While the Jersey Flegg are the only official game taking place at Kellyville Park today, they are actually part of a monster triple-header at the stunning venue with trial games for the NRLW and Harvey Normans Women’s Premiership also taking place.

The Under 21s kick off the action at 1:00PM as they look to return to the winner’s column this week as they face the Newcastle Knights. I will bring you all over the action in the Flegg while Sixties will recap the happenings in the NRLW and HNWP later in the day.

1	Jayden Ambichi
2	Dakota Kakaoi
3	Tuvaka Palu
4	Antioch Faitala-Mariner
5	Bradley Avery
6	Lorenzo Talataina
7	Josh Lynn
17	Beau Lucien
14	Patrick Spence
10	Teancum Brown
13	Ieti Samuelu
12	Christopher Petrus
15	Kobi Hurford
Interchange
9	Jack Hudson
15	Trace Beattie
16	Ryda Talagi
22	Isaac Jim
21	Dom Farrugia

 

Late Mail

 

Alright! We have a few changes in the Flegg team today. The dummy halves have swapped around with Patrick Spence to start over Jack Hudson. Christopher Petrus will start in the backrow with the #12 on his back even though Will Lewis was named in that jersey on Tuesday while Kobi Hurford replaces Tom Summer on the bench.

More changes! Now Kobi starts with Dom De Stradis dropping out of the team. Ieti Samuelu pushes to the edge with Hurford taking over at lock. Trace Beattie will make his Flegg debut while Issac Jim is back on the bench. Beau Lucien will start at prop with Damascus Neemia out.

 

Match Updates

 

First Half

 

Newcastle will kick off to commence this contest.

Straight forward stuff from the Knights and they win the first penalty of the game as the referee indicates there was a flop late in the tackle count. Less than ideal start here for the Eels.

Thankfully, Parramatta hold on and work through their first possession right through to a tidy clearing kick that is backed up by a strong chase from Faitala-Mariner and Samuelu.

Some metres for the Knights as they explore down their left edge next set but the sliding defence of Parramatta minimises the damage and the Eels go on to earn their opening penalty of the game next set when the markers are caught offside. A second penalty quickly follows when Lorenzo is collared high attacking the left edge. Big chance now.

Lynn and Talataina combine to use Petrus down the left edge for a strong charge and Lorenzo doubles up that edge with a raid down the short side with Ambichi. The try is on here but the final pass to Kakaoi is too low and is dropped.

The flow of penalties continues as the Knights get the whistle 10m short of halfway. Certainly a staccato rhythm to the game at the moment with the consistent punctuation of the whistle.

Newcastle threaten with an offload in front of the posts that frees up the opportunity to raid down their right but I believe it is Dakota Kakoi who produces a crucial interception! Parramatta look to counterattack down their right edge a few plays later but come undone and the Knights are gifted another chance to attack inside the Eels’ red zone.

Thank goodness for that silly offload attempt! Newcastle turn it over cheaply right in front of the uprights. Now Lynn and Avery combine down the right edge as the Eels find space! Sharp footwork from the winger as he sorties infield and he is barely tripped up by the fullback Cullen Gray! Rapid shift to the left now as Talataina gets it to Pretrus but his pass his knocked down for a Parramatta scrum.

Parramatta can’t convert the repeated possession into points. Newcastle offer some staunch goal line defence and while the Eels to their kick, the Knights are awake to the threat from dummy half as Patrick Spence’s grubber is snaffled up in the line.

Oh dear, an error from the Eels as they return the clearing kick next set. Avery angles his kick return from right to left and feeds Kakoi a good pass but his fellow flanker grasses it.

Newcastle are finally able to make good on the free possession the Eels have handed them as their five-eighth Haami Loza breaks a tackle and flicks a pass to his centre Sully Hoad. Too many errors from the Blue & Gold early on here.

 

Try scored by Sully Hoad. Conversion unsuccessful by Cullen Gray.

Newcastle lead 4-0

19min gone

 

A powerful set after points for the visitors now as they drive into Parramatta’s half and win the position for an attacking bomb. Key that too as the midfield bomb teases an error out of Ambichi at the back and suddenly the Knights are on the attack again.

Newcastle find themselves unable to build on that lead though as the left edge of the Eels conjured up some physical defence that jolts the ball loose.Gee did Parramatta need that.

Speaking of needed things, the Eels now pick up a penalty and suddenly a second. The first was ruck related but the second was madness. After making a strong tackle from the tap restart the Newcastle defender strips the ball on the ground and looks at the referee bemused by the call.

Not a huge deal of impetus from the Eels in the following set and it sort of all fizzles out with a Lynn grubber that the Knights take in the field of play. The Eels really need to set the tone through the middle here with too much lateral play letting the Knights make the physical plays in defence.

Well, the Eels have some serious work to do now. They allow an attacking kick from the Knights to bounce in the corner. Neither Ambichi or Kakoi were in a position to make a play at that kick and it sits up perfectly for the Newcastle winger Wil Rosenbaum to score. Now there is a chat and caution against Tuvaka Palu it looks like from the referee. Newcastle have the Eels firmly on the back foot now.

 

Try scored by Wil Rosenbaum. Conversion successful by Cullen Gray.

Newcastle lead 10-0

26min gone

 

Another monstrous set after points as the Knights march deep into Parramatta’s half. Again the attacking kick results in a mess but this time it was due to interference as the Eels get the penalty.

Well the Eels needed something spectacular to hopefully kickstart them today and maybe – just maybe – Tuvaka Palu has provided it! At the end of another set where the Eels struggled to put a dent into the goal line defence of the Knights, Palu has climbed the ladder to latch onto a well-weighted bomb from Lorenzo Talataina to score a spectacular aerial try!

 

Try scored by Tuvaka Palu. Conversion successful by Josh Lynn.

Eels trail 6-10

35min gone

 

Just as it looks like Newcastle have the ascendancy once again on the back of another penalty, Lynn shows some smarts in defence to intercept an offload! He races back out to halfway before he is caught and then driven into touch but the tackle was completed! Penalty to the Eels. They look better this set and go perilously close to scoring when Isaac Jim plows over but a defender got underneath the ball. That brings up the last as Talataina looks to roll it in behind the left edge but the ball pings off a defender’s foot. Surely that is played at? No! Can’t agree with that but either way Kakoi retrieves the ball and gets it to Jim who finds Avery. The winger kicks to the right edge and gives chase, regaining possession but he is stopped 2m short of the line.

Newcastle end up with the final possession of the first half but Palu is able to prevent any further damage to the scoreboard as he claims their attacking bomb with some neat hands.

 

Half Time

Newcastle Knights 10 lead the Parramatta Eels 6

 

Second Half

 

Parramatta Eels to kick off.

I mean that is just plain ridiculous. The Eels have knocked on from the Newcastle attacking kick but there was no attempt to catch that bomb from the Newcastle chaser. He cannons into the Parramatta catcher, Ambichi it looks like, who promptly spills it because his legs have been taken out from underneath him but not only does the penalty call not come but the officials call it a knock on against the Eels. Terrible stuff.

Newcastle build onto their lead on the back of that rubbish calls as their backrower Jacob Taulani is able to generate a late offload to his halfback Ryder Williams who manages to sneak between tackle attempts and barely ground the ball but that whole sequence is tainted by that awful call.

 

Try scored by Ryder Williams. Conversion successful by Cullen Gray.

Newcastle lead 16-6

44min gone

 

Parramatta had to be the ones to score next and that is exactly what has happened. Took a bit of luck too with a six-again call going their way after the ball was jolted free of Lynn’s grasp in a big hit but clearly the referee ruled a pass attempt was batted down. Either way, Lynn is the man to provide the key pass moments later as he rips an aggressive face ball to Antioch Faitala-Mariner who claims the pass and storms over to score right of the posts!

 

Try scored by Antioch Faitala-Mariner. Conversion successful by Josh Lynn.

Eels trail 12-16

52min gone

 

Oh no, concern here for Bradley Avery who has come out of a kick return clutching his right knee. He is in a lot of pain here. Referee initially deems play to go on before a late call of penalty but that is of little consequence to Parramatta’s winger. He is assisted off by trainers in a big blow for the team.

The referee calls out the Newcastle backrower Taulani and puts him on report and then marches him for 10minutes. I have to guess a hip drop tackle is the key factor here.

Some busy work down the right edge for Samuelu and Hudson to put the Eels in a position to attack the goal line. Talataina seizes on the momentum to venture from the left to right as he ranging run pulls the threads of the Newcastle defence apart. He links up with Faitala-Mariner who only has to pass to Tuvaka Palu but the ball is deflected. Palu scoops it up and does a brilliant job to stay alive with the ball as he dives for the corner to score!

 

Try scored by Tuvaka Palu. Conversion unsuccessful by Josh Lynn.

Eels lock the scores up at 16-all

59min gone

 

A string of penalties falls the way of Newcastle now and has them deep into Parramatta’s half. Or it should have but some cracking work on the sideline keeps the touch finder in play! What a big moment there. Think it was Kakoi with the save.

That one might be a back breaker. The Knights score against the run of play as Josh Lynn’s clearing kick is charged down by the Newcastle five-eighth Haami Loza. Hudson and Talataina try to give pursuit but the ball sits up perfectly for Loza and he races 45m to score left of the posts.

 

Try scored by Haami Loza. Conversion unsuccessful by Cullen Gray.

Newcastle lead 20-16

63min gone

 

Newcastle surge now as they create the break through the ruck. Think it was Hudson with the miss there but it forces Talataina, who has shifted to fullback in wake of the Avery injury, to make the last ditch tackle. Lynn is then penalised in that tackle sequence when the ball comes out. Looked it was lost but it could be argued Lynn made a second effort there and the Knights get a gift at goal when they promptly take.

 

Penalty goal successful by Cullen Gray.

Newcastle lead 22-16

65min gone

 

An error from the Knights keeps the door ajar for the Eels to strike back and it is Jack Hudson with key play as he burrows over from dummy-half. Some nice lead up work from Talataina down the left edge put the Eels in a position to strike and the rake is the provider!

 

Try scored by Jack Hudson. Conversion successful by Josh Lynn. 

Eels lock the scores up at 22-all

73min gone

 

A nice right edge movement sees Faitala-Mariner plunder some metres before Isaac Jim rumbles into Newcastle’s territory but the set unravels from there as Lynn’s clearing kick skews right off the boot and sails into touch on the full.

The error gives Newcastle the first chance to break the deadlock with a shot at field goal but their attempt is sprayed to the right however the Eels turn the ball over on halfway in the following set so we strap ourselves in again. The visitors don’t even bother to build towards the field goal attempt this time around. Parramatta are on the back foot following the error and the Knights are able to capitalise with a spread of the ball to their right that allows Xavier Lynch to barrel over in the corner.

 

Try scored by Xavier Lynch. Conversion unsuccessful by Cullen Gray.

Newcastle lead 26-22

78min gone

 

The Eels go short and come away with the ball after parrying it backwards but their chance to steal the win is short lived as the ball is dropped a couple of tackles later by Faitala-Mariner as Parramatta’s shift comes undone.

For the second week running the Eels have been left to rue a swathe of errors in the first half. Newcastle were able to build a healthy lead on the back of those mistakes and while the Eels fought back they fell short of the comeback to now slump to consecutive losses.

 

Full Time

Newcastle Knights 26 defeat the Parramatta Eels 22