The boys enter Round 6 fresh out of a bye week and set for huge tussles with the South Sydney Rabbitohs. Both the Harold Matthews and SG Ball face highly seeded opposition this week with significant ladder implications on the line pending a win or loss today. The Rabbitohs are legitimate contenders in both grades and make for a perfect measuring stick for the Eels in both grades as they make the turn to the finals over the upcoming month.

Join me from 2:00PM with the kickoff of the Harold Matthews with the SG Ball following at 3:45PM!

 

Harold Matthews Team List

 

1	Liam Martin
2	Elijah Alhazim
3	Leonard Salter
4	Lorima Seuseu
5	William Memea Epe
6	Levi Perrett
7	Caleb Leiataua
8	Deon Haynes
9	Flynn Manu’a
10	Christopher Suaalii
11	Jake Capovilla
12	Tyson Puleitu
13	Hayden Bell
Interchange
14	Spencer Sorenson
16	Thomas Jackson
17	Winston Tahi
22	Curtis Brown
19	Tyler Lama
21	Nixon O’Connor

 

Late Mail

 

The Eels are per program.

 

Match Updates

 

First Half

 

Parramatta will kick off to start this game.

Haynes, Bell and Capovilla lead the chase for the opening tackle as the home team is pinned before halfway in their first set. Solid first up field position for the Eels as Alhazim and Memea Epe get to work. Salter and Capovilla go next before Bell brings up the last. A wayward kick from Levi Perrett fails to move the ball downfield though. That one skewed wildly off the left of his boot and while it doesn’t sail out on the full, it doesn’t make any metres either as it goes one bounce into touch.

Good defensive set follows there from the Eels. They needed that after the poor end to the previous possession. Liam Martin makes a cracking catch on his goal line as he leaps above the chasers to claim the attacking bomb. Memea Epe is met heavily as he tries to ruck it out and the Eels are pinned deep in their defensive half. Caleb Leiataua drives the ball downfield in a booming clearing kick that salvages as much real estate as possible for the Eels. Good strike.

Big chance for Souths this set though. They work down their left edge before switching play to the opposite side. They generate the overlap as a result but Liam Martin hurls himself into Devida Hopoate at the last line to force the winger into touch and prevent the first try of the game!

Clean set now from the Eels as the drive it to half way and let Perrett complete the sequence with a midfield bomb. South Sydney marshal their way 15m into Parramatta’s half in reply before Alhazim defuses their attacking bomb down the right edge of the Eels. Seuseu and Memea Epe help their forwards out with some ruck work for Capovilla runs and offloads down the right. A chance for Parramatta here but the pass to release Alhazim is awry and sails over the sideline.

Important tackle from Leiataua there as he cuts down the overs line run from the South Sydney back-rower. Martin is then called into action on the last as he dives on an excellent grubber kick that forces a drop out. The Eels go short from the restart of play and a tricky landing spot has forced the Rabbitohs to carry the catch into touch! Big swing in play there!

Parramatta notch up another completed set as they work the ball to halfway and allow Leiataua to hoof it deep into the South Sydney red zone. South reply in kind with a simple set that nets less metres and give Alhazim a chance to make a neat return.

Now we get an early kick from the Eels as Perrett goes high on the 4th. As with earlier, I am not sure he struck it as intended but a great chase from Puleitu wins the ball back for the Eels. Has he offloaded or has the ball squirted out the back? Either way it is play on as Hayden Bell scoops up the ball and races to the goal line. He goes so close to scoring! Alas he is dragged down as the very last and that brings up the last as Leiataua goes high to the right. He wants to find Alhazim there the kick is too heavy and sails over the sideline.

Counter-attacking set from Souths here as they find traction around the ruck. It sets up an attacking kick that nearly has them claim opening points with bomb that they try to tap back over Martin. It does find a supporting South Sydney player but the ball was knocked forwards.

Good playing at the defensive line from Souths opens the Eels up here. That is tough to defend but Parramatta limit the damage somewhat to a half-break. However that has pulled in all sorts of numbers as the Eels look to scramble and patch holes and great vision and execution follows from the Bunnies as they stab a grubber kick in behind that sees their winger Benjamin Wright easily scoop up the bouncing ball and score 10m to the left of the uprights.

 

Try scored by South Sydney. Conversion successful.

Rabbitohs lead 6-0

16min gone

 

Damn! Love the aggression from the Eels there. Following the set of Souths after points the Eels look to spin it on the last. Big shift to the left as Martin tries to ignite the attack. He finds Seuseu who puts Memea Epe into space before the winger kicks back inside. Bell is in hot pursuit but only has a fraction of space to work before the deadball line gets him and he BARELY misses the putdown. Dang!

Parra are finding their feet now. Memea Epe wins a penalty as the ball is reefed out of his grip and the Blue & Gold build a good attacking set on the back of it. No points but Leiataua asks a nice question the last as finds Capovilla with the short ball. Powerful defence forces a turnover from there and the Eels get the chance to level the scores. It is scrappier earlier in this set with some desync between connections on the pass routes but Hayden Bell ramapges his way over only to be held up by a fraction! Good defence from Souths there. Martin brings up the last where the Eels force a line drop out with a good kick down the left edge.

Very good take from Salter off the restart. Brown rips in next to the posts. Left to Caleb as the Eels work left to Seuseu who is met by shooting defence. Tahi brings us back infield before Sorenson runs from dummy half but Parramatta can’t find their gear on the last and spill the ball after throwing it around down the right edge.

Neither team can influence the scoreboard before the half time siren rings out. Bell added a pair of quality carries in that space as he continues an excellent game but the two teams have proven to be closely matched. It has been a good content in the first stanza and now we await to see what the Eels can do after the break.

 

Half Time

South Sydney Rabbitohs 6 lead the Parramatta Eels 0

 

Second Half

 

South Sydney will kick off.

Nearly disaster from the get-go as Liam Martin does extremely well to salvage a pass put too far in front of him. Capovilla does more than salvage next! The rangy backrower splits the front-line of defence and quickly offloads to Sorenson who extends the run into South’s half but the Eels come undone from there as they turn it over. A great passage of play momentarily there for Parramatta.

Time off for an injured Rabbitoh here. We will return for a scrum 10m inside the South Sydney half at some point after a few minutes. And we get confusion from the first play back as the referee initially indicates the Bunnies lose the ball getting to their feet before there is a very late change to a penalty for a leg pull. Thankfully we get a repeat of the lost ball from the first play after the touch finder but without the change of call to penalty as Souths spill their lollies on the first tackle.

Strong set from Parra here. Big runs from Seuseu and Brown set them up for attacking kick which comes by way of a bomb but the Rabbitohs do a good job claiming the high ball.

What a hustle play from Bell! Souths get is all wrong on the last and fire a pass 20m backwards to no one. Bell pours through in pressure and just engulfs the Rabbitoh who was on clean up duty for the turnover. Huge effort!

The Eels win a penalty from there as they work from left to right. Bell goes close again for the third time today but his carry has set the platform for Sorenson to work some magic as he fires a great probing pass to Tyson Puleitu that allows the edge forward to crash over from short range.

 

Try scored by Tyson Puleitu. Conversion successful by Liam Martin.

Eels lock the scores up at 6-all

37min gone

 

Well that was less than ideal as the Eels make a meal of the restart. Bad communication down the right edge results in a knock on near the sideline. Need a goal line stand now. Lots of ball movement from Souths early in the set but Parra stand firm before they get too forceful down their right edge. Memea Epe was right there to make the tackle in any event but the looping cutout pass ends up tipped into touch.

Good charge from Martin as the Eels work to their right. Capovilla continues his busy day as he  goes over halfway before Bell and Haynes combine through the middle. Leiataua completes the set with a monstrous bomb that puts Hopoate under all kinds of pressure. He can’t handle it! The ball spills out straight to the Eels as it comes to Puleitu who selflessly combines with Perrett to put his five-eighth over in the corner!

 

Try scored by Levi Perrett. Conversion unsuccessful by Liam Martin.

Eels lead 10-6

42min gone

 

Strong opening run from Seuseu now. Sorenson scoots out of dummy half before Thomas Jackson thunders into the line. Perrett wants to rifle a 40/20 from there after his forwards set the platform up but he has overcooked it here as the ball sails out on the full and puts the Bunnies back on the attack.

Only briefly though! Great tackle from Seuseu as he accosts his opposite and drives him into touch. Bell and Jackson combine through the middle here as the lock turns his big interchange forward underneath. Leiataua completes the set with a midfield bomb and a great chase from Capovilla results in a heavy tackle on the fullback Dorahy but he holds onto the ball. Alas, overeager defence undoes the Eels as they are pinged for an offside defender in the next play.

What a critical tackle from Martin! He has saved a certain try here as he cuts down the five-eighth Bateup at the very last line of defence! What a save! The Eels feed off that huge play as they swarm on the last and force an error on their own goal line.

Wily work from Sorenson wins the Eels a crucial penalty. They resume play 10m inside the South Sydney half. Brown and Jackson take the early runs as Bell works with Brown on the third for good gains. Leiataua uses Capovilla down the right but the rangy backrower is hit in heavy shot. The Eels go high to Memea Epe on the last but he is out jumped in a physical contest for the ball before Parra are penalised a high shot on the next tackle.

Man, the Eels are holding on here as Souths throw the kitchen sink and more at them. Martin is again called upon to make an important tackle before the Bunnies turn it over on tackles. Seuseu explodes into the backfield for a field-tilting carry! Geez that was timely. The Eels fail to complete the same set due to a forward pass but turn it over 25m off the South Sydney goal line.

Souths grind their way into the Eels’ red zone but the defensive wall stands tall again! Numbers just pour in on the last as they swarm Wright on the sideline.

Another incomplete set follows though and unlike the last – this one occurs inside the defensive quarter. Parra have been outstanding in defence on their goal line but how much more can they withstand?

The answer is no more unfortunately. The weight of those repeated errors has finally broken their brilliant goal line defence. It is a short ball to a forward that undoes them as he barely gets the ball down on the line. Matter of centimetres there but it is a try and the Eels could be playing from behind pending the conversion attempt with 3-4 minutes left in the game.

 

Try scored by South Sydney. Conversion unsuccessful.

Rabbitohs lock the scores up at 10-all

56min gone

 

The conversion was sprayed to the left! We are Even Stevens here.

Souths find a seam down Parra’s right edge but the cover defence recover the desperation offload! Chaos reigning here.

Seuseu takes the Eels shy of halfway as Brown carts it into plus territory to set up the last. Leiatua completes the set with a bomb and what follows is the most bizarre sequence I have ever seen. Souths fail to get a dummy half to the ruck so Seuseu dives on the ball and plays it only for the Eels to fail to get a dummy half to the ruck allowing the Bunnies to pounce on the free ball. Insanity.

Souths chip early in their set but the Eels recover as they get some great purchase from Haynes and Manu’a. Mission critical carries there and it puts the Blue & Gold in perfect position to hunt for the field goal and after a number of miscued kicks earlier this game, Levi Perrett delivers a sterling silver strike when it counts the most. He hammers this through the posts for the lead!

 

Field goal attempt successful by Levi Perrett.

Eels lead 11-10

59min gone

 

Souths go short and get the ball back. All or nothing here as they go for the try down the left edge. Their winger Wright looks like he has been bundled into touch but the ball was flung back into the field of play. Was he out? I can’t tell but the touchy keeps his flag down and it is play on. The ball is still in play here and it is scooped up by Tofaeono for the Bunnies as he dives over in the corner despite the desperate attempts of the Eels to stop him. All sorts of drama here – was Wright out? Souths have stolen it from the Eels here in one of the biggest heart breakers you will see in this grade.

 

Try scored by South Sydney. Conversion unsuccessful.

 

Full Time

South Sydney Rabbitohs 14 defeat the Parramatta Eels 11

 

SG Ball Team List

 

1	Cameron Bamblett
2	Lorima Rokosuka
3	Nathan Howlett
4	Kordell Pritchard
5	Cyrus Bloomfield
6	Talen Risati
7	Lincoln Fletcher
8	Steven Nunn
9	Wesley Tongamoa
10	Ryda Talagi
11	Michael Nauer
12	Christopher Petrus
13	Billy Fanene
Interchange
15	Jireh-Trey Stewart
16	Stirling Faumui
17	Maison Ong
18	Nicholas Kotarac
21	Riley Davis
22	Coby Raven

 

Late Mail

 

Eels as per program.

 

Match Updates

 

First Half

 

Well we missed the start of the game which saw the Eels successfully navigate their opening possession. They follow that up with a good defensive showing to pin Souths in their own half. Bamblett gets the Eels back underway as Rokosuka and Pritchard help out through the middle. Petrus threatens with a strong carry as Nunn rips in next. The Eels get too adventurous on the last though. They want the outside-inside play behind the ruck but the Bunnies read it well. Parra keep the ball alive via the offload but go one pass too many as it is intercepted.

Early test for the Parramatta goal line defence. Their fullback Walters nearly opens the Eels up but Pritchard recovers in time to make the tackle. Souths run it on their last with their halfback Fotu-Moala but defenders converge on him to shut the play down.

Penalty for Parramatta now. Fletcher finds touch for the Eels. Talagi and Nunn get early work this set before Fletcher runs it himself. Bamblett attacks in behind the ruck next as Fanene wins a rapid ruck. Fletcher stabs a chip in from there and chases his own kick to force a drop out.

That is just unfortunate. Rokosuka makes a spectacular catch from the short drop out but a strong wind has carried the ball short of the 10m mark at the very end. That makes it a penalty for Souths. God that is a terrible rule but a correct call nonetheless.

Some spiraling bad luck now for the Eels as Souths complete the resultant set only for Bamblett to misjudge the midfield bomb and turn the ball over for a repeat possession for the home team. The error gets paid off immediately from the scrum win as the left edge of the Bunnies catches the Eels a man short down the blindside. There are some protestations from Parra that the winger was dragged into touch before he grounded the ball but the officials confer and award the try.

 

Try scored by South Sydney. Conversion successful.

Rabbitohs lead 6-0

9min gone

 

Completions for both sides in the next two sets but Souths play hot potato in the third set after the opening try and cough it up. Lots of sideways action there from the home team and little surprise the error comes as a result.

Nice surge from Risati from the scrum win as he attacks to the left. Talagi centres play with a strong run as Risati uses Nauer on the next play. The ball is offloaded to support and quickly gets pushed to Bloomfield who is ready to dot it down but the ref has halted play. Did he spy a bobble from Nauer? I guess so.

Another error from Souths here as a loose carry puts Parramatta back on the attack 10m inside South’s half.

Lovely end to an otherwise tame set! The Eels settled for well…settlers for most of this possession but sharply switch gears on the last as Fletcher sparks a scoring play on the last tackle. He takes the Eels left and connects with Bamblett who then uses Howlett. The option to run or pass is there for Nathan and he throws a silky dummy to bamboozle the defence and score out wide!

 

Try scored by Nathan Howlett. Conversion unsuccessful by Lincoln Fletcher.

Eels trail 4-6

18min gone

 

Scrappy start to the set after points for the Eels. They narrowly avoid a turnover in their own defensive quarter before threatening to open up the Bunnies on halfway only to turn it over as Bamblett can’t hold onto it. Manic scenes for certain and the error comes home to roost just as it did earlier as the talented half Taj Alvarez spins through the right side defence of the Eels to score out wide.

 

Try scored by South Sydney. Conversion unsuccessful.

Rabbitohs lead 10-4

21min gone

 

Powerful set after points for Souths. Well, a powerful 4/5ths of a set as they mimic the Eels in scuppering a promising raid on halfway with an error. Can Parramatta respond in kind with points from an error?

Bloomfield opens up the set for the Eels as Nauer rips in next play. Right with Fanene as Petrus gets a touch next. Fletcher then turns Nunn underneath as the Eels opt to run it on the last. Short side play down the right from Lincoln as he uses Pritchard. Kordell fights off the initial tackle attempts but can’t find support and succumbs for the turnover.

Tough passage of play here as both teams get stuck into it. The break comes for the Eels as Bloomfield wins a penalty following a gritty ruck carry. Talagi gets us back underway with Fanene up next. Tongamoa shifts from dummy-half to lock with Stewart on and carts it up. The Eels go to the air on the last as Rokosuka flies through and wins the catch. He flicks the ball out the back with a defender draped all over him as Fletcher tries to toe it ahead off the deck. He can only find the fullback Walters directly as Souths turn defence into attack. Cover defence manages to rally in time but Souths have the momentum now.

It gets worse the Eels when they have to play at an attacking grubber on the last and it takes an unkind deflection to hand the home team a full suite of tackles on the goal line. The weight of possession proves to be too much as Souths crash over with one of their interchange forwards with Lochlin Moses able to burrow through the defence and just get the ball down.

 

Try scored by South Sydney. Conversion unsuccessful.

Rabbitohs lead 14-4

32min gone

 

Oh that stings. A moment of madness from Rokosuka has opened the door for a long range try from the Bunnies. It was seconds from half time and he has shot out of the line trying to make a rogue defensive play but all it does is make the decision for the Bunnies as they cut out the channel he occupies and go one to score as the siren rings out. Devastating blow on the stroke of the break.

 

Try scored by South Sydney. Conversion successful.

 

Half Time

South Sydney Rabbitohs 20 lead the Parramatta Eels 4

 

Second Half

 

Eels are kicking off.

Early penalty for Souths as the Eels are pinged for a lifting tackle. A string of calls for Souths here including another absent dummy-half sequence that goes there way when Tongamoa is dispossessed by a diving attacker-turned-defender as he tries to claim the free ball. Odd that the diving is allowed from the team poised to lose the ball but not for the team trying to get the turnover.

Still the Eels hold on and come away with the ball eventually only to get a rubbish call against them as Kotarac’s play-the-ball is clearly impeded by a defender coming back through the ruck. In spite of the clear indiscretion the call goes against the Eels.

A turn of the Eels here as Bloomfield traps an attacking kick at the front line and combines with Risati to get Parra in plus territory. Bloomfield and Tongamoa shoulder some ruck work as Fletcher uses Nauer next.

Well, it has been that kind of day I guess. Fletcher goes to the sky on the last as he looks to give his right edge a chance to compete for the ball. The Eels tip it back as Pritchard tries to recover the loose ball but he knocks it back and straight into a flying Alvarez who races 90m downfield to score. Another error leading directly to points for the Bunnies.

 

Try scored by South Sydney. Conversion successful.

Rabbitohs lead 26-4

43min gone

 

The Eels are unraveling in the second half. Errant passes and muffed kick catches are piling up as Souths get the chase to really post a score on the Blue & Gold. Thankfully they are too eager to do just that as they kick early and ineffectively allowing Rokosuka to rectify the error he made to give Souths the ball.

Parra go close to scoring now as they work a prolonged set on the South’s goal line but just when they look to have cracked their opposition with a tip on to Bloomfield down the left sideline they play comes back because the last pass/tip traveled forwards.

Territory is completely flipped shortly henceforth with a cracking 40/20 from the Bunnies.

Pack ’em up, this one is well and truly in the books at this point as Souths fight their way over with the big man Lavakeiaho finding a way to free an arm and plant the ball down despite the attention of 3 or 4 Eels on him. The Eels have come out of the bye in all sorts it feels like.

 

Try scored by South Sydney. Conversion successful.

Rabbitohs lead 32-4

56min gone

 

Finally some life from the Eels as Bamblett and Petrus combine to punch a hole through the Bunnies and score under the posts. How much points differential can they salvage here?

 

Try scored by Chris Petrus. Conversion successful by Lincoln Fletcher.

Eels trail 10-32

58min gone

 

Petrus quickly wins a penalty now as the Eels get a chance to post back-to-back points. It doesn’t come to fruition however as the Rabbitohs muscle up on their goal line and survive a testing kick from Faumui that nearly breaks the way of Petrus. The big backrower can’t get a clean catch on the breaking ball and tries to toe it ahead but booms it over the dead ball line instead.

Arm grabbing defence gets punished in embarrassing fashion as Dayne Jennings swats off a gaggle of lax Eels to score a brilliant solo try for the Bunnies. The film review on that one will be ugly for Parra.

 

Try scored by South Sydney. Conversion successful.

Rabbitohs lead 38-10

66min gone

 

Another one for Souths now as their offloading and speed from their halves punishes the fatigued Parramatta defence. Their halfback Fotu-Moala left more than a few Eels grasping at thin air there as the capitulation continues for Parra today. There is a fracas after the try here and it has resulted in a player going to the bin on both sides. Nauer the Eel to hit the showers early.

 

Try scored by South Sydney. Conversion successful.

Rabbitohs lead 44-10

69min gone

 

Evidently they just let the clock run through all that brouhaha as the siren rings out after the conversion to close out a thoroughly disappointing day for the Matts and Ball.