The Harold Matthews meet the Newcastle Knights in the second round of the finals. The Eels survived a thrilling encounter with the Canberra Raiders last week and now set about the task of bundling the minor premiers out of the postseason. Lorima Seuseu returns to the team this week in a huge boost to the back line but the Eels will need big efforts across the park in order to punch their ticket to the grand final qualifier.

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Harold Matthews Team List

 

1	Liam Martin
2	Elijah Alhazim
3	Tyler Lama
4	Lorima Seuseu
5	William Memea Epe
6	Salatielu Tamati
7	Caleb Leiataua
8	Deon Haynes
9	Flynn Manu’a
10	Curtis Brown
11	Jake Capovilla
12	Khan Jackson
13	Hayden Bell
Interchange
15	Leonard Salter
16	Tyson Puleitu
17	Christopher Suaalii
19	Danny Abuhamed
19	Riley Paki

 

Late Mail

 

Eels look to be per the program.

 

Match Updates

 

First Half

 

The Eels to kick off. They will be running towards the cricket fields in the first half, for those familiar with Eric Tweedale.

Bell leads the chase from the opening kick. Brown has a strong, driving tackle on play two and is backed up next play by running mate Haynes and he has forced an error! Huge start!

Leiataua feeds the scrum and Bell plays from the base of the set piece but the play is pulled up immediately for a repack. Ref didn’t like something there. Leiataua takes a run from the new scrum as Bell and Haynes combine next play. Caleb has a second carry and nearly drags defenders over the line. Tamati runs next before the Eels work right to their fullback Martin to bring up the last. Two passes wide lift on the last as Leiataua sends the bomb up the Memea Epe but both teams lose sight of the kick and it bounces into touch.

A much better set for the Knights now as they work into Parra’s half and again there are struggles under the high ball as Memea Epe balks at the swirling midfield bomb. It hits the deck and screws right at him and induces an error. The tables flip very quickly now as the Knights go on the attack.

Good defensive efforts around the posts here as the Eels repel strong carries and offloads alike. Newcastle swing from left to right and then back left before Martin smartly fields the chip kick in-goals for a 20m restart. Very good opening response in defence from the Matts there.

Haynes and Bell carve out great metres as Jackson gets involved late in the set to cart in deep into Newcastle’s half. Tamati dummies and goes down the right edge and has broken a tackle and is seemingly into open space with Lama and Martin pouring through in support but there was an obstruction! Ref is very quick on the call there.

Phew! The Knights work towards an attacking kick and again target Memea Epe’s wing. He takes to the air this time to compete for the ball but the Knights knock it on in the same contest.

Great runs from the backrowers now! Capovilla bulldozes through defenders and Jackson follows his example before earning a whistle for a high shot that pinged up off the shoulder.

Seuseu takes the tap restart from the touch finder and sends Jackson into the fray. Right to Bron and right again to Bell on a neat sweep as he uses Martin on a crash line. Leiataua conducts play back to the left before Manu’a nearly puts a steaming Haynes over! Big effort to stop him there from the Knights. Caleb attacks the left edge short side with an early ball to Seuseu who tries to put Memea Epe over but the pass is tipped and very nearly intercepted in an incredible diving attempt at the falling pill.

Ref signals it was knocked on and that is a huge moment in this game because the Eels strike from the scrum win. It is a case of giving it to their dominant centre as Seuseu uses speed, power and footwork to dance between defenders and then drive his way over for the first try of the game!

 

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

Eels lead 6-0

12min gone

 

Nearly a moment for the Eels as Leiataua almost drops the restart but he manages to hold on and on the next play a penalty is blown for the Blue & Gold.

Great metres! Bell is devastating in behind the ruck and it has the Knights on their heels as Capovilla tries to smash his way over in the wake of that run. Newcastle somehow stop him and that effort is rewarded as an error comes next play when Leiataua offloads to Martin down the left and the fullback is caught thinking about the pass he has to make before reeling it in.

Tidy following set for the Eels as again Bell asks some serious questions with a big tilt down the left edge before Tamati completes the sequence with a well weighted bomb. Alas, a high shot midway through the defensive reply lets Newcastle get back to halfway to start a repeat set.

Newcastle hit back in that set. Early ball down their left edge sets them up for a clean 2-on-2 out wide and Faavae-Eli is able to beat Lama on the outside before stepping through the last ditch attempt from Martin to score in the corner.

 

Try scored by the Newcastle Knights. Conversion unsuccessful.

Knights trail 4-6

18min gone

 

Another penalty for the Knights, a leg pull is the indication it looks like. Big stand here from the Eels. Can they hold out? Yes they can! Some sloppy passing from the Knights assists them but it still takes a magnificent catch from Martin on the last as he defuses the bomb with absolute confidence.

It falls apart from there though as despite earning a penalty to get out of their defensive quarter the touch finder is shanked badly and easily fielded by the Knights. Big mental lapse there and it costs them dearly. Newcastle play through their set until the last where they gamble on running it down the left edge short side. An Eel slips on the line, maybe it was Lama, and it creates the crack in the armour the Knights need to slip the final pass to their winger to dive in the corner. Attention to details really hurting the Eels in that full sequence.

 

Try scored by the Newcastle Knights. Conversion unsuccessful.

Knights lead 8-6

24min gone

 

Speaking of mental lapses, the Knights unravel on the kick off and let the ball bounce. It kicks angrily to the dead ball line and is knocked forwards in-goals to try and save the drop out. The short restart then fails to travel 10m and the Eels get a play-the-ball 10m out. Tamati and Leiataua involved in the early tackles here. They use Jackson and Capovilla before Bell tries to put Puleitu over. The Eels arrive at the last and look to kick to their right edge but the kick is too heavy off the boot and taken without an issue in-goals.

20m restart for Newcastle. They are surging with the extended set fueling them and pick up a set restart late in the count for even more momentum. The Eels will do very well to hold on here as they trap the dummy half Gleeson up over the line.

Seuseu is defending on the right edge now. Looks like the centres have swapped edges.

Oh my goodness. What a put down. Can’t even be mad at that. Newcastle grubber it down their right and the ball looks heavy off the boot but a spirited chase and a ridiculous one hand grounding as the ball kicks up high has resulted in a cracking try before half time for Newcastle. They will head into the break with a handy lead.

 

Try scored by the Newcastle Knights. Conversion successful.

Knights lead 14-6

29min gone

 

Time enough for one tackle and it is a standard play so the half ends.

 

Half Time

Newcastle Knights 14 lead the Parramatta Eels 6

 

Second Half

 

Eels to field the ball.

A strong opening possession from the Eels is undone by a penalty on their attacking kick as they take the defender out in the air.

Parra survive an early scare when a sloppy ruck from Memea Epe is pinged. The goal line defence is locked in thankfully and win a trap and scrap on the last. Play is then halted for an injury to Alhazim. Lower leg the issue here and he is aided off the field as Leonard Salter is thrust into the game off the bench.

Almost something from nothing! Martin wins a battle for the high ball as the attacker and offload to Tamati who somehow drags in the pass. He gets it out to Seuseu who attacks down the right and offloads to Capovilla who is eventually wrapped up before he tries to keep the ball alive on the last only to lose it forwards.

Bull rushes from Bell and Haynes have the Eels knocking on the door before Leiataua nearly scores! He dummies and cuts off the left foot but the Knights somehow wrap him up. That brings up the last as Parra spin it right. Early ball for Seuseu and explodes off his left foot and nearly scores in the corner but the cover defence drag him down a metre short. Turnover. Now a penalty for a high shot from the Eels. The field is immediately flipped.

Newcastle go from end-to-end as a result but lose the ball forwards and eventually dead in-goals competing for an attacking bomb. Good result for the Eels there as they get a 20m restart.

Another scoring opportunity for the Eels as Bell attacks the left edge on the last. He jumps out of dummy half and looks to have sparked an overlap but the passing is awry from the Eels. Another try goes begging there and again the Eels concede a penalty in the quick turnaround between possessions.

Costly too. The Knights are the first team to score in the second half as Tamati is beaten by their backrower McKay inside the redzone. The scramble can’t cover in time and the Eels are now down at least two scores.

 

Try scored by the Newcastle Knights. Conversion unsuccessful.

Knights lead 18-6

43min gone

 

Parra are clinging on grimly now as a potential Newcastle line break is undone by a forward pass. They desperately need something special here and it is Jake Capovilla who provides! He weaves in back to the ruck and splits the defence out of nowhere before expertly drawing the fullback and releasing his own #1 into free space as he puts Liam Martin over! Huge play out of nowhere!

 

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

Eels trail 12-18

47min gone

 

Curtis Brown trucks it out of his red zone as Jackson and Capovilla come in for work next. Capovilla isn’t done! He slips an outstanding offload! The Eels are off down the right sideline as Salter flies down field. He cuts away from the sideline and nearly beats the fullback! To the left now! Numbers! The Eels spin it wide and fast as the Knights scramble. Memea Epe ends up with the ball and dances back infield before flicking it to Lama who races back left to the corner to score! My oh my! Martin with an important kick here…and the touchies take a half step to their right and raise the flags!

 

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

Eels lock the scores up at 18-all

50min gone

 

Kick off return via Martin. Good metres. Capovilla and Brown up next. Bell feeding Brown a nice ball there. Now a run for the lock himself as he is cut down in Newcastle’s half. The Eels run it on the last with Leiataua but it probably isn’t the play as he is wrapped up in the midfield. He had a chance to find Jackson on his left but dummied and got tackled.

An error from Brown in the ruck has gifted the Knights a chance to reclaim the lead. Defence has to lock in now.

Ah, the bounce pass. It strikes fear into defensive lines and yields points so often. Newcastle get the rangefinder on the cutout pass wrong but it kicks up beautifully for their centre as he gets outside Lama and flicks it to his winger to score out wide. Tough one to defend honestly and a slice of luck for the Knights.

Still time in this game, roughly 4 minutes but the Eels need to move quickly in order to force extra time.

 

Try scored by the Newcastle Knights. Conversion successful.

Knights lead 24-18

56min gone

 

Parra go short. Really well executed kick off. I think it is Capovilla who goes up for it and he gets first dibs on the ball but it comes out as the Newcastle jumper contacts him. Knock on. Damn, they really needed that one to go their way.

Time off for an injured Eel now. Is that big Chris Suaalii? He is helped off after a break of play.

Newcastle in possession, inside Parra’s half.

Shockingly aggressive play from the Knights as they try to chip it on the last with their right centre. Martin shepherds the ball over the dead ball line and we go to the 20m line.

Big runs up the guts here. Can the Eels turn it into something more?

Brown with a run wide left as we go that away again with Lama. One play now. Kick to the right where the bomb is beautifully defused by the Newcastle winger. Great catch.

An error though! An error coming off their line! Roughly a minute to play and whole hearted defence gets the reward there! There is still hope!

Scrum is set in front of the posts and just like that the flame of hope is extinguished. It goes all wrong from the back line set piece as Tamati loses his outside option and passes to no one. Oh no.

They need a miracle now as Salter claims a bomb with maybe time for one play left. The siren rings out as they play hot potato and despite their best efforts they can’t make magic happen and Newcastle will progress while the Eels bow out of the 2026 Harold Matthews premiership.

Valiant effort this season from a young team. Newcastle were able to punish a number of errors today and despite a gutsy fight back from the Blue & Gold they just barely didn’t have enough in the tank to knock over the minor premiers.

 

Full Time

Newcastle Knights 24 defeat the Parramatta Eels 18