1. The final round of the regular season for the Matts and Ball sees them take on the Magpies. The Harold Matthews are looking to secure a first week bye in the finals with a victory while the SG Ball will punch their ticket to the postseason with a win today.

Harold Matthews Cup Team List

1	Cyrus Bloomfield
2	Jeziah Tuaau
3	Andes Johansson
4	Nathan Howlett
5	Lorima Rokosuka
6	Talen Risati
7	Lincoln Fletcher
8	Natututasina Leota
9	Ezra Leota
10	Ryda Talagi
11	Samuel Polley
12	Michael Nauer
13	Maison Tausia-Ong
14	Wesley Pakoti
15	Kasinga Noa
16	Michael Fililava
17	Sanjae Ulukini
18	Billy Fanene
19	Alma Faataga Seve

Match Updates (Sixties)

First half

Wests to kick off running north.

Eels complete the first set by running it on the last and finally kicking it into the corner. Penalty to Wests for a high shot follows.

Cyrus Bloomfield fields their last tackle kick and Parra rucks it back from their quarter completing another set this time with a long kick.

Another high shot penalty goes to Wests on an early tackle. Eels need to tighten their discipline early.

Low drilled kick completes Wests set and Cyrus  again fields it. Penalty now to Parra and Lorima Rokosuka takes a quick tap and runs 60 metres through the ruck and around the fullback to score. Angled conversion is nailed by Fletcher.

Eels 6 lead Magpies nil after 8 minutes

Great passages of football here that is impossible for me to describe. The Eels are asking plenty of questions and Wests are clinging on. Bloomfield almost created a try out of nothing with an incredible weaving and stepping run.

An error from Parra on halfway and the Magpies look dangerous. Parra defend most of the set on their line and Rokosuka fields the last tackle grubber.

Parra create a half chance on their next kick but it’s yet another penalty to Wests this time for interference on their fullback. More defence for Parra and they rise to the occasion and Wests make a play the ball error on a late tackle.

Dangerous territory as the Eels make another error in their own half. The ref looked like he was going to blow his whistle but allowed Wests to retain possession. Back in Parra’s red zone and a crash play with two runners hitting the line works a treat for them as the runner blasts through defenders to score.

Conversion successful

Eels 6 Wests 6 with seven minutes to the break

That error looks like a massive momentum shifter as Wests march down into Eels territory from the kick off (a forward pass missed in the set) and the right centre takes a huge leap to reel it in and sprint to the corner for the try.

Conversion unsuccessful

Wests 10 lead Eels 6 three minutes left in the half

A penalty to Parra with under two to go and they look sharp. Bloomfield chimes in on a left side shift and feeds Howlett who’s off for the prize as he races to the corner. Wait! No the ref has called an obstruction. On first viewing I’m struggling to see any obstruction. It seems he’s penalised Bloomfield for being in the defence line but he was the ball player throwing the pass! Oh I hope that’s not the case because it can’t possibly be called that way. Perhaps video will back up the ref there. My biased eyes haven’t enjoyed some of the first half calls. Penalty to Wests and the siren sounds.

Half time – Wests 10 lead Eels 6

Second Half

Eels kicking off.

Wests get to their kick but the Eels are back to making errors and lose the ball in the second tackle. Wests lose the ball themselves on the Eels line but Parra can’t continue issuing these invitations. Penalty to Parra relieves the pressure.

Parra attacking in the Wests quarter – oh no. Another error. This needs to stop as it’s multiple times that possession has been lost in the tackle or the play the ball.

Close call as Wests chase their kick into the in goal but they knock it on. Seven tackle set for Parra but they kick short and now Wests split them open. Their halfback is causing major issues as Parra can’t bring him down. Last tackle kick takes a rebound or two and Wests claim a try which the ref denies. Bloomfield off with what looks like a nasty finger injury.

Parra shift left on halfway. Fletcher feigns to pass and slices through. Cut out pass to Rokosuka who takes off. The cover reins him in but he hooks a pass back inside and Fletcher is backing up. He steps off his right foot and scored in the left corner. What a try!

Conversion unsuccessful

Eels 10 Wests 10. 18 minutes remaining

A lost ball call finally goes Parra’s way as a strip is called. The advantage doesn’t stay for long as Parra lose possession in the next set.

The ebbs and flows as Parra steal it back. High tackle now on Parra. It’s a late call by the ref and now the match fired up as the push and shove becomes a mini melee. Rokosuka gets a warning for reacting now the Magpies player is on report.

Big shift left on the quarter and Bloomfield chimes in and is tackled just short of the line. Big play now as Sanjae Ulukini takes his chance out of dummy half and he’s over.

Conversion from Fletcher is successful

Eels 16 lead Magpies 10 with 11 minutes remaining

This is getting tense here as both sides exchange sets with time ticking down to the last five minutes. Big six again call off a Wests kick after the ref denied the Eels twice on a similar play. The play is in front of Parra’s posts and the big Wests prop charges through the ruck and plants it between the sticks

Eels 16 Wests 16 with three minutes to go.

My goodness. The Wests hooker splits Parra’s ruck draws Bloomfield and passes. But the support drops it with the line open.

Wow! Fletcher tries a chip and chase on Wests 40 but Wests clean it up and spread it wide and make a half break. Wests fling it back in and it’s knocked on into an offside player. Eels penalty!

Fletcher lines up his kick from out wide and 45 metres out. He strikes it superbly and the touchiest move forward. It strikes the upright!!! No goal and it’s a draw. What a game.

Eels 16 Magpies 16

 

SG Ball Cup Team List

1	Ollie McCarthy
2	Mohamed Alameddine
3	Corey Leigh
4	Devonte Vaivela
5	Dominic Farrugia
6	Lorenzo Talataina
7	Dylan Brettle
8	Javahn Stevenson-Hala
9	Lachlan Coinakis
10	Kobi Hurford
11	Jezaiah Funa-Iuta
12	Tyrese Lokeni
13	Max Popo
14	Tyson Sangalang
15	Sebastian Piukala
16	Jai Camilleri
17	Elijah-Shane Tapau-Taylor
18	Mark Williams
19	Dakota Kakoi

Match Updates

First Half

Eels kick off running north.

Wests complete their set and it’s a massive reply from Parra as the forwards drive through the middle making huge metres. Unfortunately the ball is lost in the tackle on the 5th.

Wests hoist a high one and Farrugia takes a great catch. The defenders hold him up and drive him just on ten metres over the sideline without a single player coming in to assist him.

Parra defend the set and the Magpies drop the pill on a late tackle. Parra pick up the scraps to relieve the early pressure.

Penalty now to Wests as they ruck the ball up in their next set. Now a six again call. Wests get to the last and it gets scrappy for them with a loose pass. The kick comes and it’s too heavy. Seven tackle set now for Parra.

Big error from Wests inside their half on the next possession. Parra looking sharp in this set. The ball comes left to Lokeni who powers into defenders then turns for the two handed offload. McCarthy is there in support and has a bit to do but he scrambles through defenders and plunges over for the try.

conversion from Farrugia successful

Eels 6 lead Magpies nil after 12 minutes.

Huge break in the kick off set to Lorenzo Talataina. He draws the fullback and passes to Brettle but the pass goes over his head and is dropped.

A sequence of errors now as first Wests then Parra drop the ball in quick succession.

Wests on the attack after that last error and a big hit from Vaivela draws a dropped ball. Handling errors are becoming infectious as Popo coughs it up in the middle of the next set.

Here we go again as Wests drop the ball on the last in front of the Eels sticks. The team that can settle will go a long way towards getting the ascendancy.

Finally Parra complete a set as Brettle finds touch just shy of the corner post. Big six again call for Wests and Parra do exceptionally well to hold them out. Seven tackle set as the Magpies kick goes dead.

Now an Eels penalty late in the count. It’s forty out and Parra opt for Farrugia to have a crack at goal. What a strike! The ball sails over the posts, clears the dead ball line and lands on the hill.

Eels 8 lead Magpies nil with ten minutes to the break.

How do I describe this Eels try? Wests hoist a huge kick on the last and it’s taken magnificently by McCarthy on his quarter. Alameddine gets into dummy half and shoots off towards the wing. He releases Leigh who flies up the sideline and across halfway. Alameddine backs up for the return pass and kicks free of defenders to dive over in the corner.

Conversion unsuccessful

Eels 12 lead Wests nil. With 5 to go.

Oh that’s disappointing. I’m still typing that try as Parra drop the kick off. Wests in possession and score quickly out on the left edge.

Conversion unsuccessful

Eels 12 lead Magpies 4 three minutes out.

This is how crucial completing the set after a kick can be as Wests now go back to back by scoring in the kick off set. They match 90 metres and the cross field kick is taken by their centre who strolls over out on the right edge.

Conversion successful

Half time – Eels 12 lead Wests 10

Note – you could use footage of the last five minutes to illustrate to teams how a mistake following the kick off can completely strip them of momentum. The Eels were in control and had just scored a brilliant try with barely five minutes on the clock till the break. In the blink of an eye the advantage was completely lost.

Second Half

Well that’s a massive early mistake from the ref and luckily for Parra the Magpies didn’t score. The Magpies runner ran behind a host of his own players in a diagonal run in Parra’s quarter. The last one was so blatant in its obstruction and opened a hole that they nearly scored from, but the player was tackled just shy of the line.

Parra put in a poor kick in their next set and it’s an easy pick up for wests as they break clear towards half way. A grubber to the in goal is chased successfully by the Wests player who grounds it for a converted try.

Wests 16 lead Eels 12 with 27 minutes remaining.

The Eels need to arrest this loss of momentum and fast! An error from Wests in the kick off set helps the cause but Parra seems to be in implosion mode as they lose possession then back that up with an strip that is ruled a knock on.

The Magpies are back to Parra’s quarter and they knock on. To be fair there are some ordinary moments in this match.

Both teams settle down a bit now with completed sets.

Brilliant play now from Parra. They march down to the Magpies quarter. Talataina drifts across the field and threads a magical pass to Leigh who strides through the line and steps the fullback to score just right of the posts.
Conversion from Farrugia

Eels 18 lead Wests 16 with 20 minutes to go.

Momentum has definitely shifted back to Parra. They get to the last tackle kick following the re-start. It’s a high kick from Brettle with Farrugia contesting. Wests fumble the ball and Elijah-Shane Tapau-Taylor is there to pick up the scraps and he drags a defender over the line as he scores.

Conversion successful

Eels 24 lead Wests 16 with 17 minutes remaining.

No lesson learned from the first half as the Eels make an early tackle error after the kick off. It’s was a risky offload. Fortunately the Magpies drop it soon after.

Now Parra return the favour near their 40. They have to settle down. They defend well and the Magpies have made a mess of their last tackle play. The Wests player throws a wild ball to nobody but the Parra player throws a hand out to try to catch it! A scrum now to Wests.

You know what, if you keep handing repeat possessions you’re going to pay and Wests have taken this one with both hands as they score just left of the posts. They convert and it’s  looking like an uncomfortable last ten minutes ahead.

Eels 24 lead Wests 22 with ten to go.

Wests make an error and Parra are in the quarter. What is going on here. It’s a play the ball penalty against Parra right on the line with tackles in hand.

Wests kick on the last and Alameddine spills it. Six more. Parra defend grimly but Wests earn a line drop out.

The fate of the Eels is now possibly set as the ball swings left and the winger crashes through Alameddine to score in the corner. The conversion falls short

Wests 26  lead Eels 24 with three minutes remaining.

Oh miracle play from Talataina here as he takes a pass on his side of halfway and slices through. Brettle looms in support and hauls in the pass to sprint way for the try. The crowd erupts!

Farrugia converts with 19 seconds remaining

Eels 30 lead Magpies 26

Wests sprint to the kick off and they do so with 3 seconds on the clock. They go short and it’s not going to make the distance. But as it hangs in the air the Eels make a play for it and touch the ball inside the ten!!!

Penalty to wests. They find touch and spread the ball. A kick comes towards the Eels right wing and Leigh and Alameddine both move towards it. Fortunately Leigh makes a call to avoid the collision and takes it safely. Full time.

Eels 30 defeat Magpies 26

The Eels go from despair to celebrating victory and a finals berth!

Go you mighty Eels!

Sixties