The Eels male elite pathways teams trek north to Cessnock today to face the traditionally strong Newcastle Knights in the opening round of the 2025 Junior Representative season.

This year will present some challenges in coverage with the male and female pathways teams often scheduled at different venues on the same day. The first round saw the girls in Canberra and the boys in Cessnock.

 

Harold Matthews Team List

1 Cyrus Bloomfield

2 Christopher Moala

3 Kordell Pritchard

4 Epapara Tahu-Apiata

23 Samuel Sorovi

6 Talen Risati

7 Zain Alameddine

8 Steven Nunn

9 Jireh-Trey Stewart

10 Chaise Attard

11 Michael Nauer

12 Kasinga Noa

13 Samuel Polley

14 Hayden Bell

15 Mark Peterson

16 Retric Smith-Jessop

17 Jermayne Faafiu

18 Strantz Schaumkel

19 Zac Withers

 

First Half

Eels kicking off towards the southern end.

Knights working their way through the centre. They make good ground and hoist the last tackle kick from the quarter line. They contest the bomb but knock on. Turn over ten out.

Eels forwards do their stuff with Nunn  making a particularly strong carry. Alameddine kicks from halfway. Knights field the kick and strong runs earn six again. Knights go left when they hit the red zone. Great composure from the Eels winger Sorovi when the try seemed imminent. He drives his opposite over the sideline.

parra penalty for a high shot and now a second for a strip. They are now in the Knights red zone. Nunn drives it forward to the shadows of the post. Alameddine to Risati who feigns to pass left and the Knights defence opens up like the Sydney heads. Try time!

conversion successful Eels 6 lead Knights nil after about 6 minutes.

Another Eels penalty in the kick off set. The forwards combine then an early kick from Risati just inside the quarter. The Knights fullback covers it easy but fumbles in contact.

Eels scrum. Disaster as they drop the ball in a scrum play.

The knights now return the favour with a dropped ball early in the set. Scrum on the quarter.

Wow. Nunn and Attard smash up consecutive carries then on the next play the ball bypasses Nunn to go to Polley who feeds a beautiful pass to NOA who strolls over beside the right upright.

Alameddine converts

Eels 12 lead Knights 0 after 15 minutes

Knights one on one strip and they have possession in Parra’s quarter. Oh superb hands from Sorovi to pick up an awkward kick. They turn over possession from a forward pass and the Knights look to have made them pay as they split them wide open but a superb tackle from possibly Nauer dislodges the ball in grounding.

Parra on the attack but are penalised for obstruction. The Knights get a piggy back penalty and advance play to the Eels quarter. Big shift right and the Knights winger get outside the Eels defence and dives over in the corner. And what an incredible sideline conversion follows.

Eels 12 Lead Knights 6

Another Knights penalty and they have to defend a last tackle kick by conceding a line drop out. Yet another Knights penalty for a high shot.

What a huge moment. The Knights shift the ball left and with his opposite winger outside him, Sorovi takes the odds to an intercept and gallops 90 metres for the try.

Angled conversion from Alameddine sails through the posts.

Eels 18 lead Knights 6 with two minutes remaining in the half.

Disaster now as the Knights half charges down the last tackle kick from Risati and with the siren about to sound he races to the corner and dives over. Bloomfield appears to have possibly taken him over the sideline but the touchie is nowhere in sight and cannot possibly call it as a no try.

The Knights half again nails the sideline conversion.

Half time. Eels 18 lead Knights 12

 

Second Half

The Eels receive the kick off and work play into Newcastles half but the last tackle kick is ordinary. The Knights field it and work to Parra’s red zone but lose possession.

Better set and last tackle kick now and the Knights will start this set ten out. Yet another penalty called and the Knights are once more 20 out from Parra’s line. Yet another coach killer as Newcastle now throw a forward pass.

Parra surprise by running on the last, and about 30 out and it’s a simple hand over. Yet another penalty against Parra with Nauer called offside in trying to make back to back tackles.

Now that could be a lucky escape for Parra as the Knights break left but the winger can’t handle the pass with the line beckoning.

First game blues continue as now the Eels fumble at the start of the next set. Knights scrum 30 out.

The penalties are flowing here. Parra trap and scrap a Knights kick but Alameddine is correctly ruled offside. Big left side shift from the Knights but Sorovi takes his opposite over the sideline.

Good set from the Eels forwards is backed by a great kick. Knights start the set ten out.

On the back of that Bloomfield fields the ball 30 out from his line and is tackled on halfway. Great territory to begin this set. Oh this is a relentless run of penalties as Parra’s last tackle kick chase is penalised for interference. Now the Knights break left and the support player arrive one after the other as they race in a long distance try, planting the ball between the sticks.

The conversion levels the scores.

Eels 18 Knights 18 with 15 minutes remaining.

The Knights have great momentum and advance the ball into Parra’s half on the kick off set. Now a dropped ball. Big error off the scrum and Knights are away. The defence scrambles. Close calls now. Held up over the line and then Parra scramble to ground a Knights kick just before the chaser.

Line drop out. Big tackles from Polley. And now another line drop out.

Short drop is ordinary. Simple catch ten out. The Knights are held up over the line. Next tackle delivers a result for Parra as Attard hammers the runner and forces an error. The Knights player is now leaving the field. Eels scrum ten out. No errors here please fellas.

I shouldn’t have said anything as an error comes from Bloomfield 40 out.

Well the Knights are winning the physical battle as they force a drop out by driving the Eels back over the try line on second tackle.

Bloomfield goes short and regains the ball but the ref hadn’t blown the whistle. Strong set from Newcastle and the last tackle kick draws a knock on.

Oh this is too much. Parra force an error in front of the posts and you guessed it – another Knights penalty. With two minutes to go they’ll take the two. The kick is taking forever.

Knights 20 lead Eels 18

It’s going to take something special now.

Hang on. The ref awards Parra a penalty for fielding the kick off inside the ten!

The kick finds truck on the quarter. Big charge from Polley who is tackled half a metre out. Right now to big prop Nunn who crashes over for the match winner!!! Amazing stuff!

Amameddine converts

Eels 24 defeat Knights 20

Wow, just wow. What an unexpected finish.

 

 

SG Ball Team List

 

1 Nathan Howlett

2 Dominic Farrugia

3 Andes Johansson

4 Lachlan Vella

5 Lorima Rokosuka

6 Cameron Bamblett

7 Lincoln Fletcher

8 Beau Lucien

9 Lachlan Coinakis

10 Max Popo

11 Jezaiah Funa-Iuta

12 Christopher Petrus

13 Maison Ong

14 Tom Summer

15 Wesley Pakoti

16 Ryda Talagi

17 Mark Williams

18 Corey Leigh

19 Phoenix Tauasa

 

First Half

Eels kicking off running towards the northern end.

Stray pass from Knights late in the set finds Farrugia and now Eels cross half way but there’s a knock on about 40 out from Newcastle’s line. Scrum.

Scrappy start as now Newcastle make a play the ball error 45 out from their line. Eels now turn up the heat in the Knights quarter. They receive a penalty for a high tackle and head left. Ten out now as the ball is fed to Ong in front of the posts. He’s too strong as he bumps off a couple of defenders then carries a couple more over the line as he grounds it between the sticks.

Fletcher converts

Eels 6 Knights nil after 4 minutes.

The teams trade sets before the Eels break the flow of play by receiving a penalty on their own line for an infringement by Knights kick chasers. Unfortunately they don’t get to the last tackle kick after making an error in the ruck on their last tackle play the ball about 35 out from the Knights line. Now Newcastle return the favour with a dropped pass on half way.

Oh that’s a great set from Parra. They drive play through the middle then on the last inside the quarter it’s quick hands across the backline to right winger Farrugia who crashes over in the corner.

Fletcher takes it back over 25 metres but his conversion is just wide.

Eels 10 lead Knights nil

Parra back over halfway after the kick off and Bamblett receives a penalty. Five out from the line now as Fletcher is tackled. Lucien now held up. Flat ball from Coinakis on the last as they attempt a crash play but it’s dropped.

Knights get to their kick and it’s well handled by Howlett who gets this set started with an evasive run. Last tackle kick from Fletcher finds touch about 15m out.

Huge line break from Ptrus on his own quarter and he’s caught about 20 out with Bamblett looming in support. Coinakis darts from dummy half and Newcastle bat down his pass. Eels scrum. It all comes apart with a poor pass and dropped ball in the next set.

Newcastle execute well this set and advance to the quarter but they run it on the last and it’s easy work for Parra’s defence. Oh, one on one steal 40 out by the Knights. They’re on the attack again in Parra’s red zone but this time they can’t complete the set.

Parra scrum 15 out. The play advance to the Knights half and nobody contests the last tackle kick which fortunately for the home team eventually finds their hands.

well that’s a bad mistake from Parra on the last as the ref calls an incorrect play the ball 40 out. Another attacking opportunity for the Knights.

Bamblett picks up a loose Knights pass on Parra’s quarter and races 50 metres before he’s rounded up. A couple of plays later the Knights are penalised for a crusher in front of the posts. Fletcher now steps up for the easy two points.

Eels 12 Knights nil. Four minutes left in the half.

Geez Petrus is delivering some pain with his hits.

The Knights over cook a last tackle kick and it’s a seven tackle set coming up for Parra. Howlett hits it up but loses the ball on the first tackle. Parra pay the penalty for this error as the Knights shift left. The centre gets the attention of both Vella and Farrugia which opens a passage for the winger to cross in the corner with the siren about to sound.

Conversion unsuccessful.

Half time. Eels 12 lead Knights 4

Second Half

Knights kick off. Good carry from Talagi late in this set and there’s a high kick on the last which the Knights fumble. Scrum on the ten. A bit scrappy in this set but Parra can reboot as the Knights knock down a pass. Scrum to Parra.

The attention to detail here is not good as Parra are again pinged for a play the ball error with Coinakis rolling it back.

Long kick on the last by Newcastle. Howlett is shadowing the ball and gets a huge shove from the chaser and the ref calls dropout. Fltcher kicks short and wide and it’s reeled in by Johansson!

A very ugly last tackle grubber from Vella draws a Knights knock on. Scrum to Parra. Play moves into the quarter and now Summer busts the line and takes on the fullback. He drags him and another defender over the line as he plants the ball. Fletcher converts.

Eels 18 Knights 4

Great set after points from Parra drives play over halfway. Fletcher splits the line and takes on the fullback. He goes to ground but with the tackler falling off he gets the ball away to Vella who sprints the ten metres to the line and crosses beside the right upright.

Fletcher converts

Eels 24 lead Knights 4.

Penalty now to Parra straight after the kick off. Chip kick from Bamblett on the last and Lucien chases hard, colliding with the Knights fullback. The ball comes loose and Parra swoop for the try. The ref pulls play back for the contact, awarding a penalty to the Knights.

A long delay as the injury is treated.

The Knights fail to find touch and are immediately under defensive pressure. The Eels get expansive on the last and Bamblett attempts a chip towards his left winger Rokosuka on the last but it’s way too big and is out on the full.

Another error on the last from Parra in their next set as they turn over possession on half way via a forward pass.

The Knights break the Eels defence in the following set but the cover defence does the job and forces an error. Hang on they’ve somehow been penalised, not sure why. Has he called it tackled not in possession? The Knights forwards pepper the Eels try line but the defence holds firm. Now the Knights are penalised a metre out for an incorrect plat the ball.

The play is once again becoming scrappy with yet another incomplete set from Parra.

A couple of individual charges at the line from Newcastle are well handled by Parra. Big shift left and there’s a huge obstruction play as the Knights score in the corner, and the ref has spotted it. Eels penalty.

Outside/inside play between Fletcher and Ong and Ong splits them open down the middle, takes on the fullback and he’s just too big and strong to stop. Try time.

Fletcher converts from close range.

Eels 30 lead Knights 4 with ten minutes to go.

An error from Parra after points. This time Parra pay the penalty as Newcastle hit Parra’s left edge and cross 15 metres to the left of the uprights.

Conversion successful

Eels 30 lead Knights 10

There is some trading of errors here as the Knights now make an error after points just outside their quarter. Not much joy in this set and Newcastle regain the ball after Fletchers last tackle kick takes a deflection.

Newcastle run it on the last and it’s a simple hit up from the front rower 40 out. Hand over. What’s doing there???

Six to go as Parra pepper the Newcastle line. Simple crash play and Talagi is too powerful, plunging over between the posts.

Fletcher converts.

Eels 36 Knights 10 – one minute to play

The kick off is allowed to bounce and Newcastle get possession. A couple of tackles later the siren sounds.

Full Time Eels 36 defeat Knights 10

 

 

Sixties