The Cumberland Throw

Live Blog – Jersey Flegg and NSW Cup vs Manly (Blacktown Workers) Sea Eagles

The Round 3 action roll rolls on as the Parramatta Eels take on the Manly Sea Eagles in the Jersey Flegg and NSW Cup at HE Laybutt Field tonight. Both teams are hunting their opening wins of the season and that can be done on the back of limiting the mistakes and mental lapses that have set them back over the first fortnight of the competition.

There has been a sizeable shake up of the team list in the Jersey Flegg compared to the team announced back on Tuesday. Ned Hicks, Samuel Loizou and Matthew Komolafe now feature in the starting backline as Turoa Willimas pushes out to the wing while William Latu moves back to the interchange bench. Brock Parker has been confirmed to start meaning that there should be at least one change in the NSW Cup with as of yet unnamed player to replace Parker on the bench in reserve grade.

The Jersey Flegg kicks off at 6:00PM while the NSW Cup will follow at 7:30PM.

 

Jersey Flegg Team List

 

1 Lindsay Munro
4 Turoa Williams
25 Ned Hicks
26 Samuel Loizou
19 Matthew Komolafe
6 Mac Puafisi
7 Riley Lack
23 Brock Parker
9 Jacob Davis
10 Jontay Junior Betham Misa
11 Jock Brazel (c)
12 Max Tupou
13 Nicholas Lenaz
Interchange
21 Noah Reed
15 Lachlan Mears Crabb
16 Nikau Wrathall
22 William Latu

 

Match Updates

 

First half

Parra kick off and Manly lose possession late in the count. Parra scrum feed.

They work through the set and Puafisi kicks a grubber on the last. Manly fumble. Eels scrum feed  ten out.

The ball shifts left on about the fourth. Williams has a small corridor but seems well covered. Somehow he has wriggled free of about three defenders and grounds the ball. Lack kicks a superb sideline conversion that sounded so sweet off the boot.

Eels 6 Manly nil Five gone.

Manly are all in front at the kick off.

Parra take their penalty set right to the line and hand it over on the 6th two metres out from the line with a dummy half carry.

Manly has dropped it again.

More pressure for the Sea Eagles but Parra can’t breach their line here.

Connection problems here and I’ve lost some content but we press on.

Manly has just enjoyed a string of calls and penalties. It’s led to Jock Brazel being binned with about 16 minutes left in the half. It seemed like a damn fine tackle but the ref has found a reason to penalise and bin him.

The ref is now finding plenty at fault with the Eels with six agains and penalties. Now Jontay Junior is on report. Manly shift left, Komolafe goes for the intercept and comes up with nothing. Try to Manly. Conversion successful

Eels 6 Manly 6. Nine minutes remaining till the break.

Manly lose possession on about the second tackle after the kick off. Parra scrum.

The two teams have traded sets here, with the play mostly between the two twenty metre lines. Parra get to the last in a set and the ball comes to Lack for the kick. Big play here from the Manly prop who charges it down, gets the bounce, then sprints 50 metres to touch down between the posts.

Manly 12 lead Eels 6  three minutes to go.

Another Manly penalty after the kick off. The ref continues to find fault with the Eels so discipline has once again become a major issue.

Half time – Manly 12 lead Eels 6

Second half

 

Terrific first set from Parra to start the half. Great carries get them up towards halfway. Lack releases Komolafe down the right wing but he gets ankle tapped just inside the Manly quarter. It’s the last tackle and Puafisi hoists a beautiful bomb and Hicks leaps high to catch it on the fly for a try. Lack converts

Eels 12 Manly 12 Three minutes gone

Again connection problems are hampering this blog. My apologies. Manly have just scored after receiving a penalty about 40 metres out. They got to the quarter then hit Parra’s left edge to score about 5 metres in from the corner. Conversion unsuccessful

Manly 16 Eels 12 about 25 minutes remaining.

Geez Parra can’t do much right. The ref has pinged them for an obstruction in their next possession. This is getting ugly but Parra are now lifting in defence, with Nick Lenaz leading the way.

Major connection issues here.

Parramatta have the ascendancy and the live wire fullback Munro is instrumental. He’s made line breaks, been held up over the line. Finally he darts over ten metres to the right of the posts. Lack converts

Eels 18 lead Manly 16 ten minutes to go.

Both teams are trading errors here 4 minutes reming. Firstly Parra get penalised for an incorrect play the ball, then in the next set it’s Manlys turn to commit the same offence. We’re down to the last two minutes and positive Parra play has the Eels on the attack in the quarter. Parra move the ball right and Munro injects himself into the attack. He scythes through the line and sprints 20 metres to score.

conversion unsuccessful

Eels 22 Manly 16 with one minute remaining.

WTF the Manly player has just charged out of the line and shoulder charged Jontay with one second left on the clock – now we have a melee!

The Manly player has gone to the bin. Parra tap the ball and kick it out. Game over

Full time Eels 22 defeat Manly 16

Ladies and gentlemen our Eels have finally broken the graded team duck!

NSW Cup Team List

 

1 Arthur Miller-Stephen
2 Isaac Lumelume
3 Daejarn Asi
4 Zac Cini
5 Haze Dunster
6 Jordan Rankin ©
7 Jake Arthur
8 Ofahiki Ogden
9 Brendan Hands
10 Luca Moretti
11 Toni Mataele
12 Dan Keir
13 Jayden Yates
Interchange
14 Mitch Rein
18 Wiremu Greig
16 Niko Apelu
17 Jorah Momoisea

 

Match Updates

 

First half

Sea Eagles lose possession in the tackle after the kick off. In the ensuing set Parra go for a big right side shift but the ball goes to ground and rolls into touch.

The lighting here is atrocious so identifying players might be difficult.

Parra are in good territory in their next set. Sad to say it’s another incomplete set!

Another Eels set in the Eagles quarter and it’s another error. Eagles now get a penalty 20 out from their line and go on the attack. They hit that familiar left to right shift on the Eels quarter and Lumelume flies in and smashes the fullback. The ref doesn’t like it and Lumelume is in the bin. Lucks a fortune for the Eagles as a pass hits the deck out on their left edge and all the Parra defenders overrun it. The Sea Eagles player picks it up and passes it and they score in the corner.

Try converted.

BWSE 6 lead Eels nil 26 minutes left in the half

Parra complete the next set they get but concede a penalty early in the Sea Eagles set.

Sea Eagles have advanced the ball to the quarter. It’s that South’s style right side play that Seibold looks to have brought to their club and it’s all too simple as the fullback scores despite the attention of three Eels.

Conversion unsuccessful

Sea Eagles 10 Lead Eels nil about 20 minutes till the break

Parra are back to 13 players now as Lumelume is out of the bin. The Eels attack Manly’s left wing and it’s Cini who muscles his way across the line carrying defenders.

Rankin converts from out wide

Sea Eagles 10 lead Eels 6 with 16 minutes to the break

What a tackle from Arthur! Rankin puts up the kick and Arthur hurtles through to drive the Sea Eagles fullback into the turf. Manly complete their set and the high kick goes to Lumelume who takes it brilliantly. No wait, it’s come free in the tackle but the Sea Eagles are penalised.

The teams trade sets. Parra threaten to break the line when Arthur rifles a pass to Cini who makes a half break but the Sea Eagles shut it down. The Sea Eagles make inroads this time and breach Parra’s defence. They’re brought down just short of the line in the left corner but the dummy half makes easy work of getting over against the disorganised defence.

conversion successful

Sea Eagles 16 Eels 6

Sea Eagles make an error after the kick off and Parra get a chance to strike back. There’s plenty of ball movement but little cohesion and it ends with Arthur’s kick being fielded in goal for a seven tackle set.

Manly get a penalty and again like their chances on Parra’s right. It comes apart for them and Parra get a seven tackle set which extends with a couple of six agains. Once again the ball has gone down in attack and the Sea Eagles are off the hook. Parra now get one last chance before the break as the hosts drop the ball 40m out with a minute left. It ends with Parra caught in possession ten out and a couple of tackles up their sleeve.

Half time Sea Eagles 16 lead Eels 6

 

Second Half

The Sea Eagles have just butchered a try early in this half. The kick has bounced into Parra’s right corner and the Eagles winger is on his own but can’t get a handle on it.

Both teams trade sets and then the Eagles get a piggy back penalty giving them a great platform to launch from on the Eels 30m line.

They kick to that Eels right corner again on the last. The ball is theirs but in trying to get it away they find Cini.

Penalty to Parra now. They advance the ball towards the quarter and now hit their right side with great shape. It’s on here but Miller-Stephen has dropped the ball as he chimes in. Parra now compound the error with a penalty.

Another penalty to the Sea Eagles and a caution follows. Great defensive play from Haze in shadowing a kick over the dead ball line. He races out for the quick tap and hands off to Asi who promptly has the ball stolen. Another attacking set from Manly but Parra hangs on with Haze again featuring in great defence.

Parra look to be energised and make tremendous metres through the middle. They again go right as they get close to the Eagles quarter but this time Cini drops it.

Sea Eagles get to their kick now and it’s a high ball to Limelume’s wing. He’s put it down and it’s a Sea Eagles scrum feed. No, that’s too easy. They have the Eels on the back foot and a dart out of dummy half from ten metres out yields all too easy rewards. Try converted.

Sea Eagles 22 lead Eels 6. 22 minutes remaining.

Parra complete their next set and Arthur’s kick is a ripper into the right corner. Cini is run off the ball in his chase and it’s an Eels penalty. Parra have finally taken advantage of their good field position. A sharp ball beside the ruck yields dividends as Keir crashes over.

Conversion from Rankin successful

Sea Eagles 22 Eels 12 about 17 minutes to go.

Well it’s amazing what can happen on the back of a completion. Arthur has the opportunity to put up another pin point kick on the last. The sea Eagles have dropped it and Daejarn Asi swoops on on the loose ball for the try. Rankin steers his conversion over and it’s game on!

Sea Eagles 22 lead Eels 18 with ten minutes remaining

Woody Greig is having a great game but the Eels haven’t completed the kick off set. They hold on in defence and both teams trade sets again. Parra now get possession in the Sea Eagles quarter and the Sea Eagles are scrambling well. The ball comes centre field to Arthur and he delivers an absolute pearler of a pass to an unmarked Dunster who dives over in the corner. Now what a conversion! Rankin nails it from the sideline.

Eels 24 Sea Eagles 22 with three minutes remaining

Sea Eagles take a short kick and regain the ball. They press the Eels line and a loose pass is kicked ahead but Woody catches it. A completed set with an Arthur kick deep into the corner follows. Sea Eagles advance the ball to halfway and the ball comes free. Lumelume picks up the scraps and sprints 40 metres to score under the posts!
conversion successful

Full time – Eels 30 defeat Sea Eagles 22

Quick comment now that I’m home as I was forced to blog off my phone due to the poor connection I was getting on my iPad. All of which made it near impossible to provide much detail.

The Eels comeback here was a quality effort. They scrapped and fought their way back into this game.

For Parra, Jake Arthur performed strongly in what was a physical game from him. His kicks later in the game were critical in the Eels comeback. Wiremu (Woody) was quite the presence in the middle and he was ably supported by Jayden Yates. The forwards were quite good as a unit. Rankin’s composure was critical and his goal kicking gave Parra the edge.

This would have been a much needed hit out by Haze Dunster who really impressed tonight. He had limited minutes the week before and looked a bit at sea, but this was much more like the Haze we know tonight.

Two wins – it was good to be able to find some joy at the footy tonight!

 

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26 thoughts on “Live Blog – Jersey Flegg and NSW Cup vs Manly (Blacktown Workers) Sea Eagles

  1. Leigh

    How did Lindsay Munro go? I looked up Dr google and found a few details but interested in him and also how Arthur Miller-Stephen goes up another grade. He was playing Ball last year. PS good call under the circumstances.

    1. sixties

      He had a cracking game. There’s not much of him but he’s a live wire. I believe he trialled with the club late last year. He was one of the difference makers along with Brock Parker, Nick Lenaz and Jock Brazel. To be fair it was a decent team effort as not too much went their way.
      Arthur also did really well in his Cup debut. Really returned the ball well and utilised his pace.

    2. Anonymous

      Came from the Camden Rams where he was the leading try scorer last year in the McArthur Cup.Attended St Greg’s originally from the Moree Boomerangs RLFC

        1. sixties

          We know he would give it his all, but given he’s outside the 30 he probably wouldn’t get a call up.

    1. sixties

      Couple of strong moments but geez the lighting there made it tough to see the play on the far side of the field. Really awful.

    1. sixties

      You’re welcome Pou. As I’ve mentioned, it was good to watch a couple of wins and there were a couple of performances which might give BA something to think about.

  2. Anonymous

    I thought second half they really turned on the heat. Saw some strong and hard runs from Ogden and Grieg

    1. Anonymous

      Nikos interchange over the big fellas bought that energy needed to help the backs and Asi what a talent

  3. Tanky

    Thanks mate great to get a win.would like to see dunster given a chance this week do you think he’s ready for it?

    1. sixties

      Might be another week away. He played with more confidence this week.I caught up with him after the game and he felt the longer minutes. But man he looked so happy to get through it.

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