The Parramatta Eels are on the road to start the 2023 Junior Representative season as they travel to the Central Coast to take on the Sydney Roosters in the Harold Matthews and SG Ball and their Indigenous Academy in the Tarsha Gale. It is a massive block of games to kick off Parramatta’s chase for the finals given the Tricolours are almost always high quality opposition.

Sixties has made the trip and will be calling all three game live from Morry Breen Oval. The Harold Matthews are first up with kickoff at 10:30AM followed by the SG Ball at 12:00PM and finally the Tarsha Gale at 1:30PM.

 

Harold Matthews Team List

1 Corey Leigh
2 Dom Farrugia
3 Lucius Muliaga
4 Josh Patrick
5 Lorima Rokosuka
6 Brandon Navarro
7 Lorenzo Talataina
8 Mikayel Tito
9 Zaidas Muagututia
10 Ocean Vaivela
11 Jordan Uta
12 Jezaiah Funa-luta (c)
13 Tyson Sangalang
14 Lachlan Coinakis
15 Anthony Abdow
16 Junior Siale
17 Maison Ong
18 Jack Nicholas

 

Harold Matthews Game Report

 

First half

Superb conditions to watch footy at  Wyong today.  A bit of a breeze and seats under shelter. Bear with me today as I’m no Forty20 – this post will mostly be describing scoring plays.

Parra are kicking off running to the north end.

Woohoo. Eels find the dead ball line from the kick off.

What a pass from Talataina to Uta and the back rower crashes over from close range to the left of the posts. Conversion unsuccessful.
Eels 4 Roosters Nil two mins gone.

Parra are looking very sharp early on. Great carries from the forwards and swift ball movement. Unfortunately they’ve turned the ball over in great field position and the Roosters break away down their right wing. A superb chase from Farrugia comes to nothing as the home team cross in the corner from the play the ball. Conversion unsuccessful. 4 all. About ten mins gone.

Parra’s on the attack after a scrum win in the Roosters half. Play quickly hits the quarter after a good carry from Josh Patrick. Two plays later Zaidas Muagututia puts on a clever reverse pass next to the ruck and Tyson Sangalang crashes over near the posts. Try converted.

Eels 10 Roosters 4 Twenty gone

Oh no! The Eels have turned the ball over deep on the attack with two minutes left in the half. They’ve now compounded the error with a penalty and the Roosters are attacking in the quarter. Just as expected, Zach Fittler demands the ball, puts on the big step and slices through for the try next to the posts. Conversion successful as the siren sounds.

Eels 10 Roosters 10

Half time

Second half

Great start to the half from Muagututia. First a good charge into the Roosters quarter then he follows it up by changing the point of attack from dummy half finding Lucius Muliaga who grubbers it into the ingoal for Dom Farrugia to dive onto in the left corner. Conversion unsuccessful. Eels 14 Roosters 10. 32 gone.

Not again. The Eels lose possession a couple of plays into the kick off set and the Roosters work a play off Fittler. The back rower Mackenzie charges onto the Fittler pass and sprints away for the try. Conversion unsuccessful. Eels 14 Roosters 14

The Roosters now drop the ball in the kick off set but Parra let them off the hook by losing the ball in their quarter. We badly need to arrest these errors as the Eels are the superior team in this contest.

The errors are flowing in this game as the Roosters now turn it over and Parra go deep into the quarter. A great last tackle kick is squandered by a poor chase. The Roosters have just received a baffling penalty on the last after kicking the ball, with the penalty given where the ball was played. They’re in the Eels quarter and the Roosters number 12 bags his double, beating a multitude of players by carrying them over the line.

conversion successful Roosters 20 Eels 14 about 12 mins remaining.

My goodness. The Roosters player catches the kick off and throws a two metre forward pass. Parra now in possession in the red zone but that error has come again on an early tackle. The Roosters get to the last tackle kick and force Farrugia into the in goal. It’s a line drop out with out 5 left on the clock which is malfunctioning.

Parra defend that set and not long after work the ball into the Roosters quarter. A last ankle kick looks to have forced a line drop out as Farrugia drives his opposite into the in goal but the ref has found a penalty. Ground announcer has advised five minutes to go.

Rokosuka makes a terrific catch and run and the Roosters go on with the tackle. What! There is no penalty coming and the players swarm in for a push and shove. Very disappointing lack of a call there!

Parra surge downfield but it all comes unstuck again with a dropped ball and yet again two tackles later the ref has found another Roosters penalty. The play advances towards Parra’s quarter and the Eels knock down the pass. Full time!

Rooster 20 Eels 14.

Quick comment. Zac Fittler was a class above everyone on the field, wearing the 13 but quite often playing as a 6. The Eels were their own worst enemy with incomplete sets at crucial points. The Roosters made them pay by converting Parra’s errors into points.

 

SG Ball Team List

1 Apa Twidle
2 Cody Parry
3 Richard Penisini
4 Devonte Vaivela
5 Mohamed Alameddine
6 Ethan Sanders
7 Josh Lynn
8 Sam Tuivaiti
9 Matt Arthur
10 Lance Fualema
11 William Lewis
12 Dom DeStradis
13 Charlie Guymer (c)
14 Pat Spence
15 Sebastian Piukala
16 Lebron Tuala
17 Raf DeStradis
18 Sam Squire

 

SG Ball Game Report

A shout out to the Lynn family, following our blog for the first time this week as Josh makes his debut.

First half

Eels gain running to the north end and kicking off.

Parra get the ball after a Roosters error. A shift left unleashes Cody Parry and he charges 20 metres carrying players in the contact for the try. Conversion from out wide by Lynn successful.
Eels 6 Roosters nil three minutes gone.

Parra get the ball from the kick off and earn a penalty. That’s not good. The kick fails to find touch. Parra survive a close call when a Roosters try is disallowed for a forward pass.

Multiple six agains for the Roosters and their 5/8 literally has spiders on him. He beats half the Eels team twice in one run. Another six again and that elusive 5/8 becomes the ball player putting his lock over. Conversion unsuccessful.

Eels 6 Roosters 4 Eleven minutes gone

A Roosters charge down on Parra’s last tackle kick gets a fortunate offside penalty for Parra around half way. Parra’s left side attack again works it’s magic when sharp hands get the ball to Penisini who frees Parry for another burst of power and speed to the corner. Conversion unsuccessful

Eels 10 Roosters 4 16 minutes remaining first half

Parra are back on the attack in the red zone and Matt Arthur has seen an opportunity to the left of the play the ball. The dummy half gets a try to celebrate his 18th birthday. Converted by Josh Lynn.

Eels 16 Roosters 4  Nine minutes till half time.

Parra lose possession in the kick off set and the Roosters inexplicably kick the ball ahead on the zero tackle. Fortunately for them they earn the line drop out. It’s even better news when they create space for their left winger who accelerates away from the defence to cross in the corner. Conversion unsuccessful

Eels 16 Roosters 8 Four minutes remaining.

The Roosters get back to back penalties and are deep on the attack close to the Eels line. Parra’s defence is holding well but I don’t like how they’ve numbered up on the last. The ball heads to the Roosters left and their winger is again too elusive and scores in the corner. Conversion is again unsuccessful from out wide as half time sounds.

Half time Eels 16 Roosters 12

Roosters kick off and force a line drop out after driving the Eels runner back in goal. Parra survive and Sanders licks a 40/20. An early tackle penalty and Parra are peppering the Roosters line around the ruck. It’s all even a set up however as the ball is again swung to the lethal left and Parry crosses again. Conversion unsuccessful.

Eels 20 Roosters 12 Six gone.

All that good work has just been undone as the Roosters break away through the ruck in their next possession and run 40 metres to score. Conversion successful.

Eels 20 Roosters 18

25 minutes remaining

The Roosters drop the ball in the kick off set and the scrum is packed 20 metres out. Parra put on a scrum play, but this time they head right. Mohamed Alameddine gets one back against his opponent there as he scoots over in the corner. Conversion unsuccessful

Eels 24 Roosters 18.

23 minutes remaining

The seesawing battle continues as the Roosters again reply. This time  a kick into the in goal looks like it’s going dead as Parra try to shepherd it over the dead ball. But the Roosters chaser dives and taps it back and his support dives on it out wide. Conversion unsuccessful.

Eels 24 Roosters 22

about 19 minutes remaining

Now the Roosters again turn it over on the kick off. Parra head right and Lynn throws a beautiful cut out to Alameddine who heads for the corner, only to have the try disallowed for a forward pass.

The Eels are back on the attack in the red zone. The ball finds Arthur in centre field and he throws the big cut out to Alameddine for the try. Check that. The ref has again called it forward though it’s probably a correct call.

Parra force an error on the Roosters 40 metre line but drop the ball from the scrum. Fortunately they are awarded a penalty and advance play to the 20. Let’s hit the replay button here. The ball swings left and that man Cody Parry is heading over for yet another four pointer. Conversion unsuccessful

Eels 28 Roosters 22

8 minutes remaining

Good grief, it’s another incomplete set after the kick off and the Roosters are attacking. The Eels survive but have again turned it over in their own half in the next set. The Roosters kick on the fourth and earn a drop out. Three minutes remaining. It’s desperate try line defence from Parra here as the Roosters 5/8 is held up. They run it on the last and shift left but we shut it down.

Things are firing up here with 1:20 left on the clock. There are attempted possession strips from the Roosters and now a melee has erupted and the tricolours 5/8 has been binned. Parra penalty!

A great set from Parra finishes with a last tackle kick forcing a line drop out. The Roosters barely have time to take the short kick and the Eels are tackled as full time is called.

Full time

Eels 28 Roosters 22

Tarsha Gale Team List

1 Debbie Doueihi (c)
2 Alysha Bell
3 Caitlin Peadon
4 Lindsay Tui
5 Hayley Bell
6 Charlotte Cawthorne
7 Tallara Bamblett
8 Laila Dimech
9 Ashlee Pottinger (c)
10 Kanye Maru-Mulu
11 Kalisi Mahe
12 Kyanna Lokeni
13 Makaah Darcy
14 Kasey Quye
15 Mele Akau’ola Laula
16 Nella Lima
17 Serah Poloaalii
19 Leila Black

 

Tarsha Gale Game Report

 

First half

Eels again are doing the kicking off duties, this time running to the southern end.

The Roosters work play through the middle for 5 tackles earning a penalty for offside on the 5th. They get to the red zone and shift left. Sharp hands create an overlap and the winger crosses. Conversion from out wide is just short.

Roosters 4 Eels nil four minutes gone

Thats just great footy. The Roosters unleash their second phase footy with great offloads in contact. They break downfield and are over for their second try which is converted.
Rooster 10 Eels nil

7 minutes gone

It’s tough going for the Eels as the Roosters kick on the last forces an error. Things are looking ominous as they pepper the Eels defence with shifts left and right but fortunately for our girls the ball is dropped and Parra have their first set of the game with ten minutes gone.

The girls earn a penalty but then return the ball to the Roosters after being penalised for obstruction. Now the Roosters give the ball back again after failing to find touch. Parra are finally deep on the attack and shift it left on the last but a forward pass call brings the play to a halt.

The play has been a bit scrappy for the last ten minutes. Parra has just survived a repeat set on their line after the Roosters winger dropped it with the corner begging. Parra get to the last in possession and kick down to the Roosters 20 metre line. They get back in a couple of plays to Parra’s 40 but an incorrect play the ball turns possession back to the Eels. They head back to the Roosters quarter and it looks like a hand from the Roosters has knocked a Parra pass into touch.  Parra are now peppering the try line. They’re lined deep for a left shift but the defence holds. The last tackle kick is centred to the posts and earns a drop out.
It’s a penalty to Parra as the Roosters are in front of the kicker. A Roosters hand again gives Parra another six tackles and the Eels work play towards the left. Debbie Doueihi receives the ball ten out and as she’s being tackled finds a one hand offload for Caitlin Peadon to score in the corner. Conversion from Bell unsuccessful and it’s half time.

The Eels have managed to stem the tide and fight back from that early Roosters surge. The last try should give them some confidence for the second half

Roosters 10 Eels 4 Half time

Second Half

The Roosters kick off and force Parra to kick on the last from about the 40 metre line. They field the ball on their own 40 metre line and start the second half exactly like the first. Strong running and keeping the ball alive opens up Parra’s right side defence and the Rooster are over in the left corner.

Try unconverted

Roosters 14 Eels 4

4 minutes gone

This is looking like a carbon copy of the first half as sharp Roosters attack again opens the Eels up. Only a loose pass stops the momentum. This gives time for Parra defence to settle. The Roosters kick on the last and knock on when competing for the ball.

Parra get through the set and the Roosters again launch their attack from their own 40. They run it on the last and it looks like their centre has the pace to get to the left corner but great defence from the Eels brings her down short.

Parra are starting to find their feet again and are asking questions of the Roosters. They hit the Roosters 20 metre line where Cawthorne and Bamblett combine before the ball goes wide to Hayley Bell. She sprints for the corner but is brought down and the ball, is now with the Roosters.

Both teams exchange sets but the Roosters seem to have regained the ascendancy. They get to the red zone and a lovely cut out has the centre charging into a hole a scoring 5 in from touch. Conversion unsuccessful

Roosters 18 Eels 4

Ten minutes remaining

The Eels kick off has found touch and a scrum is set on the 20. The Eels explore both sides of the field but all questions are answered by the Roosters defence. The final tackle kick goes directly to a Roosters player who fields it with ease.

The Roosters replacement forward #15 has just proved unstoppable in a 20 metre run through the middle of the ruck. She finds a support runner who plants the ball under the posts

Conversion successful.

Roosters 24 Eels 4

Three minutes remaining.

Thats now full time.

Roosters 24 Eels 4

Sixties