A hectic Saturday continues with the Harold Matthews and SG Ball taking on the Central Coast Roosters from 2:00PM and 4:00PM respectively. The Parramatta Eels enter both games positioned above their opposition on the ladder but will need to forget about that and focus on getting the job done and punching their tickets to the finals.

Usually we would bring you full coverage of both games but as it stands I can guarantee a proper match blog for the Harold Matthews. However, with the SG Ball there is a chance that I may have to wrap up the live blog ahead of full time given the proximity to the NRL game (and real life commitments like making dinner etc). My apologies in advance!

 

 

Harold Matthews Team List

 

1	Liam Martin
2	Elijah Alhazim
3	Tyler Lama
4	Vaea Akau’ola
5	William Memea Epe
6	Salatielu Tamati
7	Caleb Leiataua
8	Deon Haynes
9	Spencer Sorensen
10	Winston Tahi
11	Jake Capovilla
12	Tyson Puleitu
13	Hayden Bell
Interchange
14	Flynn Manu’a
15	Khan Jackosn
16	Riley Paki
17	Nixon O’Connor
19	Danny Abuhamed

 

Late Mail

 

A couple of changes for the Matts. Nixon O’Connor moves into the starting front row with Winston Tahi. Deon Haynes drops back to the bench while Flynn Manu’a drops out of the side for Mathias Toailoa.

 

Match Updates

 

First Half

 

Parramatta to kick off.

Clean starts to the game as the Roosters work through their opening set. Parramatta come away with the ball after claiming the clearing kick and quickly get to work. Solid ruck work positions them inside the red zone on the last tackle as they run it down their left. Hands is the play as Bell finds Leiataua who cuts it out to Martin who pulls the trigger on the money ball as he puts Tyler Lama into space and the centre crashes over out wide!

 

Try scored by Tyler Lama. Conversion unsuccessful by Liam Martin.

Eels lead 4-0

4min gone

 

A very tidy set after points for the Eels. They punch it through the middle and get to their kick – an attacking one – as they send it up high. The Roosters are in all-sorts under the swirling bomb and get a huge break when they whiff on the catch attempt and the ball then takes a massive break to the dead ball line.

Parramatta are winning the collisions early on and none exemplify that more than Hayden Bell who carves in behind the ruck and frees his hand to find a flying Liam Martin in support. The fullback immediately hits 5th gear as he swerves past his opposite number to score a dashing long range try! Gorgeous footy.

 

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

Eels lead 10-0

9min gone

 

Really nice ball movement from the Eels now. They are attacking the Roosters from different angle through the middle as Tamati sends Akau’ola underneath. They immediately spring right to release Alhazim on a half break and complete the set on the goal line as Spencer Sorenson is barely repelled at the very last. Very good set.

And now the error from the Roosters. Looks like a forward pass has been called. Huge chance for the home team as they get the full set inside the red zone.

Simple option on the first as they play right to Alhazim who very deliberately steers away from the sideline. Winston Tahi rips in for a strong carry and is followed by Bell as the ball comes back to the posts. O’Connor is held up over the line so we come back 10m. Too east from the resumption of play! The Roosters get their numbers wrong and the Eels seize on the mismatch. The ball is quickly shifted to the right where Martin angles to the outside. He has Akau’ola and Alhazim to his outside but has a saloon passage to the line for himself and holds onto the ball for his second of the day.

 

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

Eels lead 14-0

15min gone

 

Winston Tahi bustles his way out to near the 30m mark on a cracking opening run. Hayden Bell explodes through the ruck two tackles later! A thunderous charge from the lock as he fends off the fullback and is eventually dragged down by cover defenders. Alas the Eels can’t maximise the chance as they play to the last tackle of the set where they get the attacking kick wrong and it sails out of the full for a 10m play-the-ball.

Blink and you miss it. The Roosters strike back swiftly with a long range effort of their own. Good number counting from the visitors as they attack the short side on halfway – Parramatta’s left edge in this case – and create the one man overlap. The Eels have their line broken and despite a valiant attempt from Martin at the final line of defence, the Roosters are able to cross in the corner.

 

Try scored by the Central Coast Roosters. Conversion unsuccessful.

Roosters trail 4-14

19min gone

 

An unforced error in the play-the-ball on the first tackle of the kickoff set has put the Roosters on the backfoot. Parramatta play left to Tahi from the scrum win as the bookend fights for metres. Bell goes on tackle two before Caleb combines with Puleitu on a short ball next play. An awry pass on the fourth nearly unravels the Eels as Bell tries to trap it with a boot only for it to be claimed by a defender but they were offside and the penalty keeps the ball with the Eels.

Despite the extra possession the Eels can’t penetrate the defence of the Tri-colours. Some solid attacking plays are turned away before a sharp raid down the left edge is undone by Liam Martin’s attempted tip on traveling well forwards. It was a slim window of opportunity for the fullback to make the play but he gets it wrong and the Roosters survive the kickoff error.

Parramatta cobble together a good defensive set and it allows Martin and Memea Epe to deliver strong opening runs to the next set. Deon Haynes tacks on from there with Puleitu and Paki rounding out the set. I missed a set restart somewhere because Bell and Capovilla also gets runs to put the Eels firmly on the goal line. Capovilla’s charge brings up the last as the Eels set up to run the ball. Loooong backline set to the left but Bell is the primary pivot on the movement and uses Deon Haynes short off his hip and the big fella careens through the defence and falls over the line to score!

 

Try scored by Deon Haynes. Conversion successful by Liam Martin.

Eels lead 20-4

26min gone

 

The try scorer leads the way next set as Haynes bull rushes his way to 28m off his goal line and goes on to win a penalty. The Eels find touch 12m short of halfway and get back to work. Toailoa gets his first run of the day as Paki follows. Some silky work from the left edge nearly sees the Eels over as Lama and Martin combine. Lovely flick ball from Tyler back inside to his fullback but the Roosters are able to hold on and effect an error from Parra’s #1 as he hits the deck.

A penalty goes the way of the visitors – this one for offside defenders – as they get a very handy piggyback out of their own quarter.

Reasonable set from the Roosters but the Eels maintain the integrity of their front line as Martin swallows up the bomb and makes a good return. Tidy set from the Blue & Gold now as Leiataua stabs a clever kick downfield to complete the set. The Roosters reclaim the ball but barely get two plays away before the siren rings out to bring an end to the half.

 

Half Time

Parramatta Eels 20 lead the Central Coast Roosters 4

 

Second Half

 

Roosters to kick off.

Early penalty for Parramatta as the defence is caught offside. Martin drives the touch finder down field and play resumes 10m inside the Roosters’ half.

The forwards get to work with Haynes providing a robust charge that carries the Eels into the red zone. Riley Paki does well to hold onto a pass he initially fumbles next play and keeps the set alive as a result. From there we see Caleb Leiataua hit Tyler Lama with an early pass as the centre cuts back infield. The defence have heavy feet this play and Lama identifies it as he straightens up and tears through the flimsy tackle attempts to nab his second of the day.

 

Try scored by Tyler Lama. Conversion successful by Liam Martin.

Eels lead 26-4

33min gone

 

Gee that is a quality set after points. No nonsense, effective ruck work capped off a by a good kick and a terrific chase headed by Martin as he jacks up his opposite number with a punishing shot. Martin is quickly involved at the end of the next set as he claims the clearing kick but rifles a long pass to Memea Epe to give his winger the return.

Puleitu has a nice run through the middle as he fights for bonus metres and it is a nice little piece of deception that follows. Sorenson finds his half Leiataua through the middle and Caleb feigns a short ball to Khan Jackson before firing the pass to Liam Martin on a blazing sweeping route. Martin explodes through the gap and races to the line to score his third of the game. A hat-trick for the fullback!

 

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

Eels lead 32-4

38min gone

 

The Roosters are struggling to go with the Eels through the ruck. Haynes has another barnstorming run before Mathias Toailoa is hit high. It is missed by the officials and he bounces up to play-the-ball. Just as well too because Caleb Leiatua is fully in his element now. He takes on the line and glides between defenders to put himself into space. He draws the fullback calmly and finds Tyler Lama on his left as the centre matches the hat-tricking effort of Martin just moments ago!

 

Try scored by Tyler Lama. Conversion unsuccessful by Liam Martin.

Eels lead 36-4

40min gone

 

Another dominant set from the Eels – at least up until the final play. They are punching holes in the Roosters here but the Tri-colours hold on and a rare miscue from Leiataua sees his attacking bomb skew heavy off the boot and bounce dead. Little good it does the Roosters though as they turn it over almost immediately. Martin has a lovely moment down the right edge with a silky catch-and-pass release to Alhazim that allows the winger to sortie down the sideline and head in field before the cover defence get a chance to drive him over the sideline. Vaea Akau’ola jumps into dummy half from about 8m out and has a dart against the scrambled defence as he spins through the defenders and grounds the ball over the line.

 

Try scored by Vaea Akau’ola. Conversion unsuccessful by Liam Martin.

Eels lead 40-4

45min gone

 

Parramatta complete another set after points and it is the prodigious boot of Leiataua at the fore here. He hammers a mammoth clearing kick that has hot pursuit from the Eels. The ball rolls deep in-goals and forces a desperation retrieval from the Roosters’ halfback (seemingly playing fullback) who does brilliantly to evade the chasers and barely get back into the field of play. He stays down from there but there is no whistle for high contact and play eventually resumes.

The Roosters do pick a penalty shortly thereafter and then a second as a prolonged possession begins to form. They find touch inside Parramatta’s half and begin to work from right-to-left but barely get into their task before a loose carry turns the ball over.

Ohhhh! Nearly a moment for Elijah Alhazim! He does so well to climb the ladder and contest a Liam Martin bomb. He tips the ball forwards and has the try line wide open if he can reclaim the tipped ball but his recover goes astray. Dang! Sensational effort nonetheless.

The Roosters earn a penalty from there but fail to find touch as Liam Martin takes the kick and returns it with interest. The Eels fail to convert the bonus possession into points and actually turn an error into an unlucky penalty when Leiataua fails to catch a wicked bounced pass. He spills it forwards into a supporting team mate who picks it up from an offside position. Correct call.

Oooh this is a spicy call against the Eels. Jake Capovilla is dealing with some garbage in the ruck and shoves a defender off him as he tries to play-the-ball. The referee’s whistle rings out and it isn’t a call for ruck interference but rather for interference against the markers. This is a call that should happen more often in the NRL in general but I think Capovilla got done a bit hard there. Could have comfortably been a penalty prior to his actions.

The Roosters are using all the tricks now with multiple short kicks in the midfield deployed over the next few possessions. Parramatta remain cool and react accordingly as the minutes on the clock continue to trickle towards all zeroes. A sudden burst from Capovilla and Akau’ola has the Eels knocking on the door again with a quality offload from the rangy backrower freeing his centre up to attack a retreating defensive line. Play comes back for a penalty to the Eels and from there it is a simple task for the outstanding Hayden Bell to plow through the fatigued defensive line of the Roosters and notch his name on the scorer’s sheet. The siren rings out as Martin adds the extras to complete a comprehensive victory for the Blue & Gold.

 

Try scored by Hayden Bell. Conversion successful by Liam Martin.

 

Full Time

Parramatta Eels 46 defeat the Central Coast Roosters 4

 

SG Ball Team List

 

1	Cameron Bamblett
2	Samuela Sorovi
3	Nathan Howlett
4	Lachlan Vella
5	Cyrus Bloomfield
6	Talen Risati
7	Lincoln Fletcher
8	Steven Nunn
9	Jirah-Trey Stewart
10	Ryda Talagi
11	Samuel Polley
12	Christopher Petrus
13	Billy Fanene
Interchange
15	Oliver Walker
16	Maison Ong
17	Nicholas Kotarac
18	Jackson Koina
20	Epapara Tahu-Apiata
22	Christopher Moala

 

My apologies again, this is where coverage likely wraps up today given the unique scheduling of the games remaining. Hopefully you all enjoyed a brilliant win from the Harold Matthews in the mean time.

 

Late Mail

 

TBC

 

Match Updates

I’m at CommBank Stadium now but I’ll try to bring some score updates. (Sixties)

First Half

An early double to Cyrus Bloomfield. The first was a 90 metre intercept after about six minutes and now he’s finished off a terrific left side shift in the Eels set after the kick off to score in the corner.

Fletcher converted the first try but missed the second

Eels 10 CC Roosters nil after 10 minutes.

Petrus to the sin bin in the 17th minute.

Try to Roosters centre.

Eels 10 CC Roosters 4 after 26 minutes

Half time Eels 10 lead CC Roosters 4

 

 

Second Half

A long delay, over two hours, due to an injury requiring an ambulance.

Tries in the second half to Stewart, Petrus and Bamblett, with the Roosters adding just one of their own.

Full time Eels 28 defeat Roosters 8.