The curtain closes on the 2022 season for the Parramatta Eels in the Jersey Flegg today but before it does they get the chance to go out guns blazing. The 2nd placed Newcastle Knights are coming to town looking to potentially leapfrog the ladder topping Sydney Roosters which means the Eels get the chance to play spoilers.

Sixties backs up from the crucial NSW Cup victory last night as the Eels look to make three straight days of winning footy. All the action kicks off at 1:15PM, live from Kellyville Park!

Jersey Flegg Team List

1. Dantoray Lui
2. Arthur Miller-Stephen
3. Corey Fenning (c)
4. Turoa Williams
5. Moala Graham-Taufa
6. Mac Puafisi
7. Ethan Sanders
8. Peter Taateo
9. Kruz Niutili-Schmidt
10. Jontay-Junior Betham-Misa
12Ryan Jones
11 Felix Niutili-Schmidt
13. Saxon Pryke

14. Jacob Davis
13. Nikau Wrathall
21. Nic Lenaz
16. Jack Colovatti

17. Markis Atoa

The rain has again been hanging around. Hopefully there’s not too much falling during the game as it’s not conducive to blogging from an ipad!

First Half

Parra kick off running towards the admin building.

Newcastle get through their set. Parra get back into Knights territory and run it on the last about 30 out. Ryan Jones kicks ahead and the ball takes a nasty bounce for the Knights fullback. Jontay Junior chases through and regathers the ball spectacularly to score the try.

Conversion from near the posts by Fenning successful

Eels 6 knights 0 about 3 gone.

Parra fail to complete the kick off set and Knights get a full set in the Eels half but the defence is too good. Parra get a penalty and hoist an attacking kick on the last. Miller-Stephen wins possession but is tackled short of the line and his desperation offload goes out.

A great line run by Jones off Sanders looks to have resulted in a try to Jones but the ref has ruled forward pass. Newcastle win the scrum and get to their kick. Parra work quickly back into the Newcastle half but the Knights fullback expertly fields a dangerous looking bomb. A penalty to the Knights soon follows. They apply the pressure and lob a perfectly placed bomb into the left corner, winning what was almost a non contest for the ball and the try.

Conversion unsuccessful

Eels 6 Knights 4. About 18 minutes left in the half

A couple of great carries from theEels bookends sets up a nicely placed kick to end the Eels set. They follow that up by restricting the Knights to kicking from their quarter line in the next set.

Parra now get a penalty from their next set and a good hit up from Jontay Junior has the Knights back pedalling. The ball swings left across the 20 metre line and hits Fenning on the fly. He shapes to pass and Newcastle hold off him. He need no further invitation to slice through for the try 2 metres in from the corner.

Conversion unsuccessful

Eels 10 Knights 4 about 12 minutes remaining this half.

Parra earn a penalty and are straight back on the attack. They stretch the Knights defence once more in a shift to the left and Lui goes very close. The ball is centred on the next then they run it on the last. Sanders brings Ryan back in an unders line and he crashes through defenders to score. Fenning converts from ten metres to the left of the posts.

Eels 16 Knights 4. 7 minutes left this half.

What a set after points. The Eels hammer the knights through the middle and a terrific kick chase on the last traps the Knights in goal. Powerful Carrie’s from Taateo and Pryke get the Eels back into the quarter from the drop out. The ball is spread left after a bit of clunky play and that man Fenning beats his opposite draws the winger and puts Miller Stephen in for a try in the corner.

Fenning converts from the sideline!

Eels 22 Knights 4 Two minutes left in the half

Half time Eels 22 Knights 4

second half

Knights kicking off.

A great set from the Eels is rewarded with the Knights knocking on the kick. Scrum on the quarter line. Puafisi dummies off the scrum and slices through, just brought down 5 metres out. Pryke powers onto a pass under the posts but they hold him up. The ball goes right to Puafisi and they again fall for his dummy. He crashes over carrying two defenders. Fenning converts from just right of the posts.

Eels 28 Knights 4 Four minutes gone second half.

Both teams trade sets and the Knights do well to bring Lui down inches from their line. Their desperation is rewarded a couple of tackles into their next set with a penalty. This time they make the Eels pay, busting the line around half way and streaming through in support. They cross under the posts for a converted try.

Eels 28 Knights 10 – 21 minutes remaining.

Newcastle are making inroads and a great tackle from Lenaz is needed to stop a break down Parra’s right edge. Newcastle go back to their right with a bomb and catch it ten out but Parra tackle them just short of the line.

Newcastle have come to life and are asking plenty of questions in possession. Well that was a lucky one. They chip the ball on the last and it’s a short ugly kick. The ball seems to take a couple of deflections backwards and they get possession and shift left. The centre streaks away and finds a support runner as he gets to Lui and they narrow the margin with a converted try.

Eels 28 Knights 16 – 14 minutes remaining.

Its getting ugly for Parra here as they give away a penalty after the kick off.

We are in trouble here. The Knights run it on the last and the Eels knock it down. It’s a scrum to Newcastle on the quarter line. And the rain is back!

Oh, they’re powering home. Parra hold on for four tackles but they can’t defend any further. Try time and it’s converted.

Eels 28 Knights 22. 8 minutes remaining.

Newcastle finally make an error and Parra are on the attack inside the 40. A six again call comes early. Jontay Junior gets close in a charge. Davis takes a crack himself and dives over for the try against his former club.

converted by Fenning

Eels 34 Knights 22 three minutes remaining.

A short kick off from Newcastle fails to go ten. Parra are on the attack but stuff it up via an obstruction. Newcastle get one last shot with 90 seconds on the clock. They kick on the last and it goes dead.

The final siren sounds and Parra finish the season on a high

Full time Parra 34 Knights 22

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