The Parramatta Eels are back at home for Round 4 of the Junior Representatives. All three teams will be looking to consolidate on an unbeaten road trip to Wollongong with the Tarsha Gale and SG Ball taking on the North Sydney Bears while the Harold Matthews tackle the St George Dragons.
All the action kicks off at 10:00AM with the Tarsha Gale while we switch things up this week as the SG Ball follows at 11:30AM before the Harold Matthews round out the day with a 1:00PM start.
In addition to the Junior Representatives there was also a development game today where the Eels took on the Bears in what I believe was the Under 16s. In what is hopefully an auspicious sign the Blue & Gold proved too strong running out 28-8 winners.
Click the spoiler tag for each team to follow the updates in each game!
The team lists and live updates will then open for each game.
Tarsha Gale Team List
1 Alysha Bell
2 Hayley Bell
3 Caitlin Peadon
4 Lindsay Tui
5 Siulolovao Vave
6 Charlotte Cawthorne
7 Debbie Doueihi (c)
8 Laila Dimech
9 Ashlee Pottinger (c)
15 Mele Akau’ola Laula
11 Kalisi Mahe
12 Kyanna Lokeni
13 Nella Lima
10 Kanye Maru
14 Kasey Quye
16 Leila Black
17 Bella Sandford
18 Chelsea Steele
19 Tallara Bamblett
21 Alliyah Ghannoum
First Half
The Eels are receiving the ball to start the Gale. An early penalty for the home team takes them to half way where the tap finds Caitlin Peadon. Right now as Doueihi turns Mahe back inside before they go right again looking for a big right edge shift but Charlotte Cawthorne can’t bring in a looping pass from Doueihi and the Bears are left off the hook.
The Bears punch pack with a strong set that forces Alysha Bell to clean the kick up close to her goal line before some driving defence piles on the pressure. The referee finds a mistake in the play the ball.
Huge set for the Eels to defend now and they bring the anger themselves with a series of swarming tackles. Fantastic footy from both sides early in this contest and Debbie Doueihi adds to it with a courageous dive on a bouncing grubber.
Play is called off while Pottinger is treated before she eventually leaves the field. Maybe a cheekbone or facial injury? Kasey Quye is on to replace her.
Another terrific touch from Laila Dimech! She has burst straight into the backfield! Wonderful power and speed from the front rower and she showcases some tidy footwork as she takes on the fullback! She is brought down by the cover chase but rapid ball movement down the left edge – spearheaded by Doueihi and Leila Black – puts the home team on the goal line where Kalisi Mahe smashes her way over.
Try scored by Kalisi Mahe. Conversion successful by Alysha Bell.
Eels lead 6-0
12min gone
Classy set after points! They control the ruck perfectly before Doueihi drills a worm burner kick nearly in the backfield. A penalty in defence takes some pressure off the Bears but they cough the ball up shortly after and then concede a penalty of their own.
Peadon takes the tap restart as the Eels look to work to the right. Kanye Maru has a bullocking run to set the Eels up in an identical position to their first score but they come up with an error trying to dive over this time around.
A little bit of sloppines has crept into this game with both teams failing to complete their last sets. The Bears break the stalemate with a testing surge down their left edge that opens up our defence before Alysha Bell makes the important save at the last line. More pressure from the visitors though with a grubber kick that is ruled to be batted dead by the Eels in a deep contest on the dead ball line.
Despite a strong start to the defensive stand the Eels are unravalled when Grace-Lee Weekes splits two defenders on our right edge – I think Doueihi and Black there – to score. Looks like the tacklers almost pinballed eachother off with the angle of their collision and the Bears prosper for it.
Try scored by Grace-Lee Weekes. Conversion successful.
Bears lock the scores up at 6-all
24min gone
The momentum in this game has changed in rapid fashion as the Bears find space down our right edge for the second time today. Bell is called upon to make the try saver again but is ruled to have slipped high in the process. Marginal call but not unduly outrageous. Good effort from Bell nonetheless.
North Syndey’s powerfully built five-eigth goes perilously close to scoring but is held up at the last moment which in turn sparks a minor fracas that ends up costing the Bears possesion! What a brain snap.
A seocnd penalty carries the Eels deep down field as the spine start to link up. Doueihi and Alysha Bell shift wide right to Hayley Bell who tucks it under the wing and steams into the line. Back to the left following that as a tidy kick is rewarded with a drop out.
Mahe is called upon for the opening carry before Black rips into a retreating defence. Mahe comes back for a second but is held up over the line leading to a 10m reset. Right to Doueihi and shapes to er right and finds Maru. Great build up here and Nella Lima runs a beauty of a line to reap all the benefits of it! Great late fade/unders angle to her carry and it pulls the Bears apart as she dives over.
Try scored by Nella Lima. Conversion successful by Alysha Bell.
Eels lead 12-6
29min gone
Half Time
Parramatta Eels 12 lead the North Sydney Bears 6
Second Half
Parra to kick off in the second half. Fiery start to the contest as both teams look to dominate physically. Thr Bears are penalised for what looks to be pressure on the neck putting the home team on the front foot. They drive their way into the red zone and sortie down their left as the play the ball wide to Alysha Bell. She takes on the line herself and pushes through just short of the try line but her offload attempt spills out towards the Bears and they dive on it.
Oh my lord Alysha Bell! Talk about quick redemption. North Sydney make a long break down their left edge in the reply set and look at impossibly good odds to score. Bell is left with three players to cover but slides across the first two perfectly, forcing pass on each occasion, before absolutely bulldozing the winger into touch in a dominant tackle!
Parramatta are forced to defend their line again shortly afterwards but remain grimly resolute. Doueihi makes a terrific tackle from dummy half on the last to force the turnover on tackles.
Kanye Maru has another wuality carry and it followed up by Kalisi Mahe. A big switch of play catches the Bears short down the left. Doueihi loops a pass back to Alysha Bell who then chips ahead. The bounce breaks backwards but to her right missing her but finding a support runner. The Eels play the numbers advantage at the last line as the ball ends up with Hayley Bell but she is hit as she tries to ground the ball and is ruled to have lost it by the ref who has a great vantage point on the play.
The Eels pickup another penalty, care of a high shot, in their next set and work from right to left on the resumption of play. The shift sees Bell link up with tui down the left before coming back to the posts with Lokeni. Quye tries to burrow over on the last but is stuffed by a pair of desperate defenders.
Dimech makes a great defensive read as she intercepts an offload in the ruck to put Parra back on the attack. Wonderful heads up play.
To the right edge where Hayley Bell beats her opposite and passes back inside to Tui for a nice gain. Dimech carts it up to bring up the last before Doueihi tries to grubber crossfield to her left edge. It is skewed off the boot and becomes a cotnest in the front line where there is more than a question of a knock on from the Bears but the ref sees it differently allowing them to escape.
A penalty for an illegal marker play gifts the Eels another big opportunity as Dimech and Lokeni take the early runs. Left now where the fullback Bell has another run at the line before the home team is pulled up for a forward pass as they try to make a power play at the goal line.
The same touchy comes into action swiftly afterwards as well as they call the Bears for an illegal pass of their own. Parramatta with a huge chance to secure a game winning lead here.
Right to Hayley Bell who takes a crash ball from Tui on the first. Back left with Tui and then Lokeni. Left on the fourth where Cawthorne links up early with Bell who quickly feeds the winger Vave who crashes over to score despite the attention of several defenders! They had to have it and they got it done.
Try scored by Siulolovao Vave. Conversion unsuccessful by Alysha Bell.
Eels lead 16-6
53min gone
Ooph. The one thing the Eels didn’t want was an error from the kickoff. Alas that is how it has unfolded with a shortish kickoff putting pressure on the home team to take a tough catch. The Bears pack the scrum from 25m out and play to their right where they have the Eels scrambling wildly as their winger comes back infield off her right foot. She is eventually collared high for a simple penalty call and with four and half minutes on the clock the Eels will have to defend their line with every fibre of their being.
Some withering defence early on. Hayley Bell has a brutal shot and backs it up two tackles later by bundling her opposite into touch! What a defensive sequence from the winger there.
A simple but effective set is completed somewhat chaotically with multiple kicks almost pulling apart the Bears. The referee has found a Parra knock on in the clean up for the second kick though and the Bears will have less than 2 minutes to bridge a 10-point gap.
Despite their best efforts the Bears can’t impact the scoreboard and the game ends with another dominat tackle from Hayley Bell to put the stamp on what was a wonderful contest from both sides.
Full Time
Parramatta Eels 16 defeat the North Sydney Bears 6
Harold Matthews Team List
1 Corey Leigh
2 Dom Farrugia
3 Alma Faataga Seve
4 Lachlan Vella
5 Lorima Rokosuka
6 Junior Fagalele
7 Lorenzo Talataina
8 Ocean Vaivela
9 Zaidas Muagututi’a
10 Mikayel Tital
11 Anthony Abdow
12 Jordan Uta
13 Tyson Sangalang
14 Lachlan Coinakis
15 Lewis Saad
16 Jack Nicholas
17 Maison Ong
18 Brandon Navarro
First Half
The Eels kickoff to the Dragons and both teams begin this one with plenty of feeling as a strong carry is met by an equally strong tackle. Parra are pinged for the first penalty of the game when a tackle slips high and the Dragons get the first scoring opportunity as a result. They work to thei right through the first three tackles before shifting left to their fullback Nachar. He props off his left foot and straightens up but he cut down at the line. St George send the attacking bomb to the right side where Lorima Rokosuka tries to climb the ladder and defuse it but he has mistimed his run here. He ends up dropping it backrwards where it is claimed by his opposite for the opening points.
Try scored by the St George Dragons. Conversion unsuccessful.
Dragons lead 4-0
4min gone
Gee that is some awful luck for the Eels. They have intercepted an offload attempt through the middle but the referee, who is positioned on the wrong side to see it, has ruled it was stripped out. That was definitely a poor offload.
Thankfully some karmic justice comes around sooner rather than later as the Dragons spill the ball attacking down their right edge.
Finally the Eels get their hands on the ball and get to work with a simple set – very happy to see that mind you – and get to a good clearing kick. The Dragons rumble the ball into our half in repy and a well-weighted attacking kick forces Rokosuka deep in-goals to clean it up. He does tremendously well to get back into the field of play and then pins his ears back. He flies out to the 45m mark but then needs to come back infield but it is too late and the cover defence get there and drive him into touch.
An error on a tipped pass from the Dragons means the turnover isn’t costly though. Huge let off.
Real stop-start stuff at the moment (which I know makes for bad updates) as the Eels make another error in possession. This one comes in the play the ball and just as they were working their way in St George’s half. The visitors grind their way to our goal line and stab a grubber kick from left to right looking to catch the Eels out with a kick against the grain. It very nearly does as the chase gets to it a fraction late leading to a 20m restart instead of a try.
Parra keep it neat from the extended set and it pays out dividends very quickly. Not only do they muster downfield comfortably but they get their first points of the game when Lorenzo Talataina pounces opportunistically on a grubber kick from Zaidas Muagututia!
Try scored by Lorenzo Talataina. Conversion successful by Dom Farrugia.
Eels lead 6-4
16min gone
As good as the SG Ball was at getting to their kick following points we see the complete opposite here. The Eels get a set restart following a batted pass from a defender but then turn it over two plays later. Absolutely gifting the vistiors a chance to take the lead again here.
Doesn’t take them long either as their monstrous #12 Halangahu screams onto the pill and smashes his way over. Too big and too strong right there.
Try scored by the St George Dragons. Conversion unsuccessful.
Dragons lead 8-6
20min gone
Again the Eels are punished for a slew of incomplete sets as the Dragons score their third of the half. This one I do have an issue with though after Dom Farrugia drops a bomb in-goals after it seemed like he was taken in the air. Regardless the play is allowed to go on and the Dragons jump on it and score.
Try scored by the St George Dragons. Conversion successful.
Dragons lead 12-6
26min gone
Someway, somehow the Eels will head into oranges at parity with the Dragons. Complete the set, score the try.
Talataina turns try scorer to assister with a cheeky little grubber that pops up in-between defenders. It gives Jack Nicholas the chance to push through and claim it but he needs to use the Go-Go-Gadget arms in order to get the ball down and score! That was a serious stretch!
Try scored by Jack Nicholas. Conversion successful by Dom Farrugia.
Half Time
Parramatta Eels 12 locked up with St George Dragons 12
Second Half
Positive start to the second stanza for the Eels as they work through a tough set and clear the ball downfield care of Talataina. Good stuff.
Just as they look pinned on their line a brave shift to the left edge opens the game up massively. Lachlan Vella slides past his opposite to kick the Eels clear of their red zone and then links up to his right with Nicholas. The backrower carries it 20m downfield before finding the fullback Leigh but the cover defence gets him. A blatant slowdown on the play the ball results in a clear sin bin and the Eels waste no time taking advantage of it.
They go left with Talataina who bullets a cutout pass to his winger Rokosuka and Lorima hares his way to the goal line, beating a single cover defender at the last, to slam the ball down and score!
Try scored by Lorima Rokosuka. Conversion successful by Dom Farrugia.
Eels lead 18-12
35min gone
Ah geez, poor error there. Looks like Jordan Uta wasn’t awake to the offload from Maison Ong and he fumbles the attempted catch. Lorenzo Talataina puts himself in the thick of things with a knifing tackle that frees the ball!
Corey Leigh is absoutely demolished on the sweeper in a perfectly timed jam. He is smoked there and the ball pops out as the Dragons scoop it up and race downfield. Desparate cover defence swarms the runner and is rewarded with an error from the Dragons a tackle later. Leigh was winded in backfield in the meantime but makes a recovery while the Dragons go on to concede a penalty in the ruck following the resumption of play.
The home team squander a chance to consolidate their lead when one of their big men tryies to crash over, maybe Ong I think, but loses it as he tries to ground it.
Even with that blemish the Eels are the next to score! Talataina takes on the line before driving a grubber kick into the in-goals. It looks a tad heavy off the boot but a spirited chase from either Vella or Leigh leads to a last ditch bat back and Rokosuka is Johnny Onthespot to plant it down! Great team try.
Try scored by Lorima Rokosuka. Conversion successful by Dom Farrugia.
Eels lead 24-12
43min gone
Tough call comes against Zaidas in this set when he is ruled to have made an incorrect play the ball. Ref says he rolled it without an attempt to strike at it but it was right infront of us and that call…seems contentious.
A gritty set of defence repels the Dragons though which is great to see. It does leave them with a mountain of work to do coming off their line but they guts it out and earn a penalty when the Dragons are caught infringing inside 10m.
Quality carries from Ocean and Tito set the Eels up for an attacking raid on the St George goal line. A set restart helps the cause but Parra are a bit overzealous in their attempts to pound the ball over the line. To their credit the Dragons are plenty resolute in their defensive efforts and end up forcing a turnover on tackles 1m out.
The Eels put the blow torch on the Dragons in defence in the next set and force a line drop with waves of pressure. Huge efforts there.
Dom Farrugia has a terrific opening carry to set the Eels up from the drop out but the big shift to Rokosuka sees the flying winger drop the ball with the goal line in sight. No guarantees he scores there given there were defenders closing in but he would want that one back. The Dragons, not to be outdone though, immediately cough it back up.
Oh that is a nice scrum play! It has been a feature in both the Ball and the Matts today and Talataina scampers to the right in motion from the scrum win. He is way ahead of the defence and sums it up perfectly with a pass to Alma Seve to put the centre over untouched!
Try scored by Alma Seve. Conversion successful by Dom Farrugia.
Eels lead 30-12
52min gone
Kickoff sets have not been a feature of the game today for the Eels and this time it is Farrugia who fails to reel it in cleanly. A rare blemish on the stat sheet for the outstanding flanker. Again though the Dragons are extremely obliging in their own forthcoming error.
Dom goes some way to making amends with a powerful charge in the ruck. Lorenzo looks to hoof the ball downfield to complete the set but he is taken late, high and heavily and the penalty comes immediately. Talataina will come off as a result and hopefully be okay as the final 5min of the game wind down.
Zaidas comes back into the game and lines up in the halves.
A bit too easy for the Eels in the wake of the foul play as Tyson Sangalang runs back to the posts and plants the ball down while defenders are trying to wrap him up. Soft try but they all count.
Try scored by Tyson Sangalang. Conversion successful by Dom Farrugia.
Eels lead 36-12
56min gone
Easily our best set after points today as Lewis Saad spearheads it with a great carry. Interplay between Vaivela and Coinakis carries the momentum and Fagalele puts the seal on it with a driven kick that finds touch deep in St George territory.
Full Time
Parramatta Eels 36 defeat the St George Dragons 12
SG Ball Team List
1 Apa Twidle
2 Cody Parry
3 Tuvaku Pulu
4 Devonte Vaivela
5 Mohamed Alameddine
6 Ethan Sanders
7 Josh Lynn
8 Sam Tuivaiti
9 Matt Arthur
10 Saxon Pryke
11 Raffaeke De Stradis
12 William Lewis
13 Charlie Guymer (c)
14 Pat Spence
15 Sebastian Piukala
16 LeBron Tuala
17 Lance Fualema
18 Sam Squire
19 Sam Squire
First Half
Parra are kicking off in the first half. An early penalty conceded from the home team gives the Bears a piggy back close to halfway. They chance their arms early on with a raid down our left edge where their #6 Cameron Robertson finds a gap to knife through. He tries to grubber past Apa Twidle but the Eels regather in goals and run it dead. Line drop out.
Alameddine makes a solid ball and all tackle on the right sideline before hustle from Sam Tuivati and Matt Arthur sees ‘Boods’ clean up a bounced pass! A penalty follows as the Bears fail to clear 10m and a booming touch finder puts under 35m downfield.
Lovely deception from Twidle late at the line nearly puts Raff through a gap but Arthur overcooks his pass on the next play and is called up for a forward pass. The Bears were fraying there as well.
Oh my, the sound of that Tuivati tackle! Mighty shot. The Bears rally back with a wonderful clearing kick that is marked in touch near Parramatta’s 20m line.
Charlie Guymer steps back in behind the ruck for an excellent carry before the Eels play right with a cutout pass from Twidle finding Alameddine who comes back infield for the tackle. To the left from there where Vaivela finds himself with a half break near the line and tries to find an offload to Cody Parry but the touchy is on point and signals that it went forwards.
The Bears nearly open the scoring in reply as they march down the field but Parramatta defend their goal line resolutely before Ethan Sanders makes a huge break back in behind the ruck. The Eels pick up a fresh set when a contest for a loose ball resulted in a Bears’ knock on and from there they attack the left edge short side where Vaivela links up with Parry to give his powerful winger a look at scoring but he is marked out by the touchy just as he looks to drive over and score.
Oh you love to see that. Following a dominant defensive stand from the Eels, Tuivati and Lewis are rewarded for outstanding kick pressure as the clearing effort sails out on the full. Ethan Sanders hits the nitrous as he runs the team at a terrifying pace and is barely tackled as he scythes at the line. His run and rapid play the ball open up a chance for Arthur who shapes to his right for a rampaging Tuivati but pulls it back, steps off his right and dives over!
Try scored by Matt Arthur. Conversion successful by Ethan Sanders.
Eels lead 6-0
15min gone
Good news, bad news…thankfully for the right parties as the Bears drive the kickoff well over the dead ball line.
Guymer fields an offload an adds another run to his name. Apa Twidle darts down the left asking questions before the Eels go the posts with Tuivati who is met strongly. Guymer nearly carries defenders over on the fourth but play unravels on the last as Arthur misses Sanders with the pass and forces Raff to clean it up for the turnover.
Again the Eels pin the Bears deep in their half, allowing for Twidle to take the kick on the full. He steams back and is met by an equally strong hit. North Sydney wrest back some momentum when Tuivati can’t complete the play the ball correctly which in turn sees the visitors pack for a scrum on their 40m line.
A great slide and tackle from Tuvaka Palu jolts the ball out and it floats into the hands of Alameddine who says thank you very much. It is pure class from there though. Arthur rifles a bullet to Joshua Lynn who has Twidle lurking in his shadow. The fullback times his run perfectly using positional deception to open up a channel and Lynn holds the pass up perfectly. The fullback slides through and steps past his opposite to score!
Try scored by Apa Twidle. Conversion successful by Ethan Sanders.
Eels lead 12-0
22min gone
Tidy footy! Always happy to see the team get to a good kick after point and the Eels duly do just that. Sanders completes the set with a ranging kick and the Bears are tackled short of their 20m mark.
A late set restart however sets the Bears up for a reply but again the Eels show great hustle to scoop up an errant pass. Vaivela and Alameddine make some tough runs for good gains but Arthur is pulled up for a forward pass for the second time today on the fourth tackle.
Palu nearly eviscerates his opposing centre from the scrum win with a tremendous read and shot but it must be said that the Bears are not wiliting in the face of some serious physicality from the Eels.
The Bears send a testing bomb towards Twidle who takes it easy as you could before skipping to his right to beat two chasers. He tries to link up with Palu but the pass is batted down so the Eels will set a scrum.
Parra looked to have tacked on to their lead when Sanders releases a rampaging Vaivela into space. The centre powers through the rackle from Jospeh Jaber and looks to have slammed the ball down but the referee rules a dropped ball. I thought he got it down but there isn’t a chorus of protests from the Eels.
What a swing it proves to be as from the 7-tackle set the Bears muster the ball downfield and score what must be said is a super vanilla try as they play the short ball from the ruck on the last and manage to burrow over. The referee has to consider for a long moment whether the runner was held up or got it down but eventually awards it to the visitors.
Try scored by the North Sydney Bears. Conversion successful.
Bears trail 6-12
32min gone
Gee that stings. From a 12-point lead with a commanding run of the game to two tries a piece. A late penalty gives for offside defenders gives the Bears 50sec and a full set inside Parramatta’s half to try and level the scores. A bust down our left edge paves the way for two last gasp attempts on the goal line and while the Eels turn them away the first time the raid to our right edge sees us a crack after a sequence of offloads. Brutal turn of play at oranges.
Try scored by the North Sydney Bears. Conversion successful.
Half Time
Parramatta Eels 12 lock up with the North Sydney Bears 12
Second Half
An early error from the Eels continues the spiral from before half time. Seb Piukala the culprit here and it comes after after a strong run too. Shame. Thankfully the Eels survive the early blunder and through some crisp combination ball playing from Arthur to Sanders and finally Twidle the Parra custodian pushes through down the left edge for his second of the day.
Try scored by Apa Twidle. Conversion successful by Ethan Sanders.
Eels lead 18-12
41min gone
Pryke and De Stradis thunder into the line for the first two carries and it sets up a shot at a 40/20 attempt from Arthur. It is saved in the barest nick of time by the Bears’ fullback but the Eels are pouring downfield in its wake to make the tackle.
The Eels settle into the wrestle in their following set with a well driven clearing kick from Sanders that is marked in touch just outside the 20m line for the Bears.
Injury troubles for both teams as the Bears loses a player to an ankle injury while the Eels have to sub out Palu for Patrick Spence.
Once play resumes the home team make a huge gain as Alameddine flies down the right sideline. Good show of speed before he is cut down by the fullback. A gorgeous left edge shift follows from there and Vaivela has scored for all money but the ref rules he bounced before the line and is held up. That looked a certain try for mine and Devonte might have been jobbed for the second time today when it comes to a put down call. That said there was a chance to pass to Cody Parry as well and that might have been the cleaner option.
The Bears find themselves on the attack several sets later when the ref nails Alameddine for a sloppy play the ball. Big set of defence for Parra now and a great twin effort from Fualema and Piukala knocks the ball out.
Ethan Sanders injects himself into the game again with a pinball wizard run as he ricochets between tacklers enroute to breaking the line. He looks to pass to his left but the pass is batted by a defender and the Eels get a fresh set.
Fualema deserves a meat pie after a bullocking carry that puts the defence on the backfoot but it is Arthur that capitalises on it with a cheeky dummy and dive over for his second on the day. Good vision, great execution.
Try scored by Matt Arthur. Conversion successful by Ethan Sanders.
Eels lead 24-12
52min gone
Tremendous carries by Fualema (twice!) and Guymer send the Eels over halfway before the big right edge swing. Twidle is galloping towards a half gap before he looks to pass to Spence but the pass gets tipped so the Eels get a scrum feed.
Twidle again the man from the scrum win with lovely hands at the line to put Spence into space. The shift back to the left is discombobulated but Vaivela cleans it up and two plays later Sanders shows that he is too big, too strong and too quick and he brushes past the front line to score a try.
Try scored by Ethan Sanders. Conversion successful by Ethan Sanders.
Eels lead 30-12
55min gone
Oh lord there is a wild Sam Tuivati on the loose! The outstanding young bookend skittles defenders from the kickoff with an outrageous carry. Saxon Pryke makes a mosnter gain on the back of it and the Eels surge into North Sydney’s red zone as Arthur and Pryke combine for a simple score down the left edge. What a set.
Try scored by Saxon Pryke. Conversion successful by Ethan Sanders.
Eels lead 36-12
58min gone
Great awareness from Pryke to race up and claim a nasty mistimed kickoff. He screams onto the ball and then earns a penalty for his hustle. The Eels venture right from the restart as Guymer pokes his head through the line and looks to try and link up with Fualema but the big man can’t bring it in.
Far out. Lance has gone low and Sam has deadset cut the poor Bear in half in this tackle. The ball was lost but missed by the officials and the runner is definitely feeling it. That was a monster tackle. Norths look to cut into the big deficit on the back of the lucky call but they are pulled up for a big forward pass.
Shades of Krisnan Inu there from Twidle! He has knifed through and then left a string of cover defenders strewn in his wake with dummy after dummy! He glides past them all and scores his hat-trick! Wicked try.
Try scored by Apa Twidle. Conversion unsuccessful by Ethan Sanders.
Eels lead 40-12
65min gone
After defending their goal line the Eels respond with a massive line break from Lebron Tuala. The big man has had a quiet game thus far but he powers through the front line here and rumbles 40m downfield before passing to Spence on his left. The Eels swing left from there but the last pass from Vaivela to Parry is batted down. It only saves the Bears for a play or two though as Parra go right back to the same well and this time the last pass to Parry is clean seeing the winger touch down in his fourth straight game!
Try scored by Cody Parry. Conversion unsuccessful by Ethan Sanders.
Full Time
Parramatta Eels 44 defeated the North Sydney Bears 12
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another 3/3 very nice!! Sounds like all 3 teams haven’t quite got it all together yet but there’s a high ceiling if they can reach it. Forty or Sixties can you give us some insight into the play style of Apa Twidle? Seems like he as gotten better with each game.
Marsden high Brisbane lad , originally from New Zealand, highly rated by Cameron smith who tips him to play first grade one day but as a centre which is his preferred position
Twidle impressed from the start of the season and he is getting better with every game. Terrific positional play, talks well to his team from the back, fast and decisive with his runs, sets up his supports well.
Great day for the Eels in the juniors.
SG Ball go to the top of the table even if it is only momentarily.
Well done Eels. Three from three.
P.S. Did Forty have a malfunction?
Click the plus icon on the Matts & Ball header to see Forty’s commentary
Was just about to reply with that.
Thank you
another 3/3 very nice!! Sounds like all 3 teams haven’t quite got it all together yet but there’s a high ceiling if they can reach it. Forty or Sixties can you give us some insight into the play style of Apa Twidle? Seems like he as gotten better with each game.
Marsden high Brisbane lad , originally from New Zealand, highly rated by Cameron smith who tips him to play first grade one day but as a centre which is his preferred position
Cheers Grigor. That’s interesting to know given how well he is going at fullback.
Thank you Grigor & Sixties. Very encouraging to hear and hope the youngster continues to enjoy a good year!
👍👍👍
From Forty’s call Twidle had a very good game today. This seems to be building into a very good team.
With Penrith and Raiders playing each other today the worst we can end the weekend is in third place
John, Twidle was my best on field today.
Twidle impressed from the start of the season and he is getting better with every game. Terrific positional play, talks well to his team from the back, fast and decisive with his runs, sets up his supports well.
Off topic but is suasili aho still with parramatta?
Wow great day for the juniors here. Well done to all and thank you for the coverage.
Can’t wait till next Thursday…
Huge match Milo. Can’t wait
Where is Blayze Talagi?