In lieu of Forty20, I will be on the ground providing score updates for the Jersey Flegg and the NSW Cup today! The Penrith Panthers are traditional powerhouses in both of these grades and are always a fantastic measuring stick for the Eels ahead of Round 1. That said, with the sort of weather we are expected to see today out at PointsBet Stadium (aka Penrith Park) we could be in for simplified game plans where astute kicks, possession and completion rates are prized even more highly than usual.

With no official team lists for both the Flegg and Cup in sight, I will do my best to cobble together approximate names and players for both teams. Please keep in mind that there is a significant influx of new faces – particularly for the Flegg – that will be difficult for me to identify but I will do my best!

 

Jersey Flegg Score Updates

 

Team

Fenning

Williams

Blackburn

Kalache

Miller-Stephen

Lui

Sanders

Taateo

K. Niutili-Schmidt

Taunaupeno

Warthall

F. Niutili-Schmidt

Muala

Jones

Tui

Alderton

Skinner

Kusto

Spence

Parker

Chappell

Lack

Guymer

Muagututia

Murray

Olson

Lenaz

 

Parra survive an early Panthers raid

nil all 5 gone

Another Riff penalty. Riff get the call their way on a contested bomb but Parra defend and force an error

Great ball from Blackburn creates a line break for Parra. A few tackles later Fenning chimes in out wide for try. Unconverted

Eels 4 nil 14 min gone

Oops – didn’t get to our kick

Riff on attack after kick off but they kick out on the full on the last

Phew – Parra drop it on the first 10 out but Riff cough it again. Eels now get relieving penalty

Parra lose the ball on the first tackle and from the scrum Panthers kick to the in goal. The Panthers winger barely gets a dubious touch on it but he gets awarded the try. Oh my!

Unconverted 4 all 12 minutes left first half

A try for Alderton goes begging as the ball is dropped over the line.

The errors is compounded with a forward pass from Parra in their next set. And it’s a 12 point turn around as Riff score off a crash play next to the posts. The Ref adjudged a grounding despite Eels protestations

Pen 10-4 2 mins left

Half time

The rain is teeming down. We’re 10 minutes into the second half with no score change

With 16 minutes of the half remaining it’s time for an ark! But the Riff have scored another contentious try as the touch judge Tips the grounding to the ref after the Eels held up the player over the line

Try unconverted

Penrith 14 Eels 4 14 minutes remaining

i should mention there are changes aplenty in the second half

Parra lose the ball rucking it out from their line but the Riff return the favour. Of course – it’s adjudged a strip!  And the Panthers take advantage scoring out wide.

unconverted Penrith 18 Eels 4

7 minutes to go

Full time 18-4
The Eels have made too many errors in this game but they have also faced some very tough calls. Refs have even found fault and penalised them multiple times in possession. However the first 50 minutes of the match was very physical and the team looked very impressive in patches.

My players to watch based on today were Fenning, Blackburn and Lui. I also thought that SG Ball half Ethan Sanders had his best game of the season.

 

NSW Cup Score Updates

 

Possible Team (to be worked out as I go – please bear with me as I have no list)

Tuipulotu

Naiduki

Opacic

Loizou

Lehmann

Rankin

Perham

ogden

Rein

Rodwell

El Zakhem

Cartwright

Niukore

Hands

Moretti

Yates

Hollis

Komolafe

Faulalo

Olive

Keir

Walkington-Meads

Tilburg

Puru

Ieremia

Nearly 10 gone in first half. No score. Parra has had most of the chances. Eels offloads are causing problems but a couple of errors have spoiled their opportunities

Errors from Parra have helped Penrith to dominate territory for last 15 minutes. Eels earn a repeat set by forcing a line drop out. Perham breaks the line 25 metres out from Panthers line and finds Tuipulotu in support for a try near the posts.

Rankin converts

Eels 6 nil 6 mins left first half

The Panthers make a costly error inside their quarter and Parra deliver the pain. Perham goes to the line and delivers a pass to Opacic who slices through for a try out wide on the left.

Rankin nails the conversion as half time sounds.

Half time – Eels 12 Penrith nil

Second Half

A few changes in the team as replacements start the half.

The Eels return the favour straight after the break when they turn the ball over in the first set of six. Penrith score off the set and convert.

Eels 12 Panthers 6 3 minutes gone

And just like that the lead is erased as Parra get penalised in the Panthers next set and they go downfield and score from dummy half

Eels 12 Penrith 12, 7 minutes gone

The Eels benefit from a Riff error outside the Panthers quarter and launch a raid. Tilburg puts a grubber in on the last and Lehmann grounds it.

Conversion unsuccessful

Eels 16 Penrith 12, 17 to go and plenty of new faces on the field

Panthers score with quick hands around 35 metres out creating the break. Converted

Penrith 18 Eels 16 6 minutes to go

The panthers wrap it up with 30 seconds to go with a try off a bomb.

Full time Penrith 22 Eels 16

Quick opinion – The Eels starting team performed very strongly. Perham was outstanding during his time on the field, ably supported in the spine by Rein and Tuipulotu. The forwards did their job without anyone really standing out, though Carty created a couple of problems for the opposition.

The conditions here have not been conducive to free flowing footy and both teams made their share of errors.