An important milestone is marked today at Eric Tweedale Stadium as the Parramatta Eels host the St George Illawarra Dragons in a NRLW trial match. Dean Widders gets the chance to put his new look squad through their paces ahead of the season opener on the 23rd of July. Star recruits Rachael Pearson and Elsie Albert will turn out for the first time ever in Blue & Gold while talismanic forward Kennedy Cherrington will rip in from lock forward.

Fans should recognise some familiar faces in the starting XIII with Abbi Church, Zali Fay, Cassey Tohi-Hiku, Rueben Cherrington and Ruby-Jean Kennard all continuing their NRLW journeys with the Eels. Talented rookies Rosie Beckett, Tallara Bamblett and Lindsay Tui progress through the Parramatta pipeline to get their first taste of NRLW from the extended bench. Beyond that there are a host of new faces and names to get acquainted with as the 2023 squad begins their push for a maiden NRLW premiership!

Best of all, not only can you follow along on TCT with the live updates and converse about the game but you can catch the entire match on the official live stream (link below)!

Official Live Stream Link.

Sixties will be live from Eric Tweedale Stadium to chime in with the sideline eye commentary and half time report while I be running live updates for anyone that can’t watch online.

Match Updates (3x20min Thirds) 

First Third

The Dragons are kicking off to start this trial match but the teams have got mixed up! St George lined up on the wrong side initially and the Eels obliged them so there is a minor delay as they sort that out.

Here we go! Elsie Albert trucks it up first and is met strongly by the St George defence. Kennedy is met by an equally strong challenge before Ruby-Jean pushes over the ad-line on the third tackle. Some fire on the penultimate tackle as Kennedy takes exception to some extra-curricular work from a tackler but the set ends up completed with a solid clearing kick from Pearson.

The Dragons push into Parra’s half and send a bomb up on the last. There is some miscommunication from Church and Tohi-Hiku as the ball hits the deck but Parra recover it before trouble happens.

Oh that is a nice tackle from Berryman-Duff. Some real impact there from the five-eighth. First penalty of the game goes…to the Eels! St George cop a rare penalty in possession as their big prop forward is pinged for playing the ball incorrectly. Albert plunges into the defensive line as the ball squirts out but it was a high tackle.

Touch is found and the Eels spin it from left to right to find Kennedy before continuing to play right to Mafi on tackle two. Church brings it back left before Albert steamrolls a defender with a brutal carry. Pearson dummies right and runs herself as she pierces through the front line but her pass to support back on her left is intercepted by a cover defender as the Dragons escape their first real test. They are in line for their second almost immediately though when they lose the ball working it out over their 30m line!

Church attacks from the scrum with a left foot step and some leg drive as Albert adds to her early work load with a run on the second tackle. Right to Ruby-Jean and right again to Church as the Eels build pressure down that corridor. Albert centres it to the posts to bring up the last and Pearson kicks it down the right looking for Cassey Tohi-Hiku. It is a great contest for the ball about 3m out from the line but the Dragons come away with it.

Clean work from Abbi at the end of the defensive set as she eats up a clearing bomb. Zali Fay comes infield for some work and from her play-the-ball the Eels get a 6-again call. Now the Blue & Gold come down their left via Shontelle Stowers and the centre draws a penalty as she is mugged on the ground.

More work for the tireless Albert as she trucks it up on the first. Pearson plays short to Mafi as the Cherrington sisters link up on tackle three. Kennedy is the fulcrum for a shift to the left that finds backrower Talesha O’Neill but she is hit hard in the tackle and loses the ball. The Dragons make quality metres early in the following set with a blitz to their left but the Eels scramble well to minimise the damage. Oh goodness, Albert makes a powerful tackle with a bear hug that swallows up the runner ball and all. Again Church is tidy at the back to clean up the St George attacking kick.

Rueben Cherrington injects herself into the game with a dangerous scamper through the ruck but undoes the good work with a penalty for interference with the markers. There wasn’t much in that to be honest but as long as the referee is consistent I can cop it. The Dragons makes one of the cardinal sins of rugby league when they fail to find touch from the penalty though and the Eels get back to work.

Much better touch from O’Neill in this set as she is sent back underneath by Berryman-Duff where she threatens to split the front line. Pearson shapes for a kick to Tohi-Hiku again – she likes her winger as a target – and CTH shows why as she climbs the ladder and takes the attacking bomb. She flips the ball around the corner to Murphy in support and the centre pins her ears back for the line but is wrapped up short of it. She flings the ball back looking for a support runner but only finds a defender.

St George are losing the territorial battle here as Parramatta again work into plus field position in their next set. Unfortunately it looks like the Eels lose track of the tackle count as Rueben finds Davis-Welsh (I think) on the last and she takes the settler into the defensive line.

Another turnover follows from St George, this one barely on Parra’s side of halfway and it is scooped up by the left edge of Parra. The set concludes with a penalty for Ruby-Jean as the defenders apply pressure to her neck. Tap and go for the home team. The ball finds Mahalia Murphy who turns into a wrecking ball down the right with a mean fend and step that takes her over the line only to be held up! Left now to Kyra Simon and then left again to the nimble Zali Fay who puts on a wicked in-and-away to touch down in the corner! Smooth moves! That also brings an end to the first period of play.

Try scored by Zali Fay. Conversion successful by Rachael Pearson

Eels lead 6-0

21min gone

Second Third

Eels kicking off in the second period. Madeline Jones leading the chase for Parra as she makes the first tackle. Oh that is a cheeky kick from the Dragons! They grubber from just over halfway looking to catch out the new fullback in Cassey Tohi-Hiku. Indeed the ball takes an extremely awkward bounce that skews over her head. She races back to clean it up and then somehow sensationally beats the kick chase. She finds herself in open pastures and shows legitimate pace to outrun the entire right edge of the Dragons and score a 70m solo try! What a way to start the second period.

Try scored by Cassey Tohi-Hiku. Conversion unsuccessful by Rachael Pearson.

Eels lead 10-0

23min gone

Early work for Jones and Fonua from the kickoff set. Stowers earns her second penalty of the game – again for defenders slowing down the ruck – as the Eels find touch just over halfway. Capri Paekau takes a run from dummy half as the Eels look to work left from there. It sets up the attacking kick back to the posts but not only do Parramatta knock on but the chasers were offside leading to a penalty for the Dragons.

That hurts. A late penalty gives the Dragons a huge chance to answer the Eels on the scoreboard. Some quality charges up the guts get them to the goal line with tackles to spare and a clean backline spread to their right edge finds the overlap and puts them on the board.

Try scored by the Dragons. Conversion unsuccessful.

Dragons trail 4-10

30min gone

Up tempo play from the Dragons now as they really hone in behind the ruck. The Eels hold on though and force the kick on the last to finally get their hands back on the ball. Kimberley Hunt uses some neat footwork before the line to push through the tackle and falls forward to earn a penalty. Touch finder is marked on halfway.

Albert is back on and rumbles into St George territory. Paekau and Fonua are up next before Davis-Welsh does very well to scoop up a bounced pass. The attacking bomb is claimed by the Dragons but a disciplined kick chase drag her down 5m off her line.

A swerving carry from the St George #5 gets the visitors out of trouble and over halfway and paves the way for an attacking bomb to the right. The Dragons come down with the ball but Parra have created a blockade around the area and swarm the supporting Dragon to bring an end to the set. Paekau has another run from dummy half and gets an offload away before the Eels send up a clearing kick.

Another penalty for the Dragons. Sounds like the referee indicated a grapple tackle there. It puts the Dragons firmly on the attack as they start from their right edge. They slowly build towards the posts where the Eels sniff out the sweeping play to the fullback. However, despite shutting down the threat of the sweep they give away a quick ruck which allows the dummy half to jump out and sprint for the try line. Defenders arrive before she can dive over freely but she still is able to get the ball down and suddenly this game is tied up.

Try scored by the Dragons. Conversion successful.

Dragons lock the scores up at 10-all

48min gone

An unforced error from the Dragons but there isn’t much time on the clock here. The scrum is set with 20sec to play but only 10sec once the ball is fed and out. Parramatta ruck it out for two tackles and bring an end to the second third of play.

Final Third

St George to kick off in the final stanza of play. Good, clean set from the Eels to open up this stanza. They heave the ball downfield to look to make the Dragons work their way out of their red zone. Some bad luck follows. Ref rules a 1-on-1 strip attempt from the Eels was lost forwards by Parramatta. Dragons get a fresh set of tackles from a scrum just shy of halfway. They pile pressure on via their right edge where sees Kelsey Clark might an important tackle down Parra’s left sideline. Left from there for the visitors as they go edge-to-edge but Parramatta repel them and calmly clean up the grubber kick in the field of play.

Tough, tough set for the Eels follows. They are struggling badly for traction and can only make it to their 20m line. St George let the clearing kick bounce near halfway but it takes a kind turn for them despite the pressure of the Parramatta chase. There are some serious guts on show in the next set as the Eels hold on grimly and force the turnover on tackles after turning back a charge from dummy half on the last.

Better progress this time around as the Eels claw their way to their 40m mark and send the ball downfield on the last. Woof, the penalty count continues to take a brutal turn against the Eels as St George pick up yet another call. St George are held up over the line on tackle two – think it was their most recent try scorer looking to poach a second there. They work right and the left but Monique Donovan is lurking out wide in anticipation! The right winger sees the cut out pass coming and knifes in-between the passer and intended recipient to pluck the ball away and scream 95m downfield to score a massive try!

Try scored by Monique Donovan. Conversion unsuccessful by Kim Hunt.

Eels lead 14-10

50min gone.

Nice ball movement from Parramatta early in the next set as they transition to their left edge. Rosie Beckett beats some kick pressure on the last before sending up her attacking kick but the Dragons are able to come down with it.

That is a nice tackle from Tyla Amiatu to bring up the last. She also made an important tackle on the goal line earlier this stanza. Nice play down the right edge short side releases Shannon Muru into some space and she takes the ball to halfway. The Eels complete the set with a tidy kick and get back to work in defence.

Some wicked unkind luck follows as the Dragons kick in behind Donovan on the last. She turns around the get back for the bounce only for the ball to take a mean, mean turn into her right arm. It gets tipped backwards into the in-goals and she isn’t able to dive on it first as the Dragons arrive in pole position and claim an unlikely try.

Try scored by the Dragons. Conversion unsuccessful.

Dragons lock the scores up at 14-all

57min gone

Well isn’t that just footy in nutshell? The bounce of the ball taketh and the bounce of the ball giveth as the Dragons let the kickoff find the turf. It pings back towards the Parramatta chasers and they dive on it to get a chance to reclaim the lead!

And reclaim it they do as they work a right-edge short side where Nakia Davis-Welsh teases the defence with dummy before sliding between defenders to score in the corner!

Try scored by Nakia Davis-Welsh. Conversion forfeited.

Eels lead 18-14

59min gone

Davis-Welsh is called immediately into action again as she does sensationally well to clean up the short kickoff attempt. That should just about do it as the Eels ruck it out a few more times and claim the win in this NRLW trial!

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