to work with.

What a costly error that proves to be as well. From that turnover the Eels concede a ruck penalty and then a try as the Bears slice through Parramatta’s left edge. That was a really nice pass and catch given the conditions and North Sydney reclaim the lead.

Try scored by North Sydney. Conversion successful.

Bears lead 16-12

I would say there is something of a lull in proceedings ahead of the half time break but out of nowhere Jock Brazel has been put on report. Didn’t look like much in it as he dives on a player that slipped over on a kick return. Nonetheless he is given the big ‘X’ by the referee. Both teams trade sets following that to bring an end to the first half.

 

Half Time

Parramatta Eels 12 trail North Sydney Bear 16

 

Second Half

The Eels kickoff the second half. Big opening possession for the Bears as they rumble into Parra’s half on the back of powerful ruck work. Their half drops a cheeky kick in between the winger Forsythe and fullback Sau and a spirited kick chase from the home team wins the race to reclaim the ball and score. Worst possible start for Parra there.

Try scored by North Sydney. Conversion unsuccessful.

Bears lead 20-12

Sloppy play from both sides following that try. Apologies for the lack of quality updates, folks. Our vantage point is far from ideal today and to compound matters my laptop has run out of battery. I will be limited to score updates from here on out.

The Eels needed something special to get back into the game and it was an 85m effort by Tyrone Sau that does it! Kalache slips an offload to his fullback and Sau dies the rest in a long range sizzler.

Try scored by Tyrone Sau. Conversion successful by Joshua Chappell.

Eels trail 18-20

The Bears quickly hit back with a penalty conversion to consolidate their lead.

Penalty conversion successful by North Sydney. 

Bears lead 22-18

See-sawing stuff now as the Eels finally reclaim the lead as Peter Taateo crashes over under the posts!

Try scored by Peter Taateo. Conversion successful by Joshua Chappell.

Eels lead 24-12

Somehow the Eels have held on for one of the ugliest wins you will see.

 

Full Time

Parramatta Eels 24 def. North Sydney Bears 22