The other double header today features the Jersey Flegg Cup and NSW Cup taking on the Roosters out at Wentworth Park. Both grades had bounce back wins last week against Manly and desperately need to regain momentum in their seasons with follow-up victories today against the Tri-colours.

We await late mail for both sides but Flegg is likely to be per their list while Cup should be boosted by the expected late additions of Charlie Guymer and Toni Mataele after both forwards were not activated in the NRL game last night.

Flegg kicks off at 12:30PM while the NSW Cup follows at 2:45PM!

Jersey Flegg Team List

 

1	Nathan Howlett
2	Lorima Rokosuka
3	Dakota Kakoi
4	Harley Walker
5	Druzel Taula
6	Cameron Bamblett
7	Kade Moujalli
8	Markkuz Ofanoa
9	Jack Hudson
10	Saumaki Saumaki
11	Trace Beattie
12	Christopher Petrus
13	Jackson Koina
Interchange
14	Lachlan Coinakis
15	Callum McMenemy
16	Stirling Faumui
17	Elijah-Shane Tapau
18	Noah Parker

 

Late Mail

 

Match Updates

 

Apologies for the lack of Flegg updates, I had an impromptu family catch up. Clocking in for the Cup updates now though.

 

NSW Cup Team List

 

1	Brad Avery
2	Devonte Vaivela
3	Siamani Leuluai
4	Jake Tago
5	Jordan Hill
6	Lorenzo Talataina
7	Lincoln Fletcher
10	Max Tupou
9	Ryley Smith
22	Toni Mataele
12	Jezaiah Funa-Iuta
18	Charlie Guymer
13	Saxon Pryke
Interchange
8	Ryda Talagi
11	Tyrese Lokeni
14	Kruz Niutili-Schmidt
16	Zack Visconti

 

Late Mail

 

As expected, Toni Mataele and Charlie Guymer drop back for this game. Full reshuffle reflected in the updated team list above.

 

Match Updates

 

First Half

 

Eels kicking off.

Pryke and Tupou combine for the opening tackle as the Roosters work the ball out towards halfway at the set’s conclusion. Ryley pressures Rodwell on the last as a towering bomb is launched but Avery is able to secure the ball near his goal line to give Parra their opening possession of the day.

Good reply set from the Eels as  they carve their way back over halfway and allow Fletcher to send a tidy kick into the right corner and properly enter the territorial contest.

Tupou continues to be involved in defence as the Roosters work to their right. A terrific kick pressure from Ryley Smith almost sees him trap Foley on the last but the five-eighth is able to fling a desperation offload away that leads to a clearing kick which in turns see Avery – to put it as kindly as possible – make a complete meal of the clean up and spot the Roosters a line drop out.

Brutal outcome for such an outstanding effort from Smith.

Roosters again push to their left and they do have numbers there but jamming defence from the Eels forces an awkward pass that stalls the attack. However, it opens up a reverse of play and with a clean shift to their right the Roosters are able to catch Parramatta a man short and it opens a path for Tommy Talau to dive over in the corner. That Avery error proving costly.

 

Try scored by the Sydney Roosters. Conversion unsuccessful.

Roosters lead 4-0

6min gone

 

Well that was less than ideal. Can the boys pick themselves up?

Mataele, Pryke and Fletcher all lodging tackles through the early running of the next set but it quickly unravels from there as the Tri-colours split Parramatta down the Eels’ left edge. Fletcher got absolutely destroyed by an obstructing decoy player there but referee says play on and the Roosters run riot as Owen Flaherty carves through the overlap and then brushes past an ordinary attempt from Avery at the last line. The boys, as it turns out, did not pick themselves up.

 

Try scored by the Sydney Roosters. Conversion successful.

Roosters lead 10-0

9min gone

 

A huge glut of possession for the home team as the Eels are pinged in defence – Guymer the culprit for a shoulder charge seems to be the ruling – and then quickly marched 10m for dissent. It immediately spirals into points as our left edge is stripped down again and Heath touches down in the corner for the Roosters. Barely 11min gone in this one and the Eels are peering deep into the abyss.

 

Try scored by the Sydney Roosters. Conversion successful.

Roosters lead 16-0

12min gone

 

Well…at least they didn’t score again. The Roosters are actually forced to clear the ball from their own half as the Eels get a rare taste of possession but that too merely leads to more points for the home team. After battling to get over halfway and set themselves up for a contestable kick, Talataina’s swirling midfield bomb is claimed by a flying Brooklyn Heath who cuts through the kick chase with embarrassing ease and then blazes past poor Avery as he strides out to score in the corner once again. Truly entering, ‘throw the damn towel’ territory here.

 

Try scored by the Sydney Roosters. Conversion successful.

Roosters lead 22-0

16min gone

 

Well, we have made it two consecutive Sydney possessions without them scoring. Baby steps.

Lorenzo takes the Eels down a narrow left edge and threaten to open up play with a pass to a looping Avery out the back but there is a whistle for an offside defender it looks like.

Parramatta with their first proper look at the Roosters’ red zone and Jake Tago has a dazzling little charge as he beats multiple defenders and is dragged down a metre short of the line. From there the Eels win a set restart only to literally throw it all away as Avery’s pass down the left edge is plucked out of the air by Talau for a backbreaking intercept.

Plenty of credit to the lads here mind you – the cover chase for a team that is getting its pants beaten off them was excellent as they catch Talau. It is a critical stop as well as the Eels dig deep in the resultant set to somehow repel the home team and even force an error after a successful jam from Vaivela down the left edge.

Good, honest reply set from the Eels as they try to roll up their sleeves and earn their way back into this contest. Talataina finds the grass with his clearing kick to cap it off. A small win but one they will take right now.

Now some luck as the referee indicates the Roosters lost it forwards in a contest for a high ball – I thought it had come off Avery first but geez you take that.

More fortune for the Eels now as a quick blitz down the left sees that pass from Tago take the hand of a defender and earn the Blue & Gold a fresh set via a scrum feed.

Scrum is set ~42m off Parra’s goal line as they break right to Leuluai. To the left now with a nice movement that release Vaivela into a small corridor for a healthy gain. Lorenzo sorties back infield and tries to pick up Talagi on the trail run but it is called forwards. Borderline – maybe even a tough – call there.

At least the Roosters have slid out of top gear now. They force an unnecessary offload and it leads to a knock-on.

Fletcher drops it off to Tago down the left on the first play and it earns a set restart. Lorenzo takes the Eels right now as he correctly links up with Ryda this time around. Fletcher feeds Pryke who offloads to Lorenzo as he dances through defenders and finds Ryley through the middle. Fletcher takes the Eels left and turns Avery back inside before Guymer runs and offloads as the Eels pass through the bigs to find Ryda. The set is completed with a stab-chip from Lorenzo down the right but it hasn’t got enough weight to find Hill and is plucked out of the air by the Tri-colours.

Messy play from the Eels as they fail to defuse an attacking bomb that is angled against the setting sun. Vaivela loses it backwards initially but the touch judge makes a late call that Tago raked it forwards after diving on it.

It gives the Roosters a free shot at the Eels’ goal line and they strike immediately with a simple back line move from the scrum win that shouldn’t have caught the Eels short but it did. Junior Pauga the big beneficiary there as he finds himself on the end of the movement and is able to get around the corner on Hill to score out wide.

 

Try scored by the Sydney Roosters. Conversion unsuccessful.

Roosters lead 26-0

32min gone

 

Lovely tempo shift out of nowhere! Talataina takes the team up a gear from a 20m restart as he hammers the left edge on consecutive plays. The latter of which releases Vaivela down the sideline! Devonte has a couple of options inside and it looks like he is passing to Tago but it is Lincoln Fletcher – who has come from the other side of the field – who plucks the pass out of the air and strides out to finish the sparkling play! Nothing has gone right for the Eels but Fletcher scoring on debut is something to celebrate there! He tacks on the extras for a bit of bonus goodness too.

 

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

Eels trail 6-26

37min gone

 

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Credit to theshortball (cracking account for juniors coverage)

 

Talagi and Visconti with some early work this set as Ryley jumps out of dummy-half to great effect. He takes the Eels to halfway as Fletcher drops it off to Funa-Iuta for another good gain. The bomb goes up to complete the set and the Roosters are pinned a metre off their line. Lovely kick from Fletcher.

The intensity lift continues as Vaivela delivers withering shot that drives the runner back ingoals! Time enough for a few plays for the Eels as Visconti storms back with the ball after a booming drop out. The clock is ticking as they venture to their right but Avery is trapped with the ball as the siren rings out to bring a close to an overwhelmingly disappointing half…although we saw some sparks of life from the young talent in the squad towards the end.

 

Half Time

Sydney Roosters 26 lead the Parramatta Eels 6

 

Obviously a dire half for the Eels but Talataina and Fletcher have dragged Parramatta barely back into this contest. Credit to the young halves there. Some good work from the rotation forwards as well as the contest finally leveled out somewhat following the insane opening barrage (or capitulation depending on your view).

 

Second Half

 

Talagi takes the Eels forwards from the kick off as Ryley has a dart on the next play. Unlucky not to win a set restart there as he catches defenders out but earns a penalty at the end for a stupid push from the defender. However the referee realises that play is outside the 20m mark so we stop and come back for a set restart. Phew.

Solid set from the Eels here. Nothing flash but the build nicely to the kick where Talataina sends up a well placed bomb. Inexplicably the Roosters let it bounce as Vaivela races through to try and claim the bouncing ball. I am not sure how he didn’t get it but the Roosters somehow come away with the pill and stay inside the field of play.

Such an important play as well as despite some early energetic defence from the Eels they are caught napping down their left edge as the Roosters break through into open space with their speedster Heath. Lorenzo makes an important cover tackle but Ryley is pinged for a high tackle in the follow up. From there the Roosters clearly lose the ball in a tackle but the officials miss it allowing them to roll the ball in behind the defence and pin Avery in-goals. Big missed call there.

Fletcher goes short but the Roosters claim it as they begin to work from right-to-left. Clear danger signs here as Rodwell digs into the line for the home team. He is attacking the channel between Fletcher and Leuluai as he picks up a flying Darcy Smith and the interchange forward smashes through the exterior defenders to score first points in the second half.

 

Try scored by the Sydney Roosters. Conversion successful.

Roosters lead 32-6

47min gone

 

Tidy set after points for the Roosters as they clear it from shy of halfway only to find Avery on the full. Hill and Leuluai put their hands up for some work before Fletcher attacks the short side. It is a nice run but no one has come with him. He was cooking there but just needed a support runner. Still, the Eels complete the set with a midfield kick that they try to contest but the Roosters come away with the ball.

There is an error from the Roosters in the next set though as the Eels pack for a scrum fractionally inside their opposition’s half. Some nice ball playing by the forwards – looked like JFI with the soft hands there. Alas the ball is squeezed out of Visconti’s hands shortly afterwards. There was a defender on the ball there but I think it is fair to say the onus was on Zack to keep his grip on the pill. They were building nicely there but just stall at the wrong time.

Sharp clearing kick from Ryley Smith there as he tries to kick the Eels out of trouble. A fatigued kick chase can’t do justice to the clearing play though as the Roosters start with plus field position in this set. They keep working into the Eels’ half and unleash a shift to their right but disciplined cover play from the left edge sees Talataina swoop on the kick angled back infield from the winger.

A penalty follows for the Eels as they get rare repeat possessions and start the next set with Guymer carting it up. Talataina and Tago work together next play as Pryke centres the ball midset. Ooh, bit of vision from Fletcher there as he kicks early with himself and Mataele in pursuit. Needs the bounce to angle slightly away from Bassingthwaighte but it takes a kind turn for the Roosters’ custodian and he is barely able to stay in the field of play as Fletcher and Mataele drive him backwards. Not a bad shot from the young half given the Eels are chasing plenty of points.

Guymer is struggling now after limping out of a tackle attempt. Certainly not ideal given the burdensome injury toll the Eels have battled all season.

Meanwhile the Roosters strike again as Bassingthwaighte slices through the right edge of the Eels. The home team have enjoyed a mammoth split of possession and territory today but have outplayed the Eels in all phases. Rex links up with Darcy Smith to send the forward over untouched for his second try of the game.

 

Try scored by the Sydney Roosters. Conversion successful.

Roosters lead 38-6

62min gone

 

Some strong defence from the Eels forces an error early in the next set. Max Tupou careens into the line with a strong carry following a nice tip on from Smith. To the right we go as the Eels try to stretch the Roosters out. Avery nearly crosses in the corner but the ball dribbles out only for a penalty to be called in favour of the Eels. Smith has taken over at halfback for Fletcher with Niutili-Schmidt coming on at dummy-half. Not sure if that is tactical or injury influenced.

The Eels will score here after hammering the goal line for a few tackles. A double pump from Talataina puts Pauga on skates as he loops a nice ball to Tago who holds it up for Vaivela. Devonte hits the spring legs with an epic dive and touch down in the corner to get the second of the game for the Eels.

 

Try scored by Devonte Vaivela. Conversion successful by Ryley Smith.

Eels trail 12-38

67min gone

 

Eels playing with reckless abandon now as they chase plenty of points with little time in hand. Some nice second phase play comes as a result but the Roosters are able to hold on. Vaivela gives away a penalty trying to compete for a bomb and is ruled to have taken Bassingthwaighte in the air. I can live with the whistle but what I won’t abide by is the 5m forward pass that is missed in the following set as the Roosters take advantage of a shocking missed call to score. Funnily enough (as in actual, pure coincidence) it is Bassingthwaighte who is able to take advantage of the forward pass to race through the retreating defence and score.

 

Try scored by the Sydney Roosters. Conversion successful.

Roosters lead 44-12

73min gone

 

Now there is concussion concerns for Funa-Iuta as he catches the shoulder of Rodwell in trying to make a tackle. That will almost certainly do him for today with the assessment to follow.

Really good hustle from Ryley Smith as he forces the Roosters to eat a 20m loss with a spirited chase on an errant pass. He hasn’t faltered today in a game where the Eels have clearly been over-matched.

Ryda Talagi almost breaks free down the right edge as the Eels tip the ball along the line. He is barely pulled down as the Eels work for an attacking kick. No it is a decoy! Lorenzo shapes to kick left but tucks and runs before rolling it through the middle. He can’t quite get to the ball clean and tips it forwards in the battle for the loose pill.

A blemish from the young five-eighth there as he stands through a tackle and looks for support instead of just taking the broken down play. It allows the Roosters to get a second crack at him and jolt the ball loose. That in turns, unsurprisingly, leads to more points for the Roosters as they head towards 50 points after breaking through the middle and scoring right of the posts.

 

 

Try scored by the Sydney Roosters. Conversion successful.

Roosters lead 50-12

79min gone

 

Fittingly, the game will end with an error. Mataele has the ball knocked free from his grasp and neither team cares to pack the scrum as the siren eventually rings out to bring an end to an ugly loss and an uglier weekend in general for the Eels.

 

Full Time

Sydney Roosters 50 defeat the Parramatta Eels 12