A huge day at Eric Tweedale Stadium kicks off at 10:00AM with the Lisa Fiaola Cup as the Eels look to continue their winning ways as they face the Penrith Panthers. Meanwhile, the Tarsha Gale Cup will be keen to bounceback from a loss to the Sharks as they too face their Western Sydney rivals. Their game will start at 12:00PM as Sixties and myself share live-update responsibilities.

Don’t forget that TCT will be covering the Harold Matthews and SG Ball in a separate blog as well as the opening round of the Jersey Flegg in a third blog. Truly non-stop footy madness across five full games!

Lisa Fiaola Cup 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	Olivia Saba
17	Evelyn Kuwendu
19	Deja Vaivela
25	Kaveinga O’Callaghan-Ahio

 

Match Updates

 

First Half

 

The Eels are kicking off and the Penrith botch the kickoff leading to an immediate turnover on their 20m line. The Eels break left from the scrum win as Wansey gets the opening carry of the game before building back to the right. Eventually Bailey Ma-Chong skips out to the left of the ruck and turns Leonia Vei back right as the powerhouse prop thunders through flimsy goal line defence to score.

 

Try scored by Leonia Vei. Conversion successful by Bailey Ma-Chong.

Eels lead 6-0

2min gone

 

A great carry from Isabella Bell has the Eels surging from the next set. They punch deep into Penrith’s half before a clever kick from Latapu forces a line drop out. Crichton Ropati fields the restart and heads infield – as does Morgan-Pritchard next before Ma-Chong sets up a second try assist with a bookend. A nice crisp pass in front of the posts finds a seam for Bell to crash over and claim a deserved try after sparking the run of play earlier.

 

Try scored by Isabella Bell. Conversion successful by Bailey Ma-Chong.

Eels lead 12-0

6min gone

 

Another big charge from Freedom Crichton Ropati as she takes the kick return. Ma-Chong has a dart out of dummy half in her wake before Parra slowly work right to left. Duff and Bell combine for good metres and the set is completed via a Wither’s grubber kick that the Panthers are able to keep in the field of play. Finally some ball for the visitors who have been rattled by this early blitz from the Eels. They then pick up a penalty to take play back to centrefield and get to work.

They get it all wrong though! That was messy as mutliple obstructions occured during the singular carry. The referee is on top of it and signals the penalty against Penrith before a second whistle comes for a slow ruck after a run by Morgan-Pritchard. Cricthon Ropati and Vei take the early charges next set before a clean movement down the left edge allows Wansey to dive over. Good ballwork from Ma-Chong and Withers in the lead up. Bailey drills the conversion from outwide as well!

 

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

Eels lead 18-0

13min gone

 

Sloppy kick retrieval work from the Eels now and it leads to a line drop-out and a chance for Penrith to peg back the deficit. Well, a brief chance I guess before their dummy-half drops it cold early in the tackle count. Tough sledding for the Panthers at the moment.

Adventurous play is rewarded for Parra after incisive runs from Latapu and Ma-Chong eventually lead to a batted ball from a Freedom Crichton Ropati offload. With the aid of a fresh set at their backs the Eels score in the right corner care of a lovely looped cutout pass from Sharon Latapu that finds Crichton Ropati in stride. Freedom touches down beautifully with an expert dive and one-handed put down – classic modern winger theory – and claims a meat pie of her own after a strong start.

 

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

Eels lead 22-0

18min gone

 

Penrith have settled a bit down and managed to cut off the flow of points after Parramatta’s frenzied opening to this game. Both teams are able to trade sets on the back of it but the game is being played in Penrith’s half and that means that when the error comes from them it gives Parramatta another prime opportunity.

It is a left-to-right build in this set – somewhat against trend today – but it opens up a switch of play back to the left where the Eels look to have created numbers. It is a certain try in the making but there was a forward pass in the mix! Think the touchy got it right there and a penalty for a high shot shortly afterwards finally gets Penrith out of their half. Actually it has been escalated. A late consultation leads to Mere Sivo being called out and then sent to the bin for 10min. A real chance for Penrith now to make some in-roads here with the player advantage.

The Eels look the fresher team and it makes sense given the possession splits. It assists them in their first defensive challenge with a player in the bin as they easily fend off the Panthers before earning a penalty for an offsider recovery of a kick from Penrith. Big gains down the left edge take Parra into the opposition half before Withers runs the ball on the last and finds Wansey. Penrith mark up nicely though and drag down the left centre to turn the ball over.

Speaking of turnovers – Penrith are nailed for not attempting to strike at the ball and the Eels are suddenly back on the offensive. We see a classic exhibit of ‘Beware the bouncing ball’ as Irae Savea expertly scoops up an errant pass on a flying sweep to the right before knifing through the hesitant defence to score on the stroke of half time.

 

Try scored by Irae Savea. Conversion successful by Temieke Withers.

Eels lead 28-0

 

Half Time

Parramatta Eels 28 lead the Penrith Panthers 0

 

Second Half

 

Penrith kickoff and manage to skittle the wickets of Olivia Sava. Clearly no knock on there though as Withers retrieves the loose ball. All-in-all though it is an ordinary set to start the half for the Eels and that is punctuated by a rushed clearing kick from Withers that flies out on the full.

Again the red zone defence of Parramatta is too willing and too energised for Penrith as Parra’s right edge snuffs out an early shift with great line speed. Think it was Cody Tuimaseve there with a great jam. Penrith come unstuck shifting the ball back to the posts where a sloppy play-the-ball is quickly pulled up and suddenly the playing field is evened up when a Penrith defender is binned for what looked to be an aggressive hair pull in a heavy tackle.

Somewhat surprisingly, the Eels struggle to crack the Panthers with the playing ledgers squared up as Penrith tighten up defensively under duress. We get through multiple possessions before a stoppage in play comes about due to an injury to Mitszy Cairns. The resumption of play quickly leads to a dropped ball from the Eels.

Trust Leonia Vei to spark something for Parra! The mobile bookend storms down the left edge and frees up her right arm through contact to slip an offload away to a flying Withers. The halfback quickly turns to Wansey on her left and the centre has Sienna Bonello in support but chooses to dummy and go herself past the Penrith fullback.

 

Try scored by Georgia Wansey. Conversion unsuccessful by Temieke Withers.

Eels lead 32-0

44min gone

 

Velvet and steel now from the Eels as Vei continues to rip in as the steel component before a sparkling right edge shift to Tuimaseve shows the smooth velvet. Cody is pulled down a few metres short of the goal line. It leads to a penalty and arguably should have been a sinbin for the professional slow down there. The Eels can’t capitalise on the repeat set as the Panthers come away with I think an intercept around the posts a few tackles later. Penrith’s following clearing kick is swallowed up by Freedom Crichton Ropati who proceeds to set off down field in a swashbuckling return that leaves Panthers strewn in her wake and featured at least one extravagant dummy to support. Like Tuiamaseve, she too is held down on the fast break but the sinbin is used the second time around.

Penrith do very well to hold on in the following set as the Eels put a heavy emphasis on passing around the ruck. Ma-Chong tries to snipe the markers on the last but they were vigilant and are able to wrap her up just short of scoring.

Bailey redeems herself next set mind you with a superb raid in the ruck and she plunders a good 40m with her acceleration. Bell has a good run in support next tackle before Latapu sums it up perfectly against the retreating defence as she plants off her right foot to head back infield and dive over.

 

Try scored by Sharon Latapu. Conversion successful by Bailey Ma-Chong.

Eels lead 38-0

53min gone

 

Oh no we have a heavy collision between a couple of Eels at the end of the kickoff set. It looked bad and indeed there is a serious stoppage to the game now. Both are coming off with the aid of trainers. Didn’t catch the players but at least one looked heavily concussed.

Looks like Tuimaseve was one of the players involved with Catea Duff sliding out into the centres where the lockforward-turned-back shows some nice hands to put her winger Crichton Ropati over for her second of the day.

 

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

Eels lead 42-0

57min gone

 

Time still for the Eels to tack on here and they will get a real look here after some powerful work around the ruck. Vei involved again to little surprise. Ma-Chong slides out of dummy half late in the count and jabs through a perfect grubber kick for a flying Crichton Ropati who touches the ball down to bag a last second hatty!

 

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

Eels lead 46-0

59min gone

 

Full Time

Parramatta Eels 46 defeat the Penrith Panthers 0

 

Tarsha Gale Cup Team List

 

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

 

Match Updates

Tag! Sixties here jumping in for this blog as Forty and I do our best to cover five games and try to go the distance with the device batteries.

 

First Half

Eels kicking off running to the north. Penrith complete their first set with a grubber in Parra red zone. Please note- Lafoga is playing left wing alongside Aloalii.

Panthers penalty now in their third set. Play moves into the red zone. Big spread left and it looks like they’ve got the Eels for numbers. It plays out that way as the last pass is taken by the winger who races to the corner for the try.

Conversion unsuccessful

Panthers 4 lead Eels nil after seven minutes.

Eels find touch from the kick off. The Panthers are on the defence in their red zone and hold on well. They get a seven tackle set as Parra’s last tackle kick is too big.

Good skill from the visitors as they again spread left in Parra’s red zone but the ball is lost in contact 5 metres out.

Eels rucking it out. Last tackle kick from Gunn-Tauai draws an error from the Panthers winger. Eels scrum feed and play is back on Penriths line. The Eels forwards drive towards the posts now play goes right. And it’s eventually a simple play as Ava Jones gets over from dummy half. She misses the conversion of her own try.

Eels 4 Panthers 4 after 15 minutes.

Ordinary last tackle kick from Parra they goes low and is quickly deflected and picked up by Penrith as they launch from about 30m out from Parra’s line. Good stuff there from Parra’s defence as they hold them out.

Great runs from Taufoga and Alo in this set to help Parra reach the Panthers red zone late in the set. It all comes undone with an ordinary last tackle option.

Penrith are making good metres with every set and they again get deep into Parra’s half as they end it in the red zone.

A couple of helpful penalties for Parra but they turn over the ball in the first tackle of second set. Penrith make them pay as they advance play back into the quarter then get the overlap through a right side shift and score in the corner.

Conversion is a ripper.

Panthers 10 lead Eels 4

Ryvrr-Lee Alo is assisted from the field here.

Parra earn a scrum feed from the kick off but the Panthers handle whatever Parra could throw, and scramble well to hold up Aloalii.

Parra’s attack is just not clicking as the ball is passed into touch late in their next possession.

Penrith penalty with 18 seconds on the clock and they get one play.

Half time Panthers 10 lead Eels 4

Second Half

Eels turn the ball over late in the first set.

Poor last tackle kick from Penrith to end their first but Parra again lose possession in yardage  – things need to improve soon as they just aren’t in sync today. Penalty now to Penrith 25 metres out.

Thats a very well constructed try that they put on as they shift the ball left and Parra’s right side defence are passive as the Panthers back rower strides through to score.

Kick just missed

Panthers 14 lead Eels 4

Panthers error on their 40 in the set after points. A penalty to Parra follows in front of the sticks. Big shift right is defended by Penrith now back to the sticks. Armarni-Lea Auvae hits a hole on the edge of the ruck and grounds the ball just to the left of the posts.

Try converted

Panthers 14 lead Eels 10 after ten minutes.

Promising play from Parra as they head back to Penriths quarter. Wide left shift now but the pass goes down.

Nice platform from the forwards following a penalty in Parra’s next possession. Last tackle and they opt to go through hands on the left but the last pass is around the knees of Lafoga and it goes down.

Big chance here as the Eels get a penalty for a high tackle in the Panthers red zone. Unfortunately the pass has gone down early in the set.

Panthers break down their right wing soon after but they’re into touch about 35 put. Another opportunity here but that last tackle play is again poor as the kick is blocked and the Panthers chase the rebound to get possession near the 40 metre line. It’s one of those days now for Parra as the visitors make them pay by hitting their left and grabbing a converted try.

Panthers 20 lead Eels 10 with 8 minutes remaining

Panthers knock on 40 out from Parra’s line. They’ll need to execute better this set. Unfortunately they’ve given away a seven tackle set as the ball is kicked dead on the last.

Parra scrum on Penrith’s 40 and it’s probably the last chance to get something out of this game. Big work again from the forwards to get play to the posts. This time the left side shift comes up trumps as Tufuga feeds off to Lafoga for the try.

Conversion misses

Panthers 20 Eels 14 with two minutes remaining.

Wow – Penrith are in front of the kicker at the re-start. Big chance but they will need to score close to the posts if they get across. Unfortunately the ball is again lost in contact as they go wide inside the quarter.

Full time Panthers 20 defeat Eels 14