Eels lower grade action comes to you from Lidcombe Oval today.

The Eels are now on the fringes of the top 6 in NSW Cup and today can go a long way towards determining their finals hopes. A loss would be put a speed hump on their momentum whereas a win keeps them right in the hunt.

The task is a bit tougher in the Jersey Flegg after recent losses to the high flying Raiders and Knights teams extended the gap between them and the top 6. However a smashing victory over the Bunnies last round will have restored confidence in their ability to get the job done. They remain an outside hope of finals footy, a remarkable achievement after dropping the first seven games of the season.

Jersey Flegg Team List

 

1	Zac Hunter
4	Araz Nanva
3	Antioch Faitala-Mariner
20	Devonte Vaivela
5	Ollie McCarthy
6	Apa Twidle
7	Matthew Hunter
8	Sam Tuivati
9	Ryley Smith
10	Teancum Brown
11	Will Lewis
12	Tyrese Lokeni
13	Damascus Neemia
Interchange
14	Yehya Ayache
21	Michael Abdow
16	Javahn Stevenson-Hala
17	Jezaiah Funa-Iuta
19	Le Bron Tuala

 

First Half

Eels receiving.

The ball is allowed to bounce and the Warriors retrieve it! Good defence from Parra and they are working play off their line.

Eels last tackle kick fielded by Warriors on their 30. Early opportunity for Parra as the ball goes down on the Eels 40.

McCarthy breaks down the left wing the ball is passed infield and it’s a high tackle penalty against the Warriors. Parra advance to the quarter and bombard the line. A shift right and Mariner crashes through for the try.

Conversion unsuccessful

Eels 4 lead Warriors 0 after 6 minutes

Eels complete a good set after points finding touch near the corner post.

Warriors hammering the Eels line and are held up twice. Last tackle kick is over the sideline on the full. The Eels complete the next set travelling from ten out and asking the Warriors to ruck it out off their own ten in return.

Each team completes their next set and now it’s a Warriors penalty piggy backs them downfield.

Big shift right by the Warriors and their winger is released in the 20. Vaivela scrambles and the winger is tackled into touch one metre out.

Parra attempt a 40/20 and it’s a close call from the touch judge who says it’s just short of the 20.

Next Parra possession sees a penalty about 30 out from their own line. Play moves into the Warriors 20 with the Eels halves asking questions. Six again. Smith takes play down a narrow right blind side and they are tackled short. Back towards the middle and some nice footwork from Lokeni gets him past defenders for the try.

Converted by Twidle

Eels 10 lead Warriors nil after 25 minutes

Some scrappy play from Parra in the kick off set and they lose 20 metres late in the count. Good run from Funa-Iuta gets them on the front foot again for the kick. Good defence follows and on the next set McCarthy breaks down the left wing but the Warriors save the try with an intercept right on the line. Drop out follows.

Shortish kick fielded by Hunter. Right now and Twidle lays on a delightful pass for Mariner who surges through defenders to score just to the right of the posts. Twidle misses the conversion.

Eels 14 lead Warriors nil with four minutes left in the half.

Tremendous set from the kick off. Smith splits them out of dummy half but the defence just shuts it down near the quarter. Twidle kick into the in goal and the chase earns a drop out. Long kick and the Warriors do well in defence.

Half time Eels 14 lead Warriors nil

 

 

Second Half

Both teams trade sets and the Eels get an early advantage via a penalty. Oops- they fail to find touch. Warriors now in possession around half way but Sam Tuivaiti comes up with a big hit and it earns a turnover. Double oops now as Sam loses the ball himself in the next set. I think he’s copped a nasty shot to the family jewels so it’s lost balls all round. Sorry.

Warriors now hand it straight back. It’s getting scrappy here.

Parra are the first to settle. They hit their left and Mariner beats a defender and offloads to McCarthy. There’s still plenty for him to do but he steps off his right, takes the collision and stretches his arm out to plant the ball on the line.

Conversion misses

Eels 18 lead Warriors nil with 25 minutes to go

The teams trade sets after the kick off. Parra are winning the territorial battle with better field position. Twidle breaks through 30 out. Mariner is held back but the officials somehow miss it. He’s now passing inside but the Warriors intercept ten out.

An error early in the set after Parra fields the Warriors clearing kick and the visitors are on the attack. A shift left where they have the Eels for numbers but McCarthy does enough to force an ordinary pass and the winger drops it with the line open.

Another Eels error in their next set. Penalty late in the count to the Warriors now. They hit the left wing but the Eels handle it well. The player at dummy half has a crack himself and the Eels can’t hold him up.

Cracking conversion from the sideline

Eels 18 lead Warriors 6

Parra in complete control defensively in this set with four tackles in the Warriors quarter after the kick off. One missed tackle and the Warriors break away. Parra scramble and a Warriors error is picked up by them in an offside position.

Penalty to Parra and they’re back in the Warriors quarter. Oh no another incomplete set. Now a late count penalty to the Warriors.

Great scramble from McCarthy here as he hustled to pick up a loose Warriors pass. Penalty now to Parra. Yet another incomplete set as Parra don’t take the opportunity for a field goal to wrap it up.

A last tackle kick and it’s a low one to the Eels right and the Eels player decides to put his foot to it and not his hands. It flies back towards the Warriors as he tries to retrieve it but knocks on. Warriors in possession now and go the ball g left shift. Parra scramble well and tackle the ball carrier into touch.

Six again and penalty to Parra and they aren’t interested in the field goal with less than two minutes remaining. The grubber kick goes dead for a seven tackle set.

Full time sounds as a last ditch kick from the Warriors goes over the sideline.

Full time: Eels 18 defeat Warriors 6

 

NSW Cup Team List

 

1	Zac Cini
2	Mohamed Alameddine
3	Samuel Loizou
4	Morgan Harper
5	Isaac Lumelume
6	Josh Lynn
7	Ethan Sanders
8	Wiremu Greig
9	Joey Lussick
10	Reece Alderton
11	Dan Keir
12	Jock Brazel
13	Brock Parker
Interchange
14	Meni Luke
15	Saxon Pryke
16	Adam Spicer
17	Max Tupou

 

First Half

 

Eels per the TLT program today. Young bookend Sam Tuivaiti again the 18th man as he hopefully nears a debut in this grade.

Parramatta kick off to start this game. NZ ahead in the early exchanges as they drive the ball over halfway. A midfield bomb is sent towards Zac Cini but he cleans it up easily before he is swarmed by the chase. Tough work for the home team now as Lumelume and Alameddine fight for metres. Greig takes the Eels over the 30m mark as Sanders punches it downfield to complete the set. The Warriors have a clear positional advantage here but sail too close to the sideline on the kick return as the left edge of the Eels combines with Lumelume, Brazel and Harper driving the runner into touch!

Alderton starts the next set as Sanders combines with Lynn down the left as the ball ends up with Morgan Harper. It is a nice looking move before Harper tries to flick the ball back to Cini. It forces the fullback to dive on the loose offload and the touch judge spies a small knock on. Time is then called off for Cini who looks to be in bad shape from the previous play. He must have picked up a knock from the defender who dived onto him.

Solid set from the Warriors as the Eels weather a series of strong carries through the middle. Similar to their last completed set inside the Parra half, they send up the bomb to Cini and rush through to trap him shortly after he secures the ball. Another good defensive set from the visitors traps the Eels deep in their half as Lynn tries to clear the footy but the Warriors still end up with the ball close to halfway.

There is an early flashpoint for debutante Mohamed Alameddine as the Warriors try to kick early in behind him. He gets to the loose ball first and positions himself nicely as he earns a penalty for the chaser taking him out before he can field the pill.

It is a brilliant passage of play for the rook as well! He starts it by earning the initial penalty and finishes it as Sanders and Lynn comes down the right to find Loizou. The centre fights through contact from just over 20m out and flicks an offload to Alameddine who cuts down the right sideline and beats two defenders to score the opening points! Cracking start for the young winger!

 

Try scored by Mohamed Alameddine. Conversion successful by Ethan Sanders.

Eels lead 6-0

9min gone

 

Oh my, error from the kickoff now. Lynn and Alameddine get their wires cross and end up competing for the kick and dropping it as a result.

Our left edge gets an early challenge here as the Warriors attack from the scrum but Harper and Lumelume snuff it out. NZ changes edges twice now as they go right-to-left and vice versa before centreing the ball for the last. The attacking bomb goes to Lumelume and he mistimes his jump but his knock on is grounded by the defence so we go to a dropout.

Said dropout fails to travel 10m so it becomes a play-the-ball. Real glut of possession for the visitors now but the goal line defence of Parra has been admirable. Alameddine makes an important one-on-one tackle down the right to save a try before Harper does the same on the opposite side of the field and ends up jolting the ball loose!

Simple stuff from the Eels as they ruck it out and complete the set 10m short of halfway with a kick from Lynn. NZ end up running on the last in their reply set but Loizou and Alameddine are awake to the danger and shut the play down for the turnover.

Good carry from Lumelume to kickstart the next set. Greig follows suit before a right edge shift finds Cini who is promptly smashed in a great read by the defence. Set is completed with a midfield bomb that the Warriors tidy up…only to cough the pill up a tackle later! Sloppy ruck work there as the runner dives into Brock Parker in a very loose attempt to play-the-ball.

Centrefield scrum set. Eels play right as Lynn goes to Loizou. Left now as Alderton carts it up off the hip of Lynn. Left again and it looks like something is cooking as Lyyn sets a sweeping Sanders up and the halfback feeds a pass to Harper that would put him over untouched but it is grassed! No, no, no. The pass was a fraction high but Morgan still should have taken it.

Touchy finds a forward pass from the Warriors as they work it out of their own half. Big run from Harper off the scrum win. Lumelume takes a charge in his wake before Sanders juggles the ball and reels it in barely! Right to Alderton on a crash ball before Lussick finds Sanders who gives early ball to Harper but the centre is dragged down. That brings up the last as Ethan Sanders sets up for the kick to the posts where he finds a flying Zac Cini! Superb leap and then drive through contact to score the try!

 

Try scored by Zac Cini. Conversion successful by Ethan Sanders.

Eels lead 12-0

22min gone

 

Keir fields a bouncing midrange kickoff. No error this time thankfully. Greig and Brazel rip in from there with some good carries. Parker is tackled just shy of halfway as Greig and Keir combine next play. Oh goodness that is nice! Left side play as the halves combine yet again and Sanders nearly slices through with a dummy. He does link up with a flying Brazel though and the young tearaway sums it up perfectly as he plays back inside to Lynn for the gorgeous try!

 

Try scored by Joshua Lynn. Conversion successful by Ethan Sanders.

Eels lead 18-0

26min gone

 

Big stint from Wiremu in the first half. He has done really well and contributes again as the Eels complete the set with a swirling bomb from Sanders. It is dropped by the Warriors and the home team pour through! The ball is scooped up and flung out to Loizou who looks to score from 20 odd metres out. He is chased down though and flings a wild offload behind him that the Warriors dive on. Advantage had clearly been played there and the Eels bomb a huge opportunity there.

The Warriors pick up a penalty late in the following set due to what looks to be a late hit off the ball. It was Wiremu with the indisctrion and he is called out and put on report. NZ resume on Parra’s 30m mark.

It doesn’t look like too much is cooking for the visitors as they run kind of aimlessly down Parra’s right edge but a late offload from the centre to their winger looping infield sparks points out of nowhere as the winger dives under the cover tackle of Cini to score.

 

Try scored by the Warriors. Conversion unsuccessful.

Warriors trail 4-18

31min gone

 

What has happened there? The Eels get the ball back from a shortish kickoff as the pill caroms back to the home team. They surge downfield on the back of it and look to have scored via Lumelume a few tackles later as the winger pinned his ears back and looked to have steam rolled his opposite but the referee says double movement! Geez I couldn’t tell at all from my angle so can’t add anything else to the call.

Back to the game and the Warriors get through their next set as Alameddine claims the ball and beats the first chaser. Harper and Moey then take carries before Max Tupou throws himself into the fray. Nice ball from Lynn to Brazel that the Warriors barely contain! Jock was nearly through there. It brings up the last as the Eels bomb for Harper. The centre takes a catch but it then wrapped up to effect the turnover but he doesn’t get up. In fact he looks in a pretty bad way here. He gets to his feet very briefly but goes back down and the trainer waves to the sideline. Big blow here for the Eels and a cruel turn for Morgan.

Another error comes from NZ. Parker cleans it up with Alderton taking the next carry. Right to Tupou who rips into the defensive line. It leads to a big switch of play out to wide left where Dan Keir is now playing centre. The skipper gets early ball via a cutout pass from Sanders and he quickly links up with Lumelume who has plenty of work to do as he somehow beats out both the centre and winger through contact to score in the corner! Sanders is waved away after hitting the crossbar from the sideline.

 

Try scored by Isaac Lumelume. Conversion successful by Ethan Sanders.

Eels lead 22-4

38min gone

 

Champagne footy! It is a torrent of tries for the Eels here as sharp work from Lynn and Cini release Louizou before halfway! He quickly turns to Alameddine and the young flyer screams down the right sideline before weaving the cutout pass back inside to Sanders for the back-to-back tries!

 

Try scored by Ethan Sanders. Conversion successful by Ethan Sanders.

Eels lead 28-4

40min gone

 

Half Time

Parramatta Eels 28 lead the New Zealand Warriors 4

 

Second Half

 

Eels to receive the ball.

Solid runs to start the half as Alderon and Tupou and followed up by Parker for good gains. Brazel is brought down short of halfway before Pryke brings up the last which sees the home team hoist a midfield bomb. It is claimed by the Warriors but they are deep in their own half and have plenty of work to do.

A nice, tidy defensive set follows but Cini produces a rare error from fullback and he drops a regulation clearing kick. Sun in his eyes perhaps? Regardless, it gifts NZ a free shot at Parra’s goal line.

Oh geez that is a critical tackle from Dan Keir. A grass cutter to save a certain try. Has the ref screwed the Eels here? They hold up a runner on the goal line and deliberately let them step into the ingoals in order to force the play-the-ball back to the 10m mark. The runner is clearly ingoals but the ref signals the ruck on the goal line and allows the quick play-the-ball which results in the visitors diving over.

 

Try scored by the Warriors. Conversion successful.

Warriors trail 10-28

46min gone

 

Oh goodness, Cini catches the clearly kick this time but loses it in contact! It leaves the Eels  reeling and cements a nightmare stretch for the Parra custodian here. It leads directly to points as the Warriors find a channel with a shortball around the ruck. Huge swing in this game now.

 

Try scored by the Warriors. Conversion successful.

Warriors trail 16-28

49min gone

 

The Eels are teetering on a complete collapse now as they kick out on the full from the restart of play. They are laying out the red carpet for the Warriors at the moment.

Thank goodness the Warriors get it wrong! Our left edge jams together and corals the NZ fullback back inside where the referee spies a shepherd for the penalty towards the Eels! Phew.

Oh noooo! Lynn was through! Slick dummy from the five-eigth and he has fooled the defender but the reaching hand from the beaten NZ tackler does enough to knock the ball out as Josh is about the slice through! He had support and only the fullback to beat for a dead certain try there.

A sloppy ruck from the Warriors gifts the Eels the ball back. Loizou and Pryke take the opening runs here and again they look to have split the Warriors open as Lynn turns the ball back inside to Parker. The big lock rampages his way to the line over a good 15m or so and reaches out to plant the ball but the ref says he has knocked on! Probably the right call after some reflection on my behalf. It is a critical juncture in this game as well before the 20m restart results in another manic swing in this game.

What a huge turn in this game as the following set sees the Warriors march downfield from the extended set and crash over short range down their left edge. This game has been blown wide open on the back of some terrible mistakes from the Eels.

 

Try scored by the Warriors. Conversion successful.

Warriors trail 22-28

58min gone

 

Well the collapse has been completed. The Warriors have levelled this game up with a nothing play on the last as they hit a front rower from dummy half and it splits Alderton and Pryke on the goal line. From the best 40min this team has played all season to potential its worst (competing with the shocker against Canberra a few weeks back). Can they recover here?

 

Try scored by the Warriors. Conversion successful.

Warriors lock the scores up at 28-all

63min gone

 

Recover? No. Repeat the same issues? Sure. The Warriors simply roll the home team through the middle now as the Warriors explode from before halfway to score and claim the lead here. Perhaps a couple of dubious passes in the lead up to the try there but the defensive effort from the Eels was completely lacking and it opened the door for the oportunity.

 

Try scored by the Warriors. Conversion successful.

Warriors lead 34-28

67min gone

 

Shut the gate. It is all the Warriors here as they cross again. From a bomb this time around as Alameddine opts to let the Warriors claim it and then try to wrap them up. They catch the kick and then offload through the tackle allowing their support player to wrap around and score in the corner. A legendary collapse here from the Eels sadly.

 

Try scored by the Warriors. Conversion successful.

Warriors lead 40-28

70min gone

 

The Eels finally attempt a short kickoff but the Warriors win the contest. Now a penalty to the visitors as a player is tackled late off the ball. NZ play first for a hip drop tackle on a legit grass cutter and then ruck interference in the same play but the ref rules it a lost ball as the Eels finally get the ball back.

Parker and Loizou take the first runs here. Spicer is up next before a left edge shift and some offloads takes the Eels to halfway. Greig steams over the midpoint as Sanders heaves the kick up but it is taken expertly by the NZ fullback.

Rough period for Dan Keir who is filling in as emergency centre. Twice he has tried to find Lumelume with a quick pass and twice he has sailed the ball into touch. With under a minute to play now the Warriors put one final nail in the coffin of the Parra collapse as they burst through the right edge of the home team to score another long range try and bring up 42 unanswered points.

 

Try scored by the Warriors. Conversion successful.

 

Full Time

New Zealand Warriors 46 defeat the Parramatta Eels 28