A complete performance at CommBank Stadium on Sunday saw the Eels cruise past the Bulldogs to the tune of 30-4.
The Eels blew the Bulldogs off the park in a seven-minute blitz, scoring three quickfire tries midway through the first half to put them on course for their third win of 2023.
Clint Gutherson and Mitchell Moses enjoyed terrific afternoons, leading the way in arguably the Eels’ strongest performance of the season.
Maika Sivo added another two tries to his CommBank Stadium tally, and was joined on the scoresheet by Will Penisini, Mitchell Moses and Reagan Campbell-Gillard.
The Eels made several late changes to their line-up as Brendan Hands and J’maine Hopgood joined the run-on side after Josh Hodgson was ruled out through illness.
The early exchanges were tense, but the game came to life after Haze Dunster made a try-saving intercept.
Penisini gets the party started!
Parramatta opened the scoring when Ryan Matterson got an arm free to unleash Will Penisini, and the centre bumped off Bulldogs fullback and ex-teammate Hayze Perham to run away and score.
The try had CommBank Stadium bouncing and spurred on the Eels to double their lead almost immediately.
Wild Gutho pass sets up Sivo
Attacking the line, Clint Gutherson threw a looping cut-out pass to Maika Sivo, who applied the finishing touch in the corner. Mitchell Moses converted from the sideline to give the Eels a 12-0 advantage.
The Eels saved the best for last in the first half, as a Shaun Lane offload set in motion the Eels' third try in the space of seven minutes.
Moses scores an Eels beauty!
A clean exchange of passes inside the Eels' half gave Penisini room to move, and he burst beyond the halfway line. The centre found Moses looming in support, and he put on the afterburners to slide over in the corner.
The Eels wound down the clock to head to the sheds with a 16-0 lead.
The visitors returned to the second half with renewed energy, but a classic Clint Gutherson try-saver quashed the Bulldogs’ momentum.
The Bulldogs eventually found a way through in the 49th minute when Paul Alamoti pounced on a Matt Burton grubber.
Burton bombs no match for Gutho's hands
Matt Burton looked to put Clint Gutherson under pressure with several towering bombs throughout the second half, but the Eels skipper defused them safely each time.
At 16-4 the Bulldogs had a sniff, but the Eels ensured there would be no late drama on this occasion.
RCG bulldozes through the Bulldogs
Reagan Campbell-Gillard took matters into his own hands for Parramatta’s fourth try, bulldozing through the Bulldogs’ goal-line defence for a decisive try.
Mitchell Moses kicked the conversion and added a penalty goal to give the Eels a 20-point advantage.
The Eels were not done yet though, as another late try put the icing on the Blue & Gold cake.
Sivo scores from a Gutherson grubber
A deft kick by Gutherson found a tiptoeing Maika Sivo in the corner for his second try, and Moses nailed another sideline conversion to wrap up a big Parramatta win.
The Eels will look to continue their winning ways when they travel to Darwin to face the ladder-leading Broncos on Friday.
