The Eels are back on the road this week in the Junior Representatives as they travel to Wollongong to face the Steelers. Illawarra are undefeated in the Lisa Fiaola, Tarsha Gale and SG Ball after three rounds and represent a midseason litmus test for the Blue & Gold. Wins today can entrench the Eels at the top of the ladder in the Harold Matthews and SG Ball. It would thrust the Lisa Fiaola firmly back in the hunt for the finals and kickstart the season for the Tarsha Gale.

Action starts at 10:30AM in the Lisa Fiola and runs all the way through the afternoon with the SG Ball kicking off at 3:00PM.

Lisa Fiaola Cup

1	Logan Lemusu
18	Kaylee Andrews
3	Fiafia Freedom Crichton Ropati
4	Essence Alo
5	Sienna Bonello
6	Jasmine Rorari
7	Sharon Latapu
8	Mere Sivo
9	Bailey Ma-Chong
10	Shire Thocolich
11	Fontayne Tufuga
12	Leyla Oueik
13	Alleya Scrivens
14	Tiana Favia Tulemau
15	Leonia Vei
16	Evelyn Kuwendu
17	Ana Vave
22	Mitszy Cairns
25	Sovita Hagedorn

Match Updates

A team change with Kaylee Andrews in for speedster Nikita E.

First Half

The Eels are first to score after about six minutes via centre Fiafia Freedom Crichton Ropati. The conversion by Bailey Ma-Chong is unsuccessful.

Eels 4 lead Steelers nil

The Steelers take the lead via a converted try to Tahlia O’Brien.

Steelers 6 lead Eels 4. 15 minutes gone.

It’s not taken long for Parra to strike back with 5/8 Jasmine Rorari crossing. Conversion missed

Eels 8 lead Steelers 6. 18 minutes gone

Parra now go back to back with second rower Layla Oueik getting over. Conversion unsuccessful.

Eels 12 lead Steelers 6 24 minutes gone

Make that three on the trot as fullback Logan Lemusu gets on the score sheet. Bailey Ma-Chong converts.

Eels 18 lead Steelers 6 – 27 minutes gone

Half time

Second Half

Logan Lemusu gets the second half off to a great start with her second try of the day. Conversion successful from Bailey Ma-Chong.

Eels 24 lead Steelers 6. Five minutes gone second half

Armani Tanioria narrows the margin for the Steelers with an unconverted try.

Eels 24 lead Steelers 10 after 46 minutes.

This game is getting tight. The Steelers have added another converted try through Tori Shipton.

Eels 24 lead Steelers 16. Eight minutes remaining.

It’s a hat trick to Logan Lemusu and her try takes the Eels lead out to 12 with about 6 minutes remaining.

Eels 28 lead Steelers 16. Six minutes to go.

Its an absolute try fest here as half back Sharon Latapu gets over. Conversion unsuccessful.

Eels 32 lead Steelers 16 with three minutes remaining

 

Full Time Eels 32 defeat Steelers 16

After a first round loss, that’s now two wins to the Eels. Not a bad result from three games away from home.

 

Tarsha Gale

1	Dallis Graham-Withell
2	Aysha-Rain Pietersz
3	Caitlin Peadon
4	Lindsay Tui
5	La-Teesha Maisema
6	Raphaella Perigo
7	Aaliyah Haumono
8	Kalisi Mahe
9	Rory Muller
10	Liaina Dimech
11	Leila Black
12	Bella Sandford
13	Ryvrr Lee Alo
14	Charlotte Cawthorne
15	Micayla Bourne
16	Dena Amenah Nuuialii
21	Losaline Sikahele
18	Alliyah Ghannoum

Match Updates

First Half

The Eels would have been looking for a strong start this week, but it’s the Steelers who score first.

The Steelers have had all of the early possession after Eels errors in fielding clearing kicks and then a Steelers penalty in the red zone. The home team pepper the Eels line in consecutive sets and when they spread it left their centre Mia-Rose Walsh slices through out wide.

 Conversion unsuccessful.

Steelers 4 lead Eels nil. Seven minutes gone.

Illawarra are looking sharp early and now score from the kick off set. This time they find joy on the right side, with their other centre Indie Bostock breaking the line then throwing the dummy to score. The scoreboard is keeping pace with the clock.

Steelers 10 lead Eels nil. Ten minutes gone

Handling errors are preventing the Eels from building any pressure on the Steelers defence. Once more the Steelers March downfield and the Eels are unable to field their kick. Bostock swoops on the loose ball and scores her second try wide out on the right.

Steelers 14 lead Eels nil. 23 minutes gone.

The Eels are giving away too many penalties and this next one hurts. Illawarra are back into the Eels half. They work to their left this time and the Eels have no answer. Five eighth Evie McGrath makes it a big first half for the Steelers with a converted try.

Steelers 20 lead Eels nil. 30 minutes gone

Half time

Second Half

After a succession of errors and penalties, the Eels have put themselves under enormous pressure at the start of this half. When the try comes it’s a simple close range effort from dummy half as Chelsea Savill takes the Steelers well out of the Eels reach by scoring and then converting her own try.

Steelers 26 lead Eels nil. 43 minutes gone.

Once more the Eels have been their own worst enemy. A bad pass in the Steelers red zone has turned over possession and the Steelers have gone nearly 90 metres in the set, with their five eighth getting on the outside of defenders on the Eels right edge to sprint 20 metres and score.

Steelers 32 lead Eels nil. 56 minutes gone

The Eels have again been penalised in the kick off set and the Steelers get another close ranger try from dummy half to Hope Millard. The try is converted.

Steelers 38 lead Eels nil – 59 minutes gone.

Full time

 

Harold Matthews

1	Lorima Saukuru
2	Jarell Tutuila
3	Andes Johansson
4	Nathan Howlett
5	Lorima Rokosuka
6	Talen Risati
7	Lincoln Fletcher
8	Ryda Talagi
9	Ezra Leota
10	Leviticus Funa-Iuta
11	Samuel Polley
12	Michael Nauer
13	Maison Tausia-Ong
14	Wesley Pakoti
15	Kai Wilson
16	Kasinga Noa
17	Natututasina Leota
19	Jeziah Tua’au
20	Michael Fililava

Match Updates

After 12 minutes of end to end football, the Steelers are the first to score when the Eels fumbled a last tackle grubber into the in-goal. Creighton Meafou grounds the ball for the converted try.

Steelers 6 lead Eels nil 14 minutes gone

The Eels have done everything but score in the last ten minutes, going perilously close on a couple of occasions. Finally Lincoln Fletcher splits the defence and finds a rampaging Michael Nauer in support. Fletcher converts.

Eels 6 Steelers 6. Five minutes before half time.

Half time 6 all

Second Half

Talen Risati has made it an ideal start to the second half. Firstly he’s made a long break to take play into the Steelers quarter. A couple of tackles later the Steelers knock down his pass and he’s picked up the scraps to score a try. Fletcher converts

Eels 12 lead Steelers 6. Four minutes gone.

The Eels have just done exceptionally well to defend their line. The Steelers have had all the ball and territory after Eels errors and a string of penalties led to Nauer being binned for ten.

Finally the Steelers have used that one man advantage to score. Their fullback gets into dummy half and splits the Eels defence. The dummy half, Caden Hooper, backs up to score under the posts.

Eels 12 Steelers 12 – 14 minutes into the second half.

Talen Risati gets his second try and he’s done it all himself. He gets the ball on the ten metre line just to the right of the posts. He feigns to link with his supports but accelerates into the defence and crashes through for a crucial score. It’s a six point lead when Fletcher converts with time ticking away.

Eels 18 lead Steelers 12. Five minutes to go.

Things have heated up in the final minutes. Firstly Parra has just defended multiple sets in their red zone. They’ve then powered up field and Lincoln Fletcher has been hit high then copped a shot after he’s hit the ground. The ref has blown a penalty but players from both teams are charging in for some argey-bargey. There’s certainly been some feeling in this clash.

Rokosuka and a Steelers player have been binned in the aftermath.

The match is now wrapped up as Fletcher nails the penalty goal right on full time. Parra remains undefeated.

Full time Eels 20 defeat Steelers 12

 

SG Ball

1	Corey Leigh
2	Mohamed Alameddine
3	Dakota Kakoi
4	Devonte Vaivela
5	Dominic Farrugia
6	Lorenzo Talataina
7	Dylan Brettle
8	Javahn Stevenson-Hala
9	Jai Camilleri
10	Sebastian Piukala
11	Jezaiah Funa-Iuta
12	Tyrese Lokeni
13	Max Popo
14	Mark Williams
17	Izaiah Mafi
16	Beau Lucien
22	Lachlan Coinakis
18	Tyson Sangalang

Match Updates

First Half

The Steelers have done well to prevent an early Eels try. Talataina has sliced through with Brettle sprinting through in support. A Steelers defender grabs the intercept as Talataina tries to link with Brettle inside the red zone.

Last year’s Matts fullback Corey Leigh is a late inclusion and marks his first appearance in the SG Ball team with the opening try. The break comes from Jai Camilleri who darts out of dummy half on the Steelers quarter line then finds Leigh in support. Leigh does well to ground the ball in contact. Conversion from in front of the posts successful by Dom Farrugia.

Eels 6 lead Steelers nil.- 12 minutes gone

The Eels have turned the ball over after dropping an offload and the Steelers have made them pay. The play gets close to Parra’s line and catches the defenders out of position after a fast play the ball. Halfback Aaymon Fitzgibbon takes full advantage as he strolls over. The Steelers are now back on equal terms with a converted try.

Eels 6 Steelers 6 – 20 minutes gone

Illawarra left Winger Tom Kirk takes a fine AFL style catch off a cross field kick and scores to put the Steelers in front. Clay Baldock converts from out wide.

Steelers 12 lead Eels 6 – 27 minutes gone

That’s terrific stepping from Tyrese Lokeni there. The ball goes to the left inside the Steelers quarter. Lokeni springs off his left foot, then quickly off his right, leaving defenders retreating to the try line. That spells doom as the back rower crashes over. Dom Farrugia misses the conversion.

Steelers 12 lead Eels 10 – 32 minutes gone.

Half time

Second Half

My goodness the Eels were lucky there. Talataina drops the ball off the kick off. The Steelers swoop on it close to the line but the ball is dropped as the Steelers player dives over for the try.

Another Eels error follows from the 20 metre tap. The Steelers are going to make Parra pay for these errors, but it comes too easy as Daniel Meafou runs through the ruck to touch down between the posts.

Steelers 18 lead Eels 10 – three minutes gone in the second half

Lokeni has scored his second try for the Eels. He’s run a delightful line off a Dylan Brettle pass ten out from the line and sliced through the defence to score. Farrugia’s conversion brings the Eels back to within two,

Steelers 18 lead Eels 16 – 15 minutes remaining.

Disaster from the kick off. The Steelers have stripped Talataina of the ball and it’s been ruled one on one. They get close to scoring in the right corner. Play now spreads to their left, and it looks like an obstruction play as the fullback crosses in the corner. The ref calls it a defensive decision. The Steelers have again kicked away on the scoreboard with this converted try.

Steelers 24 lead Eels 16 – 11 minutes remaining.

The errors are proving costly here. Farrugia fields a kick inside the quarter but loses the ball as he’s taken to ground. It only takes a couple of tackles for Meafou to crash over the line and bring an end to Parra’s unbeaten run as the match is now well and truly out of the Eels reach.

Steelers 30 lead Eels 16

Full time

Steelers 30 defeat Eels 16

 

Sixties