Righteous retribution and the chance to climb the rungs of the finals are both at stake for the SG Ball today as they meet the South Sydney Rabbitohs. The Bunnies manhandled the Eels way back in Round 6 to hand Parramatta their lone loss of the season, Now they get the chance to right that wrong off the back of an immaculate second half of footy against the Bulldogs last week.

There is a bit of a delay between the Harold Matthews and SG Ball today with neutral match-ups in the Lisa Fiaola and Tarsha Gale splitting the two Parramatta games. You can catch all the updates from this game live from 4:00PM!

SG Ball Team List

 

1	Riley Davis
2	Samuela Sorovi
3	Nathan Howlett
4	Lachlan Vella
5	Cyrus Bloomfield
6	Cameron Bamblett
7	Talen Risati
8	Steven Nunn
9	Jirah-Trey Stewart
10	Ryda Talagi
11	Stirling Faumui
12	Christopher Petrus
13	Jackson Koina
Interchange
14	Michael Nauer
15	Wesley Tongamoa
16	Maison Ong
17	Nicholas Kotarac
18	Billy Fanene
22	Lorima Rokosuka

 

Late Mail

 

Eels are per the program.

 

Match Updates

 

Parramatta to receive the ball. Like the Matts earlier they will run towards the cricket fields in the first half.

Talagi with the lead run. Good carry. Nunn rips in next as the Eels play left to Faumui on tackle three. Koina digs in behind the ruck before Bamblett has a ranging run to bring up the last. Risati sends the bomb up and a terrific chase is rewarded as Howlett claims a spilled catch!

Nunn goes close cutting to the left as we worth right to Petrus next play. He sorties back left and is cut down short of the line. Risati dummies and goes and is over! No! Double movement? I am not sure about that call! I think his ball carrying arm was up before he made the ball planting attempt. Either way the penalty goes against the Eels. Maybe a tough call there.

Souths get to their kick in the reply set as Davis reels in the midfield bomb. Petrus, Vella and Talagi all toil hard to get the Eels near halfway as Risati tests the same edge under the high ball. Again they cough it up! This one skews out the back as the Eels chase through. They try to toe it ahead as Howlett is tackled trying to claim the bouncing ball. It is play on still as the Bunnies get the ball back before a penalty is blown. Not sure what was the trigger there but tempers flare up. Some push and shove but nothing else there.

The ref misses an obstruction from the Bunnies now, pretty clearly running behind the decoy player there but the combination of Howlett and Bloomfield make a big play anyway as they hold the runner up and then bundle them into touch. Great effort!

Powerful charge from Koina! He knocks a defender over and is followed by Talagi to bring up the last. Risati goes to the same way and there is another controversial moment. The ball sails close to the sideline and the winger tries to make a cerebral play by planting his foot on the line. However I thought he caught the ball and THEN put his foot down for what should have been Parra ball. Touchy saw otherwise though so it is ruled out on the full.

Man those little moments come at you quick. It could have been Parra’s ball and firmly on the attack, instead Souths will play out the set. They build to an attacking bomb that Davis goes up to attempt to defuse. He is barely out leapt by a Bunny who tips it backwards to support player that gets the room service bounce to cross for first points.

 

Try scored by South Sydney. Conversion unsuccessful.

Souths lead 4-0

10min gone

 

Now a line ball call goes to the Eels! Sorovi makes a one-on-one strip on tackle two but I thought it was completed on the ground. Could have easily been ruled a penalty but we take that.

Oh no! The Eels have missed a big chance here! There wasn’t a lot doing this set but Bloomfield is able to snare the crossfield bomb and just as he looks to stretch out and ground it the defenders clip his arm and the ball is dropped by the barest of margins. Dang that one hurts.

Again these moments. Eerily similar to the last sequence where a close call goes against the Eels and then they concede from a kick. This time there is no tip back – just an outright win in the air as our right edge is beaten up high before the offload finds a back who scores in the corner.

Some real work to do now for our boys.

 

Try scored by South Sydney. Conversion unsuccessful.

Souths lead 8-0

14min gone

 

That was a delayed call but that was very clearly a knock on. Big shot from the Eels’ middle jolts it loose and it took a moment for the whistle to come.

Can they hit back here?

Centrefield scrum. Eels play right to Risati who has a nice opening run. Talagi surges forwards next. Left to Koina who plays to Nunn. He fights for more metres. It falls apart on the next play though as Risati grasses the transfer pass from Koina.

Some withering defence from the Blue & Gold here. Driving tackle after driving tackle. Souths are holding on but are getting pinned down. It sets up Davis for a neat kick return as Bloomfield provides a big carry on the next tackle. Sorovi with more of the same. Great gear and a set restart!

Faumui and Talagi go next as Petrus is unleashed down the right and carries defenders to the line. Back to Koina and the posts as JTS takes a dart to bring up the least. The Eels run it down their left on the last with a great called shot. Risati plays it to Davis angling left as he turns it back inside to Bamblett but terrific last ditch defence prevents him from grounding the ball. So close again.

Oh boy there is a razor thin margin there. Great 40/20 attempt from Souths and Davis tries to walk the tight rope to keep it in the field of play. I don’t think he pulled it off BUT the touch judge says the ball touched the sideline on the 21m mark before Davis touched it. Wow that was close.

Now a penalty for the Eels as their possession stretches out. They find touch on the Souths’ 20m mark. Howlett tap and go. Right to Kotarac via three passes. Back left to Faumui who nearly smashes his way over before Bloomfield gets an awkward pass that forces him back infield. Big spread right to Petrus that brings up the last but Risati has lead boots on this kick as his grubber rolls dead by some margin.

Big metres as you would expect from a 7-tackle set but heady play from Kotarac leads to the second strip for the Eels this half. Great initiative.

The Eels can’t complete the bonus set though. Tongamoa is thrown to the ground in a heavy tackle and the ball is squeezed in his grip. Ref rules it lost.

Good runs from the Bunnies early in this set. They will be in position for an attacking kick at the minimum. They almost open the Eels up with a shift to their lift and do win a penalty for a high shot from Bamblett I think.

Sharp hands from the Rabbitohs is able to punish an aggressive jam around the ruck as they find the open channel near the posts and consolidate their lead in a big way.

 

Try scored by South Sydney. Conversion successful.

Souths lead 14-0

27min gone

 

From bad to worse for the Ball as Souths score from the kick off. End to end, coast to coast as brittle defence down the right edge is just eviscerated by star Souths playmaker Taj Alvarez. He has a hundred options to pass to when he comes to Davis but uses the dummy and scores a sensational solo try.

 

Try scored by South Sydney. Conversion successful.

Souths lead 20-0

30min gone

 

It is an avalanche here. Another tough call goes against them with a knock on called against Petrus when the ball pretty obviously went backwards but it doesn’t excuse the flimsy defence that follows as Souths just carve through the left edge of the Eels to score again.

 

Try scored by South Sydney. Conversion unsuccessful.

Souths lead 24-0

34min gone

 

Souths nearly score on the buzzer following an outrageous midfield grubber – the sort of thing you can freely attempt when up 24 points – but the connecting pass for the potential try is very clearly forwards and the referee is right there to spot it. That brings us to the half with a mountain of work to be done by the Eels in the second half.

 

Half Time

South Sydney Rabbitohs 24 lead the Parramatta Eels 0

 

Second Half

 

Eels to kick off.

More drama. Souths lose the ball sideways from the kick off and maybe even put a foot on the line but it is all ruled play on. Never a dull moment in footy, eh?

It all ends with a clearing kick from Souths that Sorovi returns with interest for great early field position. They struggle for traction through the set though and end up bombing it off the boot of Risati. Big Nic Kotarac chases and has a great attempt at a leaping catch but it impacted by the Souths fullback in the air. Could have been a penalty on another day but it is play on today.

Souths have pretty clearly been a much better side today but there have been some real tough calls against the Eels.

Speaking of, Bloomfield is taken down in a very awkward tackle that draws the ire of the crowd but it is play on. A penalty does come later that set though so the Eels get a foot in the door for first points in the second half.

Kotarac strides forwards to set the tone early on. Bamblett attacks the ruck next as Risati and Ong work the right next. Back to Kortarac to set up the last and options either side. They play left as Risati quickly finds Davis and he digs into the line and hits Howlett with a late and flat ball to put him over! Gee they needed that and even so there is so much work left to do but the Eels are on the board!

 

Try scored by Nathan Howlett. Conversion unsuccessful by Cyrus Bloomfield.

Eels trail 4-24

41min gone

 

The try scorer nearly bursts through as well now! The raid down the left sees him nearly slice the Bunnies open from midfield but the Rabbitohs do extremely well to cut him down. The set concludes with a midfield bomb that is very well caught by the South Sydney fullback Walters.

Time off at the end of the next set for an injured Bunny. He is down all the way back in their half. The ball was with Davis after fielding the clearing kick from the opposition but obviously a downed player supersedes any other playing considerations.

Significant delay in the game as the trainers assist the injured Rabbitoh. Hope it isn’t serious but it appears they have made a makeshift sling out of his jersey as he is aided off the field.

We are finally back as the Eels get a result from their fifth tackle option. A contested midfield bomb leads to a double knock on but the first indiscretion was against the Rabbitohs.

Scrum for the Eels just 25m off the South Sydney goal line.

To Vella from the scrum win and the defenders are offside. A penalty naturally. The scrum will be repacked. Caution to the defenders now. Repeat offenders should be binned per the rules.

They are very much onside this time though and Talagi steams in on tackle two! He nearly scores! Kotarac follows his up and is again barely turned away but they can’t stop Jireh-Trey Stewart! He is too strong from close range in the wake of those two monstrous runs and slams the ball down on the line!

 

Try scored by Jireh-Trey Stewart. Conversion successful by Cyrus Bloomfield.

Eels trail 10-24

48min gone

 

Good set after points as the Eels drive into Souths’ territory. Risati goes to the air again but this one is well taken and now there is chaos. Bamblett is tangled up in the ruck and tries to extract himself only to be penalised. Then the South Sydney player dangerously lifts him off his feet and dumps him on his head and Bamblett is having nothing of it. He gets right in the face of the Rabbitohs and the two teams swirl in.

Time off for a consultation between the officials. What will be the outcome? That was reckless and unnecessary from the Souths player. Will the foul offset Bamblett’s ruck indiscretion?

What? Bamblett has been sent to the bin. I would hazard a guess there was a striking action in that fracas but Souths will escape without an offsetting sin bin. Madness considering how dangerous the initial action was. Bamblett was literally dropped on his head. Can’t agree with that outcome.

Down to 12-men the Eels will need a miraculous effort to complete any sort of comeback from here. They have a red hot crack in their next set as Sorovi soars high to claim the attacking bomb before offloading to Vella. The right centre flings it back infield to Koina but the lock forward drops the tough catch at full stride.

Okay this is a joke. Bloomfield makes a good ruck run and gets to his feet for the quick play-the-ball but a blatant second effort in the tackle drives him back to ground and the referee has the gall to call a knock on. The tough calls are stacking up today.

Savvy play from Bloomfield as he intercepts a dangerous pass with a clever tip back and recovery. The Eels then pick up a penalty for offside defenders but with 13min on the clock they have so much ground to make up.

Koina and Nunn toil relentlessly in this set. It sets up a final tackle play between Risati and Davis as the halfback grubbers for the fullback. This one runs real close as Riley gets to the bouncing ball deep in-goals and try to ground it. Ref rules no try and in spite of all my grumbling in the second half I am inclined to agree with him.

Souths break the line in return but squander the play with a loose pass the next tackle.

Bamblett is finally back on. What a courageous 10-minute period from the Eels. They will need to score thrice in 9-minutes now but still have an outside chance.

Cameron uses his fresh legs to nearly carve a hole through the ruck defence of the Rabbitohs but the attacking kick is defused under serious pressure at the end of the set.

Where is the knock on? Where? It was a sloppy attempt to clean up the kick for sure but everything clearly went backwards and the referee has found a phantom knock on and Riley Davis is blowing up. It leads to a try from the scrum win and as good as Souths have been today geez the officiating has not been up to standard. Brutal game from the young official.

 

Try scored by South Sydney. Conversion unsuccessful.

Souths lead 28-10

65min gone

 

The equation is still three scores funnily enough but the Eels have to throw caution to the wind and it backfire here. Unlike the previous try from a kick off that featured some shoddy defence this one was a mechanic of competing for the kick and having no one to play short stop. Souths win the catch and have no one in front of them as they race down the sideline. Davis makes a valiant attempt at the end but it is to no avail and the Rabbitohs cross again.

 

Try scored by South Sydney. Conversion successful.

Souths lead 34-10

68min gone

 

Short again from the Eels but no try either way. The ball is tipped back by Bloomfield I believe but it trickles into touch and neither team is in a hurry to play the ball. Still over a minute left in this game but Souths are rucking it out in a simple fashion as they work into Parra’s half. They try to stab a kick in through the front line and Bamblett sticks his foot out before it is reclaimed by the Rabbitohs. Right call for the six again.

Parramatta survive the second set as Davis fields a chip kick in-goals and tempers flare again. Not sure what happened there but there are some words exchanged between the teams as the Eels, amusingly given everything else this game, get the penalty.

Wait nope. The call has been reversed and another Eel sent to the bin. Riley Davis the man sent packing and I dare say he gave the referee some candid feedback on his performance today.

Souths will take a shot at goal to close out this somewhat farcical game. In spite of all the howlers from the ref Souths were outstanding in the first half and defeat the Eels for the second time this season.

 

Penalty goal successful for South Sydney.

 

Full Time

South Sydney Rabbitohs 36 defeat the Parramatta Eels 10