Jersey Flegg Team List

1	Apa Twidle
2	Araz Nanva
3	Antioch Faitala-Mariner
4	Tuvaku Palu
5	Bradley Avery
6	Cooper Fuller
7	Matthew Hunter
8	Damascus Neemia
9	Jack Hudson
10	Teancum Brown
11	Domenico De Stradis
16	Raffaele De Stradis
13	Tyrese Lokeni
14	Patrick Spence
15	Jaylen Taewa
18	Jonah Sullivan
17	Ieti Samuelu

Match Updates

 

First Half

 

Apologies for the delayed start but there is no scoring from either team inside the first 5min.

However, just as I begin updating the Eels find some space down their left edge! It was all Apa Twidle there with a spectacular double cutout pass down to Araz Nanva. Great vision and execution there as Nanva dives over in the corner. Nice initial work from Hudson there as well.

 

Try scored by Araz Nanva. Conversion unsuccessful by Matthew Hunter.

Eels lead 4-0

8min gone

 

Teancum Brown and Dom De Stradis with the early work here. Eels shift right and punch the ball into the line with Lokeni. Hudson jumps out of dummy half on the last and laces a very smart kick down the left as Neemia leads the kick chase to trap the Bulldogs near their goal line.

An error followed by a penalty in Parra’s next set hands the Bulldogs a chance to reply. It gets extended when a contest for a grubber kick leads to a double knock-on against the Eels. Canterbury try to execute a set piece from the scrum down their right but get it wrong only for Parramatta to be ruled offside.

Oh what a let off! Early in their next set the Dogs are nailed for an illegal play-the-ball! You take those.

Faitala-Mariner and Brown cart it up and are followed by Neemia. Hunter runs it down the left next. Right now to Brown for his second run of the set before Hunter sends a midfield bomb up. The Dogs claim it neatly and look to respond and they drive the ball through the ruck. Parra’s defence is strong through and the Dogs kick from inside their own half as Twidle delivers an exploratory kick return that leads to a small break for Nanva. Great metres from the kick return but it comes unstuck next play as Twidle’s pass to Palu is off the mark and leads to an error.

Good read from De Stradis there but the Dogs pick up another set next play when Avery has to bat down a try-scoring pass. Right call from the winger there.

Dogs get it wrong from the scrum win again but manage to hold onto the pass. Just an errant pass that is scooped up off the ground. Avery does a great job on his opposite before the Dogs switch sides but the sliding defence of the Eels is numbering up nicely. On the last the visitors kick along the carpet towards the posts and Twidle is ruled to have tipped it dead at the very last. Might have been a Canterbury hand there but the Eels aren’t complaining so a drop out it is.

Parra go short but the Dogs catch it and focus on the right corridor early on. Good defensive structures still for the Eels and they force the Dogs to the last as they chip to their left and tip it on to their winger Mazzone only for the cover defence to turn them away again! Tremendous grit in defence there.

Early kick from Hunter now as he, ahem, hunts for a 40/20. Mazzone gets back in the nick of time but it is still a solid field positioning kick.

It yields a big net win in the territorial battle when the Dogs knock on at dummy half midway through the tackle count.

Right to Faitala-Mariner from the scrum. Solid metres. Unfortunately Raff loses the ball in the tackle next play. He pleads for the strip call but it is not forthcoming.

The Bulldogs finally find a crack in Parra’s defence as they shade to the right of the ruck but they lose the ball pushing a pass! What a crucial let off as the Eels deliver a massive counter punch next set.

It starts with Hunter as he shows the inside option and quickly goes to his left instead. He gets jammed up for his efforts but it has opened up the overlap! The ball finds Twidle who cuts it out to Nanva streaking down the sideline before Araz feeds it back to his fullback for Apa to score near the posts!

 

Try scored by Araz Nanva. Conversion successful by Matthew Hunter.

Eels lead 10-0

26min gone

 

Brown trucks it back on tackle one. Dom foes next with Lokeni up next. Good ruck from the lock. Hunter turns Palu inside on 4th but the ball is jolted free of his grasp and a penalty follows for a crusher from the Eels.

Good jam from Hudson next set. Bulldogs shape to their right edge but the Eels adjust. What a tackle! Bradley Avery tracks his opposite Mezzone beautifully from the inside and cattledogs him into touch! Wait what is happening now? We are coming back infield for a penalty as Ieti Samuelu is put on report. Hunter is having a long chat to the ref and it isn’t really clear what happened – I would guess a hit off the ball? In the end the Dogs get the ball back – but it was a tremendous tackle from Avery.

Canterbury lose their way tracking down their left half as a ball travels too low from the pass and it is knocked on.

Samuelu has a good run from the scrum and finds some offside defenders for an easy penalty.

Hunter finds touch near halfway.

Palu taps an goes. Taeawa goes next off Hunter’s hip before Palu has a dangerous run down the left. Centred by Samuelu after that but he loses the ball in the ruck. Canterbury were fraying at the seams there and that is a real let off.

Some driving defence here from the home team as the Dogs struggle for metres. They are forced to clear the ball 10m shy of halfway as Twidle claims the kick on the full. Avery and Nanva ruck it out before Hunter and Palu combine.  Dom De Stradis runs it down the left edge short side before the Dogs knock down a switch of play to the right and compound the knock on into an offside penalty as a secondary player dives on the ball.

Samuelu gets the opening run next set. Left now as Dom scoops up an errant pass nicely to save the play. Lokeni centres it to the posts as the Eels shape right but no Hudson has a crack himself and is repelled only for a clear strip in a multi-defender tackle. Tap to Samuelu. Left with some hot potato play as Palu offloads to Hunter who tips it on to Nanva. The winger does well to stay infield.

The Eels load up for the big right edge shift as Hunter wants to play long and flat to Avery with the Harbour Bridge pass but Avery is playing on a deeper alignment and the ball rolls into touch.

Parra are pulled up for a shoulder charge. Penalty deemed sufficient.

Dogs find touch inside Parra’s half and begin to build from left to right. Eels hold shape in defence and force Canterbury back to the posts. Their interchange dummy half has a dart on the 4th and is turned away and Parra are awake to the running option on the last and stand firm on their line again! Very good focus on the goal line in the first half.

Bit scrappy from both teams now but dual errors leads to a penalty for Parramatta for dangerous contact I believe. The Bulldogs have a player put on report but the following set for the Eels only leads to a dropped ball down the left edge.

That will just about do us in the first half as the Eels head to the sheds up two scores.

 

Half Time

Parramatta Eels 10 lead the Canterbury Bulldogs 0

 

Second Half

 

Eels kicking off.

Early penalty to the Dogs. Again the defence stands tall. The Bulldogs end up kicking twice on the last. Initially it was a grubber to the posts that is deflected off an Eel. Not played at. Canterbury scoop it up and bomb it right but lose control of the pill going for a third kick.

Dom De Stradis is through half a gap in the reply set but loses the ball before contact. The Dogs will set a scrum on halfway.

Simple stuff early on and a simple error as well for a roll ball in the ruck. Gift for Parra there.

Terrific set from the Eels now. Nothing fancy but they corral the Bulldogs on their goal line courtesy of an excellent kick from Twidle. Alas, a high tackle undoes the good work and gets the visitors 30m out for a fresh set.

Well that didn’t last long with an error from the Dogs. Think it was Jonah Sullivan who provided the hit to knock the ball free there.

Left from the scrum to Lokeni. The Eels get it wrong on tackle two as Palu is turned inside in the teeth of the defence and bobbles it right into a defender.  The Dogs lose track of the tackle count in the following set and take a settler on the last.

Nanva works the ball down the left as the Eels play out of their own quarter. Avery and Dom De Stradis go next but the touch judge rules a forward pass from Hudson to Dom. More ball for the Dogs inside Parra’s half now. Can they hold out again?

The Dogs are lacking direction this set but get out of jail when a pass is tipped down their right edge. It has been a crushing tide of possession for them here. They attack the posts early in the next set before switching to the left and finally the torrent of time with the ball pays off as Mezzone crosses in the corner via hands and an overlap.

 

Try scored by Jordi Mazzone. Conversion successful by Bronson Reuben.

Bulldogs trail 6-10

49min gone

 

Oh dear, Twidle has got it all wrong from the kickoff. That was always sailing out on the full. Suddenly the Dogs with all the momentum.

Good defence from Hudson and Samuelu there as they jolt the ball out with strong contact. Gee the Eels needed that one but now they need to lock it in and get to their kick.

Neemia and Sullivan drive it through the middle. Left to Dom as the Eels play again that way to Nanva. Half break for the winger but his offload back inside is intercepted by the Dogs. Didn’t quite get to that kick I guess.

What a close call! The Dogs roll a grubber kick in behind Parra’s right edge and Twidle can’t field it cleanly. It bounces out of his grasp towards the dead ball line and the Dogs try to put it down but the referee is right on the spot and rules it knocked on. Far out that was close and could have easily been called a try.

A 20m restart is the result as the Eels march down the field. Twidle is the kicking option on the last and chips it down the right. It is played at by the Dogs but Raff De Stradis makes a beautiful play as he catches and passes back left to Twidle in one motion. Gorgeous hands there and it leads to Twidle weaving back inside and diving over! Hunter strikes the posts and is waved away.

 

Try scored by Apa Twidle. Conversion unsuccessful by Matthew Hunter.

Eels lead 14-6

56min gone

 

A penalty for the Eels as Neemia is shoulder charged. The big man takes some stopping and the Dogs got caught out there.

Palu takes the tap restart. Samuele gets the ball two passes right from there. Spence takes a run from dummy half next. Left as Hunter plays to Twidle who cuts out Nanva. The winger kicks back infield as Spence claims the ball shy of the line and is wrapped up and the Dogs are offside next play. Professional foul is the call and the Dogs lose a man to the bin.

Big chance to build their lead now armed with a full set and the player advantage. Samuelu kicks things off before Hunter runs it himself. Spence plays it to Dom next before the Eels look to play between their forwards only for Neemia to lose the ball from Samuelu’s pass.

And now an error from Twidle, who has been so good today. He spills a clearing kick backwards from the Bulldogs and it rolls deep in-goals. He races back to clean it up and while he gets back into the field of play the touch judge says he put a foot on the dead ball line.

Nanva salvages the situation though with a neat catch on the short drop out!

Parra fight through a tough set before Hunter drills the ball downfield and finds the carpet. Good footy there.

Avery does really well now to defuse a testing kick from the Dogs. He was under pressure there and ate a big shot as well but holds onto it. Another gritty set comes for the Eels as the Dogs load up in defence but they get to their kick and Hunter unloads downfield. A good kick again and it is Canterbury who blinks first as they pass it forwards from dummy half!

Palu trucks it down the left before Hunter turns Teancum inside. Right to Lokeni who spins through a tackle and is dragged down short of the line. Brown gets another run as the Eels load up to the right. A set restart comes and Raff gets a run before Spence tries to burrow over. Neemia says GIVE ME THE BALL as the big man steps, spins and powers his way through damn near half a dozen defenders! Damascus delivers the steel right there and the Eels build on their lead!

 

Try scored by Damascus Neemia. Conversion successful by Matthew Hunter.

Eels lead 20-6

68min gone

 

The Eels nearly make a meal out of the kickoff but recover. Neemia storms through the defensive line with a barnstorming carry but gets jammed up by the fullback as he looks for support and has the ball popped out of his grasp. Shame to have a huge run end like that but a chance for the Dogs to get back into this.

Again the goal line defence of the Eels stands up as they force an error on the last. They have handed the Dogs plenty of chances today but by golly have they defended well.

Speaking of errors, the Eels continue to attack from inside their half but get it wrong here as Twidle’s pass to Nanva is astray and rolls into touch. It was on but it looked like Apa was off-balance as he delivers the pass.

The Dogs turn it over in reply though as Neemia scoops it up and offloads to Raff who passes to his twin Dom for good metres. The Eels play from left back to the middle before going right as Fuller runs the ball but has it knocked free of his grasp for another error.

The Dogs kick early in the next set but Nanva races back to prevent any danger developing and the Eels plug away through the middle before a head knock brings time off.

Samuelu gets us back underway before Brown has a bustling run. Great carry as he drags defenders well past the ad-line. The Eels complete the set with a called shot as Hunter banana kicks it back infield for Twidle but the Dogs do very well to barely cut the ball off in the nick of time. Nice play from both sides there.

Now a penalty for the Dogs and an Eels goes on report. Missed the cause though, sorry.

Oohh, some stinging hits from Parra now. They are lining the Dogs up. Canterbury respond with a nice play around the ruck that breaks the line. The Eels scramble nicely and save the try but Matthew Hunter is deemed to slow the ruck down for too long and is sent to the bin.

Canterbury have a chance to fix the points differential a smidgen here but even when it looks like they are sure to score the cover defence of the Eels pours in! I think it was Bradley Avery (or maybe Hudson?) there with a huge final effort to dislodge the ball from the hands of the Bulldogs winger Afualo. Never quit attitude right there and that will carry us through to full time with the Eels delivering a very gutsy 20-6 win!

 

Full Time

Parramatta Eels 20 defeat the Canterbury Bulldogs 6