The Junior Representatives kick off for the Parramatta Eels in 2024 with a split round this weekend. Leading the way today are the Lisa Fiola and Tarsha Gale squads as they travel to Belmont to face the Bulldogs.

Canterbury proved to be a formidable opponent last year in the Tarsha Gale and as such the Eels will to start their campaign strongly if they are to secure opening weekend victories.

The Lisa Fiola Cup starts at 10:00M while the Tarsha Gale Cup follows at 11:30AM.

All four Parramatta games across Saturday and Sunday will be livestreamed by NSWRL at https://nswrltv.live/ so be sure to tune in! Unfortunately it looks like the NSWRL might be moving to subscription model but you can still get a 2 week trial for free at this stage.

Lisa Fiola Cup

Match Updates

Apologies for the belated start, technical issues to start the season are always a joy.

First Half

The Bulldogs have started this contest strongly – to little surprise – and force their way over when their electric dummy half Taito cross the white stripe.

Try scored by the Canterbury Bulldogs. Conversion successful.
Bulldogs lead 6-0
10min gone

The Eels have struggled to get out of their own half through the opening quarter of play and find themselves further behind on the scoreboard following an error when shifting the ball down their left edge. It gifts the home team another look at the goal line and a lethal late offload finds their prop Giovanna Suani who steps in behind the retreating defence to score.

Try scored by the Canterbury Bulldogs. Conversion successful.
Bulldogs lead 12-0
19min gone

The Bulldogs look nigh unstoppable here as they rumble downfield from the kickoff restart. Some way, somehow the Eels hold on and by golly does that prove to be a pivotal stop! After a sluggish start to their reply set, Parramatta deliver a staggering counter blow that starts with a surge through the middle of the field from Freedom Crichton Ropati. She splits the ruck defence and put the Eels firmly over hallway. A rapid shift to the left edge puts Danielle Seckold into plenty of space against a retreating defence and she links up beautifully with Nikita E to put her winger away!

Try scored by Nikita E. Conversion unsuccessful by Logan Lemusu.
Eels trail 4-12
23min gone

A penalty for a high shot carries the Eels out of their own quarter and they work through a good set after points. The potent physicality of the Bulldogs is own show again in the next set as they power through contact. Parramatta still force an ineffective clearing kick and pick up a second penalty but just as it looks like they have opened up the left edge of Canterbury the ball is dropped.
An error from the home team will give the Eels near 90 seconds before half time to cut into the deficit. Ellis tests the right edge of the Bulldogs with a good run but a tackle later the referee spots a fumble at dummy half and that will leave 30 seconds for the Bulldogs to try something from long range. They work to a right edge short side but the Eels match them with numbers and that brings an end to the first half.

Half Time

Canterbury Bulldogs 12 lead the Parramatta Eels 4

Second Half

The Eels surprisingly roll the dice on a short kickoff. Was that miscued or planned? Hard to tell but it isn’t executed well either way and the Bulldogs claim the ball easily and with it premium field position. From there it is all too easy as the roll downfield into Parra’s red zone before their halfback Vaalele brushes through a tackle and crashes over down our right edge. Can’t imagine that was plan coming out of the sheds for the Eels and they will have to work that much harder to bridge the gap now.

Try scored by the Canterbury Bulldogs. Conversion unsuccessful.
Bulldogs lead 16-4
33min gone

Alright, so the short kickoffs are intentional – they are just not being executed effectively. This is confirmed as the Eels fail to come close to contesting a second short kickoff and again this big, physical Canterbury team take the invitation to rumble downfield and threaten to tack on to their lead. Thankfully they aren’t successful in the raid as an error puts the Eels back in possession.
The centrefield scrum is set 20m out from Parra’s goal line as they break to the left. A shifty run from the five-eighth Ellis nearly splits the defensive line but the Dogs hold onto her. Canterbury retaliate with a sequence of driving tackles as Soufan completes the set with a flat clearing kick. It takes a nasty kick but the Bulldogs trap it with their knees to prevent a knock on.
Big metres from Canterbury here. They will get a crack at the goal line certainly and they end up playing hot potato don their left edge. Solid scramble from the Eels saves the day though before another penalty for a high tackle sees Parra get a repeat set. Well scratch that, two tackles later an error in the ruck puts the Dogs back in the box seat.

I can’t label that anything but soft as the right winger for the Dogs comes infield for a carry inside the red zone. Taumoepeau-Williams I believe it is. She flies onto a short ball heading back to the posts and just brushes through a sequence of arm grabs to put the home team in a truly commanding position.

Try scored by the Canterbury Bulldogs. Conversion successful.
Bulldogs lead 22-4
42min gone

Parramatta insist on keeping with the ineffective short kicks. The ball neither has the hang time to allow chasers to contest the ball or the flat velocity to hunt for the sideline. Odd tactics. Again, the Dogs seize on the opportunity and churn through Parra’s fatiguing ruck defence only to get pulled up for a forward pass on an offload. Unfortunately, the Eels are quick to cough up the ball in reply when a physical hit dislodges the pill just inside Parramatta’s half.
A familiar sight unfolds once more as the Bulldogs punch their way into the redzone and their dummy half Taito dives over to bag her second of the day. Parramatta’s points-differential is now in danger as the Dogs look to run up a score here.

Try scored by the Canterbury Bulldogs. Conversion successful.
Bulldogs lead 28-4
45min gone

I can’t finish my last update before the Dogs score again. This time around the Eels kick it deeper but it doesn’t change much as the home team continues to dominate the ruck. Big metres through the middle pave the way for an attacking shift on the last as they swing down their left edge where an interchange player has taken over on the left wing. Looks like #14, Abbey Fuz, as she touches down in the corner before the sliding defence can arrive.

Try scored by the Canterbury Bulldogs. Conversion successful.
Bulldogs lead 32-4
48min gone

A high tackle from the Eels is called but goes essentially unpunished when the Dogs fail to find touch. Parramatta pick up a penalty of their own, something in the ruck there, but their quick tap attempt is pulled up. Think it was off the mark.
Scrappy footy from the Eels here but Ma-Chong salvages it by picking off some misaligned markers for another penalty. Sivo steams in with a good run as the ball comes to Lemusu down the right. She brings out the shimmy and the dummy before popping an offload to Alo I believe. Alo goes so close to scoring but outstanding defence drags her down with no margin of error to spare. Parra hope to have stripped the Dogs for numbers so they move the ball back to the left but Seckold is crunched in a big hit and her opposite dives on the loose ball.
The Eels might not win today but one thing has been made clear – Nikita E has some serious wheels! The Dogs complete another monster set with a grubber kick in behind the left edge of Parramatta. It finds E and slices through the kick chase with shocking ease before racing 80m downfield to secure her brace. That was impressive.

Try scored by Nikita E. Conversion successful by Logan Lemusu.
Eels trail 10-32
56min gone

One last try for the Bulldogs today. They have the Eels one defender short as they taken the ball down their left edge and it leads to Fuz picking up her second of the day. That will bring an end to the game with Canterbury proving to be too good to start the season.

Full Time
Canterbury Bulldogs 36 defeat the Parramatta Eels 10

Tarsha Gale Cup

Match Updates

First Half

The Eels will receive the ball to start the game.
Oh that is nice! Perigo fields the kickoff and drifts into the chasers before flicking a beautiful short ball to Dimech in support. Big metres result from it but alas the Eels turn it over a tackle later. That could have been a special start to the game and instead the Eels will have to defend their goal line.
Canterbury take the ball down their left edge before kicking back to the right. It is a long, angled grubber that forces Perigo to play at the ball. She passes to Pietersz who is swarmed for the drop out.
Parramatta take the short option and the Dogs allow it to bounce. It kicks back to the chasers! Huge play there and the Eels build on it significantly. Monster carries from Dimech and Alo set up an attacking bomb but credit to the Dogs – they defuse it well.

Ooh, it looks like the Eels might have had the Dogs for numbers there as they play a left edge short side near halfway. Just as the opportunity looks to open up, the door is slammed shut by a dropped ball. The error turns into a penalty a couple of tackles later when there are two in the tackle as a strip is affected.
Prime territory for the Bulldogs as they take a tap in front of Parramatta’s uprights. They venture down their right immediately. The Eels are able to repel some second phase attack initially but can’t contain the lock forward Suli-Ruka on a conventional short ball out of dummy half. She came flying in and was able to split the defenders on the goal line to score the opening points of the game.

Try scored by the Canterbury Bulldogs. Conversion successful.
Bulldogs lead 6-0
8min gone

It seems short kickoffs are the strategy of choice today. Like the Lisa Fiola though, the Eels are unable to strike the ball effectively leading to an uncontested catch for the Bulldogs. Big swing in field position as a result.
Thankfully the home team suffer from bad comms on the last as their prop sorties into the defensive line instead of getting the ball to her halfback.
Parramatta’s inability to get through a set is quickly piling the pressure upon themselves here. The Dogs get another gifted set deep in their opposition’s half. That becomes a repeat possession when a high tackle is called. Looking like it was on a falling runner, tough but correct call.
Bit of white line fever from the Dogs nearly brings them undone as they force a silly pass. They dive on the ball though and it allows them to reset and execute an excellent raid down their left edge as sharp hands puts their winger Audrey Murphy-Haua over in a narrow corridor. The Eels will need to tidy up these drops quick smart because this Canterbury team clearly has the ability to punish cheap turnovers.

Try scored by the Canterbury Bulldogs. Conversion unsuccessful.
Bulldogs lead 10-0
14min gone

Another ineffective kickoff spots the Bulldogs free metres and they are nearly off to the races on tackle two as their lock forward Suli-Ruka punches through our right edge. Graham-Withell stops her before she can slip an offload away back inside. Full of running, the Dogs do just that on the last as they run the ball on the last through their right centre McEachern. The referee gives her a world of time to fight the tackle but eventually calls held for the turnover.
A better set follows for the Blue & Gold as they work deep into Canterbury’s territory but we continue to struggle with the passing radar with two balls hitting the deck at inopportune moments. We get a break when Perigo’s bomb is dropped cold in an uncontested catch. The Eels need to make something happen here.
Perigo takes the ball from the scrum to the left before she is pulled down. Dimech sorties next with Nuuialii injected into the game off the bench for tackle three. The halfback Haumono goes perilously close to scoring down the right with a gliding run than drags the Dogs out of shape. I swear she got it down and the referee has a long look before declaring it a tackle and the subsequent dive over attempt from dummy half is knock on.
A devastating counter punch from the Bulldogs follows. They go 90m downfield before picking up a penalty deep in the tackle count. Unbelievably they drop it from the first pass of the tap restart. What a let off! Still, the Eels have to keep lifting here as the Dogs have a foot on their throat.

Fortune favours Parramatta now as they play a bit too fast and loose coming out of their own quarter. A late pass from Peadon is initially deemed to be dropped by the referee before the touch judge intervenes to indicate it touched a Canterbury hand.
A completed set follows but Perigo’s midfield kick is charged down and deflects kindly for the Bulldogs to give them premium field position yet again. They pick up a 6-again call but a deflected pass and will get a full set attacking Parra’s goal line. Canterbury work from right to left but make a dog’s breakfast out of a play-the-ball and the referee is right on point to pull it up.
Mahe makes a good opening carry from the scrum win. Alo surges through the middle on tackle two but her offload goes straight to a defender and again the Eels will have to defend their goal line.
The burden has gotten too heavy with the Eels being asked to make a mountain of tackles on the back of their errors and Suli-Ruka jags through our right edge after throwing a dummy and diving over.

Try scored by the Canterbury Bulldogs. Conversion successful.
Bulldogs lead 16-0
28min gone

The Eels kickoff is neither short nor long this time around but still results in plus field position for the Dogs. There is under a minute on the clock as they take the ball down their right edge. It culminates with a penalty on half time around 25m out from the goal line but near the right sideline. The Dogs opt for the tap instead of a shot at goal and despite some expansive ball playing from sideline-to-sideline, they end up bundled into touch and will have to settle for the handsome 16-point lead heading into the shed.

Half Time
Canterbury Bulldogs 16 lead the Parramatta Eels 0

Second Half

Eels will kick as they look to whittle away at a 3-score deficit.
A conventional kickoff to start the second stanza. It is angled towards Suli-Ruka’s side though and she gives the Dogs plenty of impetus with a bustling carry. It lays the platform for an aggressive set as rotation forward Talau rumbles down the right edge and offloads to fellow interchange player Henderson who dances her way past Graham-Withell at the last line of defence to quickly snuff out any hopes of a quick Parra start.

Try scored by the Canterbury Bulldogs. Conversion successful.
Bulldogs lead 22-0
33min gone

A suffocating set after points from Dogs now. At least they didn’t score but they do pin Graham-Withell just a metre off her goal line. Dimech salvages the set with a good carry back across the ruck and is unlucky not to earn a penalty as the defenders slow the play-the-ball down to a pretty significant extent. The Eels are able to send the clearing kick downfield but it feels like almost immediately the home team are back on the attack. Their fullback is out on the left wing as they spin it that way but the cover defence have her accounted for and she plants a foot on the sideline as she is dragged down.
Sadly, the Eels fail to get through a tackle in reply as the ball is coughed up on tackle one. Surprisingly it doesn’t impact the score line as the Dogs fail to capitalise on the goal line attacking set. It only leads to another incomplete set from the Eels though as they get the passing channels wrong coming over halfway and drop it cold.
This time around the Dogs are able to take advantage of the opportunity as second phase play down their right edge finds space between defenders and their centre Bella McEachern rolls through a tackle to score in the corner.

Try scored by the Canterbury Bulldogs. Conversion unsuccessful.
Bulldogs lead 26-0
41min gone

A strong tackle from the kickoff has jarred the ball loose of Canterbury possession. The tackle has left the Bulldog dusty though as she takes a good while to get up. She is able to get to the bench under her own power though in good news.
Best chance of practically the entire game for the Eels here. Really only looking to salvage their points-differential though. An early penalty allows Parra to reset in front of the posts as Cawthorne sends Dimech into the line. Left to Perigo who feeds Peadon and the left centre is able to get the ball down in the corner to put the Eels on the board.

Try scored by Caitlin Peadon. Conversion unsuccessful by Bella Sandford.
Eels trail 4-26
45min gone

A penalty aids the Eels in their quest to get downfield as Lindsay Tui takes the opening carry from the restart. Sloppy passing puts Perigo into the firing line of the defence as she scoops a pass up off her ankles and is then hammered. Eventually the ball come back right to Haumono who takes a run. Mahe is up next and looks to find support on her right but the defence swarm the ball and force a drop.
Too easy for the big prop Penese as she angles back behind the ruck on Parra’s goal line before reaching out to score. Parramatta had their own chance to trouble the scoreboard prior but took the wrong option on the last tackle by playing short instead of out the back to a massive overlap.

Try scored by the Canterbury Bulldogs. Conversion successful.
Bulldogs lead 32-4
56min gone

Fulltime – Bulldogs 32 defeat Eels 4

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