It was a frustrating week in first grade for the Eels across the NRL and NRLW. Jason Ryles saw his troops deliver their most underwhelming effort since they were jumped by the Dragons in the opening half of Round 17. Steve Georgallis would have known that the trip to Suncorp Stadium was a tough assignment but seeing his charges slump to their worst loss of the season would have stung nonetheless.

There is good news thankfully and contrary to what The Offspring might have you believe – the kids ARE alright and they carried the club to crucial victories across the NSW Cup, Harvey Normans Women’s Premiership and the Jersey Flegg Cup.

I’m not exactly sure I’m pretty fly for a Blue & Gold guy but I will get a kick on at the risk of otherwise sinking way too deep into the mire of a particular flavour of alt-rock puns.

NRL

South Sydney Rabbitohs 20 defeat the Parramatta Eels 16

The Eels were well off the boil against the Rabbitohs in this contest. While they generated a swathe of midfield opportunities against the depleted Bunnies, their attention to detail and effort areas in defence were poor and it cost them badly.

Sixties and myself had a thorough debrief on the loss on Saturday night and there stinging criticisms that could have been (and certainly were) levied against a host of core players. Isaiah Iongi had a couple of painful lessons handed to him across the importance of marker defence on the goal line and the necessity to hustle on a loose ball.

Were they poor errors? Without a doubt. Am I going to crucify him for them? Come now.

Mitchell Moses produced an uncharacteristically indecisive effort and that perhaps more than anything shaped the contest for the Eels. Mitch was reluctant to pull the trigger on several short side raids down the right edge and it was his side of the field that was plundered in key moments by the offence of South Sydney.

Moses was not the only defender to struggle down the right with Kelma Tuilagi been fractionally late on his timings in the second half while Will Penisini  struggled to contain makeshift centre Tallis Duncan. It isn’t like the Eels were gouged by South Sydney, after all they only conceded 20-points when all is said and done. However, after restricting the vastly more potent offences of the Broncos, Storm and Cowboys to that same metric or lower I don’t think it was unreasonable to hope that Parramatta could put the clamps on the Rabbitohs.

Some credit absolutely does go to South Sydney as well. For as poorly as the Eels played, the Rabbitohs found a steely resolve in Round 24 and refused to hand easy points to the Blue & Gold. Young fullback Jye Gray was outstanding and ultimately the difference in the game with a number of crucial defensive plays keeping his team ahead on the scoreboard.

The loss was a stinging reminder for the Eels about how easily a victory can slip through your fingers in the NRL as soon as you allow any degree of laxness to creep into your game. They certainly can not afford anything near the same this week given they host the high flying Roosters. Will they play up to their opponents on this coming Saturday night just as they played down last Saturday?

NRLW

Brisbane Broncos 38 defeat the Parramatta Eels 4

The season is slipping and fast for the Eels after they were crushed by one of the true contenders for the premiership in the Brisbane Broncos. I do empathise and understand that they have been hobbled by a string of straight unlucky injuries to key personnel but their general play has regressed round on round for several weeks now.

What made them stand out in 2024 was their focus and discipline on both sides of the ball. That has trailed off this year and it made them easy pickings for the star-studded Brisbane line up. The girls still remain in finals contention but the ground is eroding underneath them as they now prepare to face the table-topping Roosters.

NSW Cup

Parramatta Eels 30 defeat the Newtown Jets 28

It was high drama at Kellville on Saturday as the Eels and Jets played out a pulsating clash that truly went to the final whistle after the Bluebags scored in the corner to give themselves a chance to eke out a draw after full-time. Thankfully, Niwhai Puru sailed the conversion attempt allowing the Eels to secure their 15th win of the season and lift themselves up to outright 2nd on the ladder.

As per the title of this wrap, the kids are indeed alright and they were among the lynch pins in the high water mark win. Araz Nanva (2), Jezaiah Funa-Iuta and Richard Penisini featured on the scorer’s sheet but what really stood out was how physically at home they look in the grade. Now Araz and Richard have spent the vast majority of the season in this grade and have adapted really well but Jezaiah was in just his second game and has already proven to be a damaging presence in the red zone.

Nanva cleaved out the opening points for the home team with a long range effort down the left edge where the big centre showed some wheels. Lorenzo Talataina sparked the scoring play for Funa-Iuta with some sharp footwork that allowed him to dig into the line and find support players in his forwards in front of the posts. The ball went through the hands of Brock Parker and Dan Keir before Jezaiah stormed over next to – or perhaps through – the right post.

Lorenzo was the provider for Nanva’s second as well with a gorgeous tip-on down the left edge that threaded his centre into a gap out wide. Penisini’s try was a little different but it featured a spectacular adjustment from him in the flight of Apa Twidle’s pass after it was tipped by Newtown winger Samuel Stonestreet. Richard contorted his body in a flash to secure an incredibly tough catch and get the ball down in the corner.

While the sparkling offensive play from Richard caught the eye, what really impressed was his defence in the final exchanges. The young centre made several brilliant try-saving tackles inside his red zone and the confidence to read and execute at such a high level in such crucial moments belied his age.

However, the best defensive play and indeed the play of the game belonged to Ronald Volkman. With the scores locked up at 24-all late in the game and the Jets enjoying a run of possession that pushed them deep into Parramatta’s territory, Volkman not only saved a  damn near certain try when a rampaging Felix Faatili crossed the line for the Jets but in one motion he turned the try-saving tackle into a strip inside the in-goals and then somehow got back into the field of play.

It was a mind-boggling sequence and perhaps reflective of a young play-maker who is really finding his feet at the Eels now. Volkman has been instrumental throughout this 15-win (and counting) campaign and while it is his work with the ball that usually earns plaudits – this was genuinely a next level defensive play.

Harvey Normans Women’s Premiership

Parramatta Eels 28 defeat the South Sydney Rabbitohs 4

The kids are alright in this grade too! The Baby Eels continue to impress in the HNWP as they notched an outstanding 5th straight victory as they tore the Rabbitohs up on Saturday morning. It leaves the Eels occupying 4th on the ladder with their slender losses coming against the 1st placed Sharks and 2nd placed Steelers. Not a bad resume for the girls for the season thus far.

Parramatta were not perfect against South Sydney – more than a few passes were off the mark early on – but they dominated their opposition in all phases. Stronger and faster than their opposition capped off with sharper ball movement. Young prospect Kyliah Gray had some lovely touches around the ruck working in tandem with her fellow middles like Taylah Falaniko and captain Jess Kennedy for try-scoring moments.

Their growth has been rapid and exciting and given the current struggles in the NRLW it is important for the Eels to have such a fertile pool of talent progressing in this grade.

Jersey Flegg Cup

Parramatta Eels 46 defeat the Cronulla Sharks 16

I mentioned it in the instant reaction podcast but the Parramatta Eels could genuinely field a second team in the Jersey Flegg Cup featuring players that are promoted, injured or suspended and it could vie for the premiership. I am not joking.

That is even taking the liberty of considering Richard Penisini and Araz Nanva as primary NSW Cup players.

In spite of that incredible pool of unavailable playing resources the Parramatta Eels have handed defeats to the #1 and #2 seeded teams in the Flegg in consecutive weeks. The week before they spotted Melbourne a gift 10-point lead and still ran them down and now the weekend past they dusted up the Sharks 46-16.

It was a full-on rout of a very talented Cronulla outfit with the Eels outplaying them across the park. Dom De Stradis bagged a hat-trick but could has easily had four or five tries to his name as the versatile backrower-come-centre continues to impress week in and out. Outside him was Lorima Rokosuka and while this young winger has an error in him, my lord can he produce an outrageous play. The flanker damn near front-flipped into the in-goals to beat the cover defence and score a first half try before setting up one of Dom’s tries with an incredible catch and offload. The talent is real with Lorima, the task will obviously be coaching the errors out.

Josh Lynn and Matthew Hunter did a great job steering their team around the park while Corey Leigh continue to fill in admirably at the back. Mr Utility himself Pat Spence and Lachlan Coinakis have formed a great battery at dummy-half and both give the team something different from the base of the ruck.

The SG Ball forwards are playing well and truly above their age and have formed a bed rock for the team that is winning these games. Ryda Talagi and Chris Petrus are the headline acts but Beau Lucien, Trace Beattie and the relentless Max Popo are all killing it in their starting roles. Damascus Neemia is their senior figure in the pack and he continues to offer massive impact from the bench and indeed he bent (and broke) the Cronulla defensive line on several occasions.

The talent and depth of this Flegg squad is truly outrageous. They may very well fall short of winning the title because sports is never that straight forward but they should make a hell of a run at the premiership. So strap in and enjoy the ride!

If you liked this article, you might consider supporting The Cumberland Throw.