The Parramatta Eels fell to 1-1 record after a nail baiting 18-16 loss to the Cronulla Sharks on Sunday. It was a result that simultaneously reinforced many of the positives we saw against the Broncos but also served as a painful reminder about the singular importance of completing your sets. Yet it was another genuinely exciting game from our girls who are clearly ready to throw down with all comers in 2024. So let’s see what caught the eye in Round 2 as the Eels notched their first loss of the year in a high quality game against Cronulla.
It’s The Biddle Details That Get You
Were Cronulla lucky to score the match winning try via Annessa Biddle in the 64th minute?
Certainly. A kick deflection in the Parramatta defensive line ricocheted perfectly into the hands of the chasing Biddle in a fortuitous twist for the Sharks.
Were Cronulla lucky to be in a position to score the match winning try?
Equally so but it was very much a different kind of luck in play. Whereas Biddle’s try was the definition of a ‘bounce of the ball’ moment, the opportunity itself was a function of a string of unforced errors from the Eels – an important distinction.
As talented as our girls are shaping up to be this year, those sorts of errors will always rapidly pile on the pressure. Sure, they responded with a stout goal line stand but it also opened the door for luck to influence a crucial outcome in the game. The little details matter so much in rugby league. Timing your runs, wrapping up the ball and making slight adjustments to positional play.
Getting to your kick however is one of the prime directives in footy and the Eels let themselves down in this regard in the second half. Losing Rachael Pearson to a head injury assessment certainly didn’t help in this regard but it is an aspect of their game they will need to sharpen up as they prepare for North Queensland.
Owen’s Roaring Start
Just two games into her NRLW career and Rory Owen has caught plenty of eyes with sparkling efforts against both the Broncos and Sharks. Not only has the union convert crossed the white stripe in her first two games but she has shown a scintillating combination of speed, class and pure effort at left centre.
Rory Owen
With the Eels largely running it back with the same squad from 2023, albeit with a smart new appointment at head coach, it was important that the new recruits they did bring in made a big difference.
Rory is fitting that bill and then some but she isn’t the only union convert in the team with Rosie Kelly holding down the opposite side of the field. While Kelly hasn’t quite had the same raw impact as Owen, she has looked plenty comfortable at right centre and will get opportunities to star as the season wears on.
Critically, both look like sharp recruitment decisions that have added genuine pace to the back line.
The Great Barrier Reef
Plenty of credit must go to the Cronulla Sharks and their defence in particular. While the Eels also showed serious starch on their goal line, Sharks absorbed several withering passages of play inside their red zone. Parramatta threw plenty at them from backline shifts to power plays around the ruck and even some crafty interplay between the boot of Pearson and a flying Tohi-Hiku.
Cronulla just did a tremendous job of turning the Eels away. Straight up good footy from both teams.
Jackson Brings The Juice
Sometimes roster mirroring allows you to bring in a similar player when injury or suspension strikes. Chloe Jackson is not a like-for-like replacement for Boss Kapua. And that is just fine. The rookie made a strong NRLW debut against the Sharks as she got stuck into a healthy workload on both sides of the ball. She fell just shy of 100m on the ground but hammered out 32 tackles in a well-balanced effort.
Jackson in action for NSW under 19s
In terms of the eye test I thought she asked some good questions of the Cronulla defence with late footwork at the line and she played a crucial part in both committing the defence and facilitating the ball movement that led to Monique Donovan scoring.
It was a good, solid debut and now she gets the chance to carve out a greater role in the team in the coming weeks.
Forty20
After watching the game last week by chance I actually recorded this one to watch and have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. The nrlw has surprised me and I will be watching our girls every week from now on. Thought they were v unlucky to lose as they seemed to dominate for long periods of time,
Rory Owen looks special and takes a lot of hard rounds from out of their own end.
If anyone is like me and not bothered watching the women previously give it a go, I am now a convert for our girls team.
MB, they are a different group under Steve Georgallis. The structures and shapes challenge their opponents and you can see the aggression in their play. The girls are also great people in interacting with supporters.
A great outing for the team, however there were some head scratching decisions again from the bunker. Unfortunately a crucial one where Elsie was stripped and somehow the bunker came up with a decision that it was a normal tackle when the ball was punched out , we do see a lot of similar type seemingly incorrect interpretations from that same official. That decision led to a change of possession and inevitably to a winning score from the opposition.
A 2 point loss to one of the favoured teams is part of the learning experience, similar performances will see wins and a good season.
About three calls that were at best 50/50 late in the game fell the Sharks way – all were strips and I reckon two were 100% wrong calls.
I have been impressed with the Parra girls. I believe with more game time they will get more experience. we miss Reuben’s services from dummy half n her darting into open spaces.
ashamed no proud yes this time last yr the sharkies lapped us 56-6 so to lose 18-16 is a great result. onwards and up from know on.
Spot on Rev. The difference to last year, with just a couple of new players, is amazing.
SG needs a lot of credit for the turnaround. big improvement.
Tohi-Hiku, wow, I was shocked to see her at 5/8, but boy, oh boy, she has taken it in her stride.