Round 5 of the Junior Representatives kicks off with the Eels heading to the Shire. Catch all of the action in the Lisa Fioala and Tarsha Gale Cups as Parramatta look to stay on top of the table in both grades!

Lisa Fioala Team List

 

1	Irae Savea
2	Sienna Bonello
3	Georgia Wansey
4	Cody Tuimaseve
5	Freedom Crichton-Ropati
6	Sharon Latapu
7	Temieke Withers
8	Leonia Vei
9	Bailey Ma-Chong
10	Isabella Bell
11	Kaizen Morgan-Pritchard
12	Mitszy Cairns
13	Catea Duff
14	Alissia Misa
15	Mere Sivo
16	Kaveinga O’Callaghan-Ahio
17	Evelyn Kuwendu
18	Laylah Tafili
23	Hine Rikiti

 

Match Updates

 

First Half

 

Small team change with Mere Sivo starting in the front row and Leonia Vei slipping back to the bench.

Eels are kicking off.

Good, physical start from both sides. Strong running from Cronulla and good defence from the Eels. Irae Savea claims the clearing kick comfortably as Parramatta get to work in their first possession. Nice involvement of the outside backs including a surging carry from Cody Tuimaseve. Sharon Latapu complete the set with a swirling kick that fades on the Cronulla winger late leading to a knock on! Big chance now for Parramatta.

Scrum in set centrefield 10m off the goal line and the Eels spin left to Georgia Wansey who takes on her opposite and is met in a good ball and all tackle. The big shift right finds Morgan-Pritchard at pace but the backrower can’t reel the pass in and the Sharks survive.

Oooh, a little bobble there! Nonetheless Savea still manages to secure the next clearing kick after a cheeky little juggle. Another heavy piece of ruckwork from Tuimaseve yields a penalty for an attempted slowdown as Parra tap and go. Ma-Chong schemes around the ruck as links up with Cairns down the left. Again the Eels look to execute the big shift to the right side where some second phase play is snuffed out by the Sharks before Latapu sends a crossfield kick to the left on the last where Sienna Bonello claims it before she is shut down for the turnover.

The Sharks punch a small hole through the left edge of the Eels in reply but Parra are able to scramble quickly to minimise the damage. Bonello again finds herself under the high ball – this time in defence – as she calmly takes the ball over her shoulder before picking up a penalty for a high tackle.

Wansey and Isabella Bell are called on for early work this set. So too are Sivo and the Savea from fullback. Simple but effective work around the middle. The Eels bomb to the right on the last and for a second it looks like their kick chase is broken by the return but the second wave arrives and drives the runner into touch. Another great chance for the Eels but it quickly fizzles out with an early error in front of the posts.

Great kick return from Crichton Ropati now. Sets the Eels up for a set starting on halfway. Sivo trucks there ball into the red zone before the Eels shift right to Morgan-Pritchard. Latapu then has a crack down the short side and finds the markers misaligned for a penalty. Tap and go as the Eels spend three tackles trying to crash over. Latapu and Withers look to take them left but shooting defence stifles Withers before Latapu is then picked up for a small error in the play-the-ball one tackle later. Eels with numerous opportunities early on here but with nothing to show for it.

Cronulla pick up a timely penalty coming out of their redzone and are able to build a set into Parra’s half on the back of it. They shift right but the edge defence of the Eels pushes up aggressively across two tackles to bring an end to the set on tackles. Phew! Just as it looks like Parra have turned the ball over on the very next play inside their redzone the referee indicates that the defence were offside. Big, big let off!

A good touch finder puts Parramatta back on the front foot as they work from left to right. Morgan-Pritchard and Sivo getting more work here – Bell too as she centres the ball to bring up the last. Withers looks to grubber in behind Cronulla’s right edge for a flying Bonello but the kick is too heavy off the boot and leads to a 20m restart.

Good metreage for the Sharks care of the 7-tackle set and a good offload from one of their forwards mid-tackle count. They bomb Sienna Bonello on the last but again she comes up trumps under the high ball and fights to stay in the field of play. Great work.

Wily work from Bailey Ma-Chong now as she pinches 20m dancing and weaving through some offside defenders. Withers looks to clear the ball but miscues the kick resulting in a midfield grubber that the Sharks misplay! A fresh set for the Eels here as Leonia Vei steamrolls through the middle now. Tremendous charge! It puts Parra on the goal line but again they come unstuck at the very last as the swing play to the right sees Crichton Ropati put the pass down off her hip. Dang.

Parra’s next possession starts from their 20m mark as Bonello shepherds a clearing kick over the dead ball line. Tuimaseve has the Eels flying after a bullocking run down the right. Ma-Chong surges down the right and releases Crichton Ropati down the sideline. The Cronulla fullback Teplicanec collars her at the last line but the Eels have tackles in hand. They build back towards the uprights and just as it looks to have fallen apart again they strike! Confusion on the last leads to Latapu scooping up a pass off the ground. The defence have rushed her but she still has time to stab a shallow grubber kick through! Duff leads the chase and picks up the bouncing ball before offloading to Cairns who quickly feeds Wansey for the opening points! Ma-Chong misses to the left on the conversion attempt.

 

Try scored by Georgia Wansey. Conversion unsuccessful by Bailey Ma-Chong.

Eels lead 4-0

24min gone

 

A long time for first points but the Eels finally deliver. Now they are rolling. Ma-Chong and Vei are in their element through the middle corridor here as they blend subtle dummy-half craft with the bludgeoning force of a front rower. The Eels pile into Cronulla’s red zone and again draw a penalty for offside defenders. I really have to credit the willingness of Cronulla’s defence mind you. Yes they are giving away penalties for inside the 10m but they are constantly challenging the Eels with linespeed because of it and they go on to force an error from Wansey due to an aggressive jam.

Another timely moment for Bonello in defence. Savea gets a wicked bounce on the Cronulla clearing kick that clean bowls her on the goal line. Thankfully, Bonello was backing her fullback up and not only cleans up the loose ball but gets back into the field of play. A simple, tough set follows for the Blue & Gold as the Sharks slowly tilt the territorial batle.

Crisp work from the right edge there. Tuimaseve offloads to Alissia Misa who then finds Crichton Ropati for a nice early gain in the set. It gets messier later in the set as an errant offload ends up contested on the ground leading to a Sharks knock on. Time enough for a play or two from the scrum win before half time is called. Eels go left to Wansey who is barely pulled down before getting around her opposite but the initial contact was high! Probably too difficult a shot at a goal from this range and indeed the Eels tap and send a bomb up to the right. It finds the deck and bounces backwards beating all the chasers before Savea scoops it up and flings it to Freedom Crichton Ropati who is promptly tackled to bring an end to the first stanza.

 

Half Time

Parramatta Eels 4 lead the Cronulla Sharks 0

 

Second Half

 

Eels to receive the ball.

Big carry from Vei. Bigger still as she fights her way to 30m out. O’Callaghan-Ahio follows in her wake before Morgan-Pritchard takes the Eels deep into Cronulla’s half. Latapu finds vacant space between Cronulla’s back three as she kicks to her left but an unkind bounce of the ball rolls over the dead-ball line. Vei is then called up for a high tackle to put Cronulla inside Parramatta’s half.

Vei responds with a cracking driving shot on the first tackle as the Sharks pivot to their right. The interplay of passes is messy though and they end up losing metres to the swarming defence. A cheeky short side raid nearly catches the Eels out but a combination of errors between a forward pass and a dropped ball prevent any damage properly manifesting.

Vei continues her qulaity work through the ruck next set as Withers completes the possession with a grubber kick that is claimed by the Sharks.

A big kick return from Savea positions the Eels on the front foot next as she weaves her way to midfield. Vei is terrorising the Sharks now as she plunders more metres up the guts and sets the Eels up for a kick inside the redzone. Latapu is in two minds on the last as she shapes to pass right before planting the right foot and taking on the line. Her eventual pass to support is miscued though and finds a Shark on the bounce.

A bolt out of the blue (& gold)! The Eels have been sticking to fundamental theory through most of the midfield play with a strong emphasis on the ruck. Suddenly though, Latapu glides a carry down the right edge short side coming over halfway and fires a pass to Freedom Crichton Ropati. There is acres of clear space in front of the powerful winger and she pins her ears back for the goal line! Cronulla’s fullback Teplicanec valiantly tries to make the cover tackle but Freedom has the wheels to go the better part of 50m and touch down in the corner!

 

Try scored by Freedom Crichton Ropati. Conversion unsuccessful by Temieke Withers.

Eels lead 8-0

40min gone

 

A handy tackle restart care of a batted pass from dummy-half has the Eels on the attack. Again Vei is ripping in while O’Callaghan-Ahio joins in. A beautiful movement down the left releases Bonello after a beauty of a cutout pass from Withers but cracking goal line defence repels the flying winger at the very last. As expected the big switch of play follows and it sees Irae Savea stroll over to seemingly score but the referee didn’t like the lead-up work and penalises the Eels for an obstruction play.

The Sharks look to deliver a counter-punch and threaten to open the Eels down shading to their right edge but a dropped ball puts Parramatta back in the box seat. This time around they do not miss either as Withers delivers clean and crisp early ball to her powerhouse centre Tuimaseve and Cody does the rest as she brushes past her opposite and reaches out to get the ball over the line. Finally, the Eels are putting some separation between them and a very gutsy Cronulla outfit.

 

Try scored by Cody Tuimaseve. Conversion unsuccessful by Temieke Withers.

Eels lead 12-0

45min gone

 

An error in the kickoff set gives the Sharks a chance to narrow the deficit. Looks like it was Kuwendu who lost the ball heading into contact there. Thankfully the Sharks are over-ambitious from the scrum win and cough the ball up immediately following a failed raid down their right.

Vei and Kuwendu lead the charge next set before Savea darts down the right. Bell centres the ball for a switch to the left where Latapu and Withers combine. The Eels lose track of the count after that though as they use Vei on a crash ball on the last tackle leading to a real let-off for Cronulla.

Vei gets rapid fire redemption as she dives on a Cronulla error as the Eels go back on the attack. Cairns and Bell fight through tough carries against the aggressive defence before Crichton Ropati goes close to scoring but is bundled into touch by a wave of cover defence. The Sharks can seriously hang their hats on the team defensive effort today. Super impressive stuff.

Freedom Crichton Ropati continues to impress as she slices through the ruck defence of the Sharks from midfield. The rampaging winger takes on the fullback and is brought down in a brilliant effort from the Cronulla custodian before Ma-Chong races to catch the play-the-ball where she finds offside defenders. Probably should be a sin-bin in that scenario but the referee is content with a penalty only and the Eels reset. The big left edge shift sees Savea knife her way through the sliding defence before offloading to Bonello off her left hip as the winger dives over in the corner. Clean work from the backline there. Tough day for the Eels goal kickers mind you – everything has been from outwide!

 

Try scored by Sienna Bonello. Conversion unsuccessful by Bailey Ma-Chong.

Eels lead 16-0

54min gone

 

A pleasing set after points for the coach there. The Eels work it through the middle nicely and get to a clearing kick. Cronulla ask some questions with second phase ball down their right in reply before picking up a penalty late in the tackle count. They tap and go via their backrower Karika and look to spin the ball from right to left next. The Eels mark up nicely and turn the Sharks away leading to the ball getting recentred late in the count where a nice little inside ball around the ruck leads to prop Manawanui James diving over.

 

Try scored by Manawanui James. Conversion successful by Jade Pawson.

Sharks trail 6-16

59min gone

 

Honestly? A deserving try for the Sharks who have battled the Eels in a really entertaining contest.

However, they make a meal of the kickoff and spill the ball in the attempt to reel the kick in.

Tuimaseve is cut down by her opposite from the scrum win in a great one-on-one play before Sivo is taken high for a penalty. Kuwendo gets the first run before Morgan-Pritchard just barrells over defenders in a brutal show of power. She pushes the pass basketball style to a looping Latapu who calmly finds Freedom Crichton Ropati as the wingers dives over through strong contact to close this game out!

 

Try scored by Freedom Crichton Ropati. Conversion unsuccessful by Bailey Ma-Chong

Eels lead 20-6

60min gone

 

Full Time

Parramatta Eels 20 defeat the Cronulla Sharks 6

 

Tarsha Gale Team List

 

1	Dallis Graham-Withell
2	Nelly Thomas
3	Jessamine Aloalii
4	Avena Racoma Ngata
5	Alleya Scrivens
6	Sammy-Lee Gunn-Tauai
7	Alliyah Soufan
8	Armarni-Lea Auvae
9	Rory Muller
10	Tess McWilliams
11	Fontayne Tufuga
12	Matoisha Kalepo
13	Ryvrr-Lee Alo
14	Ava Jones
15	Khyliah Gray
16	Taylah Falaniko
17	Alana O’Loughlin
18	Lilieta Pouli
19	Anahera Paekau

 

Match Updates

 

First Half

 

Eels kicking off.

The Sharks pour it on from the get go. A strong, physical start sets them up for an attacking kick that they send towards the wing of Nelly Thomas. The Eels flanker hesitates under the high ball and loses it forwards as it bounces perfectly into the hands of the Cronulla chase. Their centre Bowling then quickly finds the backrower Allan Kingi for the first try of the game. Small blessing but a relatively simple conversion attempt is missed.

 

Try scored by Brooklyn Allan Kingi. Conversion unsuccessful by Brooklyn Allan Kingi.

Sharks lead 4-0

3min gone

 

All the early running with the Sharks now as they pick up a penalty late in the next set. The touch finder will give them a full possession knocking on Parra’s goal-line. They work from left-to-right but are turned back but eventually earn a line drop-out after a well weighted grubber kick down their left edge.

The Eels go shortish but it is claimed by the Sharks. Although Parra cobble together a strong effort through the following set they are floored on the last as the halfback Brookfield stabs a kick through to the posts for her lock forward Isemonger who easily wins the race for the ball and scores to put the home team in an early commanding position.

 

Try scored by Marnie Isemonger. Conversion successful by Marnie Isemonger.

Sharks lead 10-0

8min gone

 

Finally the Eels will see the ball! It has only taken the better part of 9min in a brutal start to this contest. It comes from a Cronulla error shy of halfway. The Eels work through their left edge before switching play to the right. They generate a bit of space for Thomas down the sideline but the winger can’t bring the pass in cleanly and the Sharks get the ball back.

Cronulla are cooking in this first half. They are winning the middle and can play either side of the ruck as a result. They choose to go left this time around and have the Eels stripped on numbers as simple hands releases their winger Shephard to dive over. Dominant footy at the moment.

 

Try scored by Marnie Isemonger. Conversion unsuccessful by Marnie Isemonger.

Sharks lead 14-0

14min gone

 

Again the Sharks are rolling as they work the ball easily into Parra’s half before a right-edge shift comes undone gifting the Eels the ball. We are beyond ominous signs here with the Sharks absolutely laying into Parra here.

Sammy-Lee Gunn-Tauai earns a penalty to give the Eels an extended look as Avena Racoma Ngata gets us back underway from the touch finder. Before the Eels can seriously build to anything though the referee spies an error in the play-the-ball and the Sharks come away with possession without any real questions asked.

Not much is going right today. Tess McWilliams is crunched in a heavy hit but the referee signals a penalty for the tackle only for the Eels to fail to find touch by some margin.

The Eels are punished for the cardinal sin as the Sharks muscle their way downfield and then power over from close range to build on their lead. Parra will need something special to come back from here and even if they have it I am not sure I am cover it seeing as the BarTV stream is struggling mightily at the moment. It might be the end of the live updates for this one but I will stay on top of the score changes for you and if the stream is resuscitated I will get right back on the updates.

 

Try scored by Manilita Takapautolo. Conversion successful by Brooklyn Allan Kingi.

Sharks lead 20-0

22min gone

 

The stream is back and in time for us to see the Sharks diving over again. It is a full scale rout now as our girls are rocked by the relentless play of the home team. I have no idea about the lead up to the try but it was a fairly straight forward barge over to secure the score.

 

Try scored by Felila Fakalelu. Conversion successful by Brooklyn Allan Kingi.

Sharks lead 26-0

27min gone

 

Half Time

Cronulla Sharks 26 lead the Parramatta Eels 0

 

Second Half

 

Eels to receive the ball.

Oh dear. They let it bounce as it falls between three players and kicks to the sideline for a Cronulla scrum. Just about the worst way to start a half in which you need to pile on near 30 unanswered points. Luckily, the Sharks oblige the Eels with an error from the scrum win.

Parra need anything to act as a spark and maybe Gunn-Tauai can be the catalyst as she explodes into the backfield. A weaving 40m carry has the Eels ready to strike but the referee blows time off for an injured Shark. It completely saps the momentum for Parra and from the resumption of play they are pulled up for a forward pass. That then becomes a penalty in the defensive set as the game looks to spiral away from the Eels but the Sharks fail to find touch! I can barely keep up with this madness. Now a penalty for the Eels. Tap and go from O’Loughlin as Parra work to their right.

Tufuga is cut down in a great side on tackle before Soufan has a run herself. She is trapped on the line to bring up the last before Gunn-Tauai laces a perfect grubber for Ryvvr-Lee Alo. The bustling lock forward pounces on the ball and rolls through a tackle to get the ball down and the Eels on the board! Gee they had to have that one.

 

Try scored by Ryvvr-Lee Alo. Conversion successful by Alleya Scrivens.

Eels trail 6-26

36min gone

 

The first step in a long road if the Eels are to make a comeback and even as I type that they fail to secure another kickoff. Just messy stuff today. Cronulla have rattled their cage and got them flustered.

The ball spills out in contact next set and the referee indicates it was a strip. More tackles up the sleeve for the home team. They only need two though as they dive over from dummy-half. You can just about stick a fork in the dream of a comeback now as the Sharks extend the lead out to four full scores.

 

Try scored by Mikayla Langer. Conversion unsuccessful by Brooklyn Allan Kingi.

Sharks lead 30-6

40min gone

 

Just end-to-end stuff for the Sharks as they are driving the Eels off the park here. Even when it looks like the Eels are set to get the ball back it leads to more nightmare fuel. Poor Nelly Thomas is having a game she will purge from the memory banks as she reels in the attacking bomb only to lose possession fighting to stay in the field of play. Cronulla promptly tap the loose ball down for the easiest of tries.

 

Try scored by Arianna Ruwoldt. Conversion successful by Marnie Isemonger.

Sharks lead 36-6

41min gone

 

A minor win for the Eels as they pick up a penalty for an offsider chaser from the Cronulla kick. It doesn’t net them any metres though with the penalty awarded centrefield in front of their posts leading to a tap restart.

Another gentle brush of luck as their attacking kick is charged down and regathered by Graham-Withell. The Eels take the ball to their left from there but the big shift slows down as the pass to the edges hits the deck. Jessamine Aloalii heads back to retrieve it before setting sail infield as she storms past a number of defenders and gets over. Cracking indiviudal effort.

 

Try scored by Jessamine Aloalii. Conversion unsuccessful by Alleya Scrivens.

Eels trail 10-36

47min gone

 

The Eels finally get a clean set from a kickoff. They work the ball nicely down the field but can’t yield points as the clock pressure mounts up. Soufan still forces the Sharks to have to fight off their goal line with a flattened out kick. Cronulla get a bit of luck when en errant right edge shift leads to a contested ball on the ground that is adjudged to be knocked on by Nelly Thomas. They muster downfield from the reset of play only to miss another try scoring opportunity down their left due to a forward pass.

Talk about a fighting effort from Scrivens there. She breaks about four tackles in the space of 5m near the Cronulla goal line before she is clocked on the chin. Gutsy stuff and it earns a penalty for the high contact. That allows the Eels the chance to shift the ball from the right sideline all the way left where Fontayne Tufuga has some space to sortie further left. She generate the overlap and feeds a nice, clean pass to Aloalii who cruises over for her second of the game.

 

Try scored by Jessamine Aloalii. Conversion unsuccessful by Alleya Scrivens.

Eels trail 14-36

56min gone

 

Now a penatly for dangerous contact from a Cronulla defender. It goes on report. A booming touch finder has the Eels over halfway on tackle one. They build from left to right and go perilously close to scoring as Graham-Withell and Scrivens combine in the right corner but the touchy has raised their flag – Alleya put a foot on the line before she got the ball down.

Lovely work from Dallis Graham-Withell now as she finds a seam and pinches 35m. Alas the Eels get it wrong on the switch of play to the right and leave the ball behind for the Sharks to dive on.

And that will do it from the Shire today as the Cronulla Sharks stun the Parramatta Eels on the back of a dominant first half performance. They knocked the Eels on their backsides from the opening set and only let them find their feet midway through the second half.

 

Full Time

Cronulla Sharks 36 defeat the Parramatta Eels 14