It might be the last week of the preseason in the NRL but we have a mega docket of games for the Parramatta Eels in the Junior Reps as the Blue & Gold finally return home in Round 4 to face the Steelers. Today’s action kicks off with the Lisa Fiaola and Tarsha Gale at 11:00AM and 12:30PM respectively while the Harold Matthews and SG Ball occupy slots later in the afternoon and evening. I will bring you the updates for the former while Sixties clocks in for the later time slots.

Team List Tuesday saw plenty of changes for both the Fiaola and Gale as the Eels make extensive use of their rosters coming out of the bye. How will this all translate to the field? The Lisa Fiaola have been on a roll while the Tarsha Gale have been fighting hard early in the season. Can the Fiaola maintain their momentum and in the same breath – can the Gale start to generate their own? We find out soon, so join me for all of the updates out of Round 4!

 

 

Lisa Fiaola Team List

 

1	Tegan Nicholas
2	Havana Cook
3	Georgia Wansey
4	Marlie-Jay Paranihi-Tagoai
5	Taylah Barr
6	Rylee Cash
7	Sienna Manuo
8	Hayloh Talagi
8	Armanhi Cook
18	Ta’alili Tuivaiti
11	Sarah Alameddine
12	Kaizen Morgan-Pritchard
13	Isabella Bell
Interchange
15	Charlie Noble
16	Chelsea Falls
17	Zhra Tautai
19	Zara Khouri
21	Kaveinga O’Callaghan-Ahio

 

Late Mail

 

Eels as per program.

 

Match Updates

 

First Half

 

Steelers kicking off.

Eels get to task immediately with some quality ruck work before Isabella Bell wins a penalty just shy of halfway. Kaizen Morgan-Prtichard and Bell then plow into the defensive line of the Steelers to put the Eels on the goal line where a clever kick from Tegan Nicholas almost has Parramatta on the board save for a tiny knock on from Georgia Wansey in the contest for the grubber.

A good defensive set follow as Ligaliga returns the ball with interest and the Eels surge through the ruck from there with carries from Nicholas and Wansey. The crowd bays from a penalty due to an offside marker but it doesn’t come. Instead the Eels spin the ball right with some nice hands as Taylah Barr tries to smash her way over in the corner. She is held up and that is a turnover on tackles.

The Steelers deliver their first counterblow of the game with a minor linebreak to get out of trouble but proceed to cough the ball up 10m short of halfway.

Parramatta work from their right to left through this set and oddly enough it is a centreing charge from Sarah Alameddine that wins the opening points of the day. She does just settle on the settling run as she carries defenders over the line and falls through the contact to score!

 

Try scored by Sarah Alameddine. Conversion successful by Rylee Cash.

Eels lead 6-0

7min gone

 

Cracking set after points! Tuivaiti and Bell take the Eels into Illawarra’s half and the Blue & Gold then win a fresh set due to the kick chase pressure of Wansey at left centre. It looks like Bell has smashed her way over but the referee takes his time to assess the situation and then indicates she was held up. That only momentarily halts their progress with rapid ingress made down the right edge. Like earlier this game – sharp, swift hands releases Barr and this time she has the extra wiggle room to fight through the cover defence and slam the ball down in the corner!

 

Try scored by Taylah Barr. Conversion unsuccessful by Rylee Cash.

Eels lead 10-0

11min gone

 

The first blemish on Parramatta’s game comes now as the Eels turn the ball over from the kickoff set. This marks their first real test in defence as they go on to concede a penalty under the posts. The Steelers naturally tap and go as they indicate they want to shift right but their halfback Chloe Reh is wrapped up. Their five-eighth and fullback combine the very next play though to find a wrinkle in Parramatta’s defence as their centre Ruby Coote slices through the Eels’ right edge to score out wide.

 

Try scored by the Steelers. Conversion unsuccessful.

Steelers trail 4-10

14min gone

 

A good set from the Steelers after points. They work into Parramatta’s half only to go for a shallow attacking kick that Wansey does extremely well to clean up under pressure. Tegan Nicholas continues to make great inroads around the ruck as the Eels play down their right. Powerful carry from Pritchard before Cash completes the set with a grubber kick that is fielded in the front line. Not the result the Eels were looking for but a cheeky little error from the Steelers IS an outcome they welcome! Parramatta are back on the attack!

An errant pass from the scrum win isn’t the greatest building block to start the set but Zhra Tautai gets the Eels back on track next play with help from Bell the following tackle. Talk about building blocks – that allows Rylee Cash to dig into the retreating defence as the five-eighth splits the defence and drags a defender with her over the line to extend Parramatta’s lead!

 

Try scored by Rylee Cash. Conversion unsuccessful by Rylee Cash.

Eels lead 14-4

19min gone

 

Great work from the middles again – headed by Bell who has a monstrous carry that ultimately wins a penalty. Hayloh follows in her wake in the next set with a nice charge as Sarah Alameddine rips in with a charge that puts the Eels on the goal line. From there is this Armahni Cook well, cooking, as she feeds a nice short ball to Bell who storms through the ruck defence of the Steelers to score next to the post.

 

Try scored by Isabella Bell. Conversion successful by Rylee Cash.

Eels lead 20-4

22min gone

 

There are protestations from both teams in the following set as the Eels work the ball out the centrefield. The referee eventually indicates it is a lost ball against Parramatta. The home team go on to concede a pretty clear ruck penalty before time is blown after a tackle later for an injured Steeler. A second penalty then comes as the possession stretches out for the visitors but Parra hold on in an encouraging sign for their defence after bleeding an early try down their right edge.

Simple but very effective work around the ruck for Parra now. It is somewhat undone by another pass falling astray behind the runner that forces Paranihi-Tagoai to trek back and claim it. The Eels fail to complete the set with the referee finding a knock-on at dummy half on the last but the Steelers almost immediately turn it back over.

A nice swing down the left gets Havana Cook into a half break situation. She avoids the sideline and wins a penalty for the Eels as she taps and goes. The Eels go perilously close to scoring with Alameddine but despite her falling over the line and grounding the referee deemed the tackle was complete and the play illegal. That should have been a play-the-ball no? Instead it is a penalty.

Illawarra get the ball back with maybe a minute on the clock. They proceed to lose it but so too do the Eels in a moderate dose of chaos before the break. Still, a dominant opening stanza from Parramatta as they head into the sheds with a 16-point lead!

 

Half Time

Parramatta Eels 20 lead the Illawarra Steelers 4

 

Second Half

 

Parramatta are kicking off.

Good defensive set from the Eels and it sees Havana Cook field the kick and subsequent return.  Wansey and Morgan-Pritchard go next before Nicholas has a tilt down the right edge from fullback. Oooh, unlucky there for Sienna Manuo. She hoists it on the last and actually find the carpet! Cook and Wansey pour through on the chase and actually have the lead angles only for the ball to kick at 90-degrees and into touch.

The Eels concede a ruck penalty early in the following set as the Steelers tap and go from their own quarter. Illawarra struggle for purchase still though as Cook returns another kick. Nicholas continues her busy game with another half break and then finds Cash in support although momentum is thus halted. The Eels are on the front foot as Morgan-Pritchard thunders into the attacking quarter to bring up the last. Cash looks to roll the ball along the carpet down the right but a whistle pulls up play swiftly. Looks like the touch judge immediately indicated the chasers were offside. A let off there.

Ferocious defence from Paranihi-Tagoai! She doubles up in this set with a pair of angry tackles. The Steelers have to hoof it downfield from deep in their half as Barr takes it on the bounce. Bell combines with Falls through the ruck as the Eels look to shift to their left. The Steelers match them for numbers but have they over committed? Nicholas switches play back to the right with a long cutout pass to Cash who again opts for the ground based assault with a grubber kick. This one takes a wicked, weaving bounce that jack knifes through the defence and pops up for Barr! She claims it for her own and touches down in the corner!

 

Try scored by Taylah Barr. Conversion unsuccessful by Rylee Cash.

Eels lead 24-4

39min gone

 

The Steelers are firmly on the backfoot now and the Eels sense it. They go from end-to-end in the restart of play and very nearly score on the last as Bell kicks for herself to the left of the posts. Isabella is ruled to have knocked on in the contest for the pill though so the Steelers hold on – barely.

The field position battle is all Blue & Gold though. The Steelers are buried in their own half and the advantageous set starts take their toll with immediate effect as Tegan Nicholas dummies and glides through down Illawarra’s left edge. She comes to her opposite in Ava Alaban and fires a try-assisting pass to her right winger Taylah Barr who completes the enviable feat of a hat-trick on debut!

 

Try scored by Taylah Barr. Conversion unsuccessful by Rylee Cash.

Eels lead 28-4

44min gone

 

Watch out! Ta’alili is on the war path! She crashes into the defensive line as the Eels again just take full control of the field here. Nicholas sorties down the right edge and somehow gets a pass to Paranihi-Tagoai who in turn links up with Barr as the winger comes back infield. Chelsea Falls is held up over the line as the Eels run down their left edge next with their half Manuo. Tuivaiti is taken heavily at the goal line but bounces to her feet to play-the-ball and that signals a raid to the right as sharp hands releases who else than Taylah Barr! Good hands across the paddock there as Barr duly dives over in the corner to complete her fourth of the day!

 

Try scored by Taylah Barr. Conversion successful by Rylee Cash.

Eels lead 34-4

48min gone

 

Tegan Nicholas deserves one of her own today but she is going to have to wait! She tacks on another linebreak down the right edge but again looks for support at the last line. She finds her centre Marlie-Jay who squirts an offload back to support in Morgan-Pritchard as the defence envelops her. From there it is the extravagant shift to the left where the Eels have the numbers and the speed as Havana Cook outpaces the cover defence to score in the corner!

 

Try scored by Havana Cook. Conversion unsuccessful by Rylee Cash.

Eels lead 38-4

52min gone

 

Five! Read ’em and weep! Five-of-a-kind! The forbidden poker hand is Taylah Barr’s today as she pounces on yet another grubber kick from Rylee Cash. The Steelers had plenty of time to play contain on this one but the ball has a mind of its own and just kept dribbling away from the defenders. Barr is richly rewarded for her pursuit as she grounds the willful ball deep in the in-goals for her fifth try of the day. Poor thing is going to need a second hand to start recounting her exploits in this game very soon!

 

 

Try scored by Taylah Barr. Conversion unsuccessful by Rylee Cash.

Eels lead 42-4

55min gone

 

Tuivaiti refuses to be tackled – that is surely a family trait – as she drags defenders well past the ad-line. I mentioned before that Tegan Nicholas deserves a try to call her own today and she finally collects! As you might imagine she has split the Steelers wide open down their left again but this time she takes on Alaban with the step and dummy and while she is accosted by the defence at the last she has enough wherewithal to fight through the tackles, reach out and score!

 

Try scored by Tegan Nicholas. Conversion successful by Rylee Cash.

Eels lead 48-4

58min gone

 

I apologise for a lack of detail on set-to-set matters. The outrageous scoring from the Eels has made it hard to maintain general updates in this game.

Parramatta’s relentless scoring is finally halted…by their own hands. Again they muster the ball deep into Illawarra’s half before sending the ball high to the left. Havana Cook gives chase on the bouncing ball but is penalised when she makes illegal contact with her counterpart. A second penalty comes in the resultant set as the Eels are pinged in the ruck and with 90-seconds on the clock we will have at least one more set of play.

The Eels swarm from the tap restart but Alameddine is penalised for a slow ruck. Tap and go from the Steelers. They build from right-to-left but Parramatta have matched them for numbers and beat them for physicality. We arrive at the last tackle and the final play of the game and fittingly the Eels race off their line to wrap up the backrower Buchanan and bring an end to this impressive victory.

 

Full Time

Parramatta Eels 48 defeat the Illawarra Steelers 4

 

Tarsha Gale Team List

 

1	Irae Savea
2	Zyon Ligaliga
3	Billie Va’a
4	Jessamine Aloaii
5	Freedom Crichton Ropati
6	Sammy-Lee Gunn-Tauai
7	Aaliyah Soufan
8	Alana O’Loughlin
9	Ava Jones
16	Leonia Vei
11	Tia Matthews
12	Fontayne Tufuga
13	Khyliah Gray
Interchange
8	Taylah Falaniko
21	Mitzy Cairns
19	Alissia Misa
20	Shire Thocolich
15	Sualo Lafoga
18	Christine Tongia

 

Late Mail

 

Leonia Vei moves into the starting front row while Isabella Papaa drops out of the team. That sees Mitzy Cairns come onto the bench.

 

Match Updates

 

First Half

 

Now for the second leg of today’s quartet of games. Parramatta are kicking off in the first half of this contest.

Not exactly an ideal start. The Eels kick it out on the full…although that must have been close to bouncing in the field of play. Close run thing but it goes against Parramatta.

Early test for Parra in defence now. The Steelers made modest inroads through the general play of the set but an excellent kick forces Zyon Ligaliga in a difficult situation that sees her driven back in-goals for the drop out.

So a fresh set for the Steelers. They focus play down their right edge throughout this possession and are lucky to avoid an error care of a miscued pass. Their halfback Greatz is heavily involved but Parra seem to be awake to the threat of her running game. However well the Eels defended down their left though it comes undone on the opposite side of the field. Greatz combines with her partner Spencer who in turns puts Elli Young on the outside of Crichton Ropati as the centre (winger in this case?) plants the ball down in the corner. An excellent conversion attempt extracts max value for the Steelers.

 

Try scored by the Steelers. Conversion successful.

Illawarra lead 6-0

5min gone

 

A strong reply in defence from the Eels. They pin the Steelers inside their own half and force an awkward clearing kick that Ligaliga tidies up. Time to get to work and Tufuga and Gray embody that with some tough carries. Tia Matthews is up next before O’Loughlin tries to smash her way under the posts. That brings up the last where Soufan is unlucky not to extract a knock-on from her grubber kick. It took a second effort from the fullback Churchill to secure the ball there but she did get it done.

Parramatta are winning the arm wrestle here but they need to convert pressure into points. Again Ligaliga fields the clearing kick in advantageous position and this time the Eels when a penalty late in the set when Ava Jones is collared high. Ava earns a second penalty for interference from the markers as the tackles pile up. O’Loughlin leads the charge next play and is tackled short of the line and from there…it just opens up? Jones has Gray and Vei lined up to her left and hits the former and closer option and the Steelers have checked right off her as she strolls over untouched under the black dot! It doesn’t get much easier than that for Kyliah!

 

Try scored by Kyliah Gray. Conversion successful by Ava Jones.

Eels lock the scores up at 6-all

12min gone

 

Vei has a good run to put the Eels on the front foot as Gray and O’Loughlin combine next tackle. Gray adds a run of her own as Matthews rampages over a defender down the left edge. Gray comes back for another run and offload as the Eels spin it back to their left but Aloalii is met in a strong ball-and-all tackle. A deft grubber kick on the last wins the Eels a line dropout but equally for the strong kick chase. Good footy! Deft work from Soufan and then the chaser Jones.

That sets up a primo attacking opportunity as Alana O’Loughlin centres the ball for her halves. The option is chosen to the right as Sammy-Lee Gunn-Tauai feeds Fontayne Tufuga early ball and the dynamic backrower does the rest as she surges from the sliding defence of the Steelers and slams the ball down! Jones nails the extras to extended Parramatta’s first lead of the game.

 

Try scored by Fontayne Tufuga. Conversion successful by Ava Jones.

Eels lead 12-6

17min gone

 

Big metres. The Eels are rumbling now and complete their set after points with a dangerous attacking bomb from Soufan. The Steelers let it bounce and get something of a kind outcome as it kicks into touch for a play-the-ball on their 10m line. That could have taken any number of turns to Parra’s left edge chasers there!

Still, the pressure is on and the Steelers are sure feeling it. An error from their left edge early in the resultant set puts Parramatta back in the box seat. A full possession in the attacking quarter. Scrum is set right side as Soufan digs in herself on the first. She is clocked high and wins the penalty. Tap and go for O’Loughlin before the Eels go wide left and are met equally. Another high tackle now – this time Gunn-Tauai the victim as the whistle is blown.

Shire Thocolich restarts play with her fresh legs and from there it is the deception of the most recent high-tackle victim that wins the points! Sammy-Lee drifts right and brings a flying Billie Va’a underneath before selling a luxurious dummy! The Steelers are fooled by the sleight of hand as Gunn-Tauai drives her way over for a great solo effort!

 

Try scored by Sammy-Lee Gunn-Tauai. Conversion successful by Ava Jones.

Eels lead 18-6

23min gone

 

I can’t keep up! A linebreak from Ligaliga down the left edge puts Parramatta on the attack almost immediately but the home team’s momentum finally subsides due to an unforced error deep in Illawarra’s half. Oh that is my error. It was tipped by a Steeler. The siege continues! Parramatta’s scrum in the midfield.

Jones is wreaking havoc through the ruck as she puts Falaniko into a gap. Good pass and run. Taylah gets a second charge later in the set to set up the last play where the Eels look to run it left. Aloalii is the chosen option as the left centre crashes into the defensive line but the Steelers find some resolution and turn her away to win the ball back.

More suffocating defence from the Eels. They are domination not just possession just position here. Savea takes the clearing kick comfortably and sets the table for an attacking raid that is bolstered by the penalty won by Freedom Crichton Ropati shortly after.

Nice angled run from Matthews there as she nearly finds a crease on the goal line. The Eels can’t complete the set though as the ref pulls them up for a forward pass out of dummy-half to Gray. Kyliah looks a bit miffed there but the Steelers will have the ball.

An error from the Steelers late in this reply set gives the Blue & Gold a final chance before half time to strike. The scrum is set centrefield on halfway as Aloalii starts the set with a violent charge. Tufuga heeds the same call with a surge through the ruck as the Eels play left with Gray finding Thocolich as the siren rings out. Shire almost breaks the tackle which would have kept the ball alive but the referee says the tackle is complete and thus so too is the half.

 

Half Time

Parramatta Eels 18 lead the Illawarra Steelers 6

 

Second Half

 

Steelers to kick off.

Gunn-Tauai fields the ball on the bounce and sends Falaniko into the fray. Thocolich runs next as the Eels work left to Matthews on the third. Gray centres the ball before Savea brings up the last.  Soufan sends the bomb up but her chasers are offsides and the Steelers get the piggyback out of their defensive quarter.

Gee that is some terrific work from Crichton Ropati in defence. She wins the 1-on-2 with some fantastic lateral footwork as she flips her hips off the centre to her opposite and makes powerful contact to drive her into touch. That is not easy and she did it perfectly.

Now the riposte! Savea bursts through and finds Gray to her right before Kyliah links back up with Misa inside. The Steelers scramble well though and cut the Eels down as they enter the red zone. From there the home team gets a tad too unhinged as they force second phase play and the visitors pounce on the loose ball.

This time is heating up with some angry play on both sides. The Steelers get a penalty but seem to lose it early in the next set with a heavy collision in the ruck but after some though the referee calls for a penalty. Was that a shot from Falaniko there? It didn’t look like an egregious shot – if anything maybe a head clash? Time is off for the injured Steeler though and that is obviously where all our thoughts lie presently. The players all reacted immediately to bring a half to play there, Eel and Steeler alike.

Long delay here as they check on the Illawarra player. Again, the priority is her health.

It looks like she is on her feet, albeit with assistance from the trainers, in a largely positive sign. I imagine her day is done but hopefully no more concerns than that.

Gray is called out by the referee to clarify the situation which is Illawarra ball by way of the penalty. No further action taken.

A statement tackle from the Eels on the very first play as they get right under the ball and drive it loose in a punishing, conventional tackle. Terrific play.

Aloalii takes the opening run next set and is unlucky not to get a penalty for a slow ruck. The Eels work back through the middle with Thocolich before shifting right only to lose the ball.

The Steelers fail to complete the following set due to a penalty on the last for offside chasers as Crichton Ropati has a cracking run and offload on the first. More metres down the right before Falaniko smashes through the ruck and offloads only for the Eels to knock it on. Just a bit too gung-ho there from the Eels with the Steelers on the rocks.

A win for Illawarra at the end of the next possession when a booming clearing kick forces Savea deep in-goals and eventually into flinging the ball over the deadball line. A dropout in their favour the result.

However, sloppy work in the ruck prevents them from asking any serious questions of the home team with Parramatta handed the loosehead and feed in front of the posts.

Va’a and Crichton Ropati work from opposite flanks to add metres through the middle. Cairns is on and chalks up a carry. Soufan completes the set along the ground but Chuchill is well positioned to field her grubber kick on the goal line.

Strong defence from O’Loughlin and Cairns there. Savea gets another tough bounce from the clearing kick to give the Steelers a modest but much needed boost in the territorial battle. Yep that penalty had to come. Aloalii is assaulted on the ground for an age and it had to be a penalty.

Soufan drives it downfield with her touchfinder as it is marked on halfway. Aloalii the opening option again as O’Loughlin and Cairns are called on next.Va’a surges down the right edge and her rapid ruck puts Irae Savea on the front foot as the fullback knifes her way over down the right side!

 

Try scored by Irae Savea. Conversion unsuccessful by Ava Jones.

Eels lead 22-6

45min gone

 

Big run from Cairns there. Good impact from Mitzsy off the bench in the second half. Matthews and Gray work the Eels over halfway before Savea cuts through again! She links up with Gray who is tackled but wins the penalty for a slow ruck. Good footy.

Jones taps and uses Cairns who plows into the defence. Right on the short side but the pass from Gunn-Tauai is at the ankles of Va’a who understandably knocks it on.

The trading of sets here from both teams as the Eels survive another attacking raid from the Steelers. That said, Illawarra are slowly gaining traction here and have pushed ahead in the arm wrestle. They are bleeding penalties in defence though which is getting Parramatta out of any potential trouble on their goal line.

Vei nearly breaks through as the powerful front rower finds herself wide of the ruck. Savea tries to seize on the burst of momentum by playing down the right edge short side and for a moment the Eels look set to explode down the blindside but Freedom just can’t reel the final pass in and the Steelers are off the hook.

Ligaliga has done plenty of good work with her kick returns today but on this occasion she gets an error chalked against her name as she drops the pill on her own 20m line. It is the lapse the Steelers have been desperate for across the majority of this battle and they leap on the chance with their #14 Ally Hamilton scooching over to score out left in the resultant set. It narrows the gap but time is not on Illawarra’s side here.

 

Try scored by the Steelers. Conversion successful.

Illawarra trail 12-22

59min gone

 

Sure enough the siren rings out at the conclusion of their next set. They kick ahead in vain as the balls rolls into touch and the Parramatta Eels claim their most complete victory of the young season in the Tarsha Gale.

 

Full Time

Parramatta Eels 22 defeat the Illawarra Steelers 12