Junior Reps Wrap: Eels Qualify For Grand Finals

In a historic result, the Parramatta Eels accounted for the previously undefeated Bulldogs to advance to the grand final of the Lisa Fiaola Cup.

The Bulldogs had been the minor Premiers across the only two seasons of the Lisa Fiaola Cup, and this loss to the Eels was their first ever defeat in the competition.

It was a remarkable performance by the Eels, given that throughout this season their opponents had averaged 50 points per game in attack whilst conceding only 4 points a week in defence.

The match threatened to be business as usual for the Bulldogs when their strong running centre powered through the middle of the Eels ruck to post the first try after just four minutes. At six nil down so early in the contest the Eels would need to be the next to score.

That opportunity to strike back came after Temieke Withers forced a line drop out. A scything run from Irae Savea, followed by a quick play the ball, set the stage for Bailey Ma-Chong to scoot out of dummy half and plunge over the line. The Eels rake then converted her own try to tie the scores after 13 minutes.

Unfortunately, an Eels error in the set after points gifted the Bulldogs both territory and possession, and the minor premiers made short order of crossing out wide to reclaim the lead.

Unlike previous Bulldogs opponents, the Eels refused to yield and it was only desperate Bulldogs defence that prevented an Eels try when a pass from Bailey Ma-Chong was batted down before it could reach her support runners.

However, the bat down merely delayed the strike as from the resulting scrum, Sharon Latapu drifted right before linking with Cody Tuimaseve who rampaged through a hole in the defence and scored next to the sticks. 

The Eels were not just keeping pace with the Bulldogs, they had taken the lead and they held that advantage to the half time break.

A penalty to the Bulldogs early in the second half was all that they needed to regain the lead. With a full set deep in Parra’s territory they stretched the Blue and Gold defence, ultimately crossing out wide off a block play.

They might have taken the lead, but for the first time in two seasons, the Bulldogs were facing scoreboard pressure, and with it came the errors. A lost ball close to half way allowed the Eels to again launch an attack from the scrum.

Setting the scrum on the right edge, the Eels lined up deep to the left. From the back of the scrum, Temieke Withers drifted across the field, before finding Irae Savea who accelerated to get on the outside of the defence then passed to Hine Rikiti.

With forty metres between herself and the try line, Rikiti surged around her opposite and sprinted down the sideline. A last gasp cover tackle a metre out looked like denying her the try, but Rikiti fought through the contact to slam the ball down in the corner.

This gripping contest was everything that a finals match should be, and fans knew that they would be staying on the edge of their seat for the final twenty minutes.

Throughout this match, the Bulldogs had been making good metres through the middle. The Eels kicking game was making them do so from deep inside their own half, but the danger was always a repeat set.

That threat was realised when the Bulldogs received a penalty on the Eels quarter line. Opting for a quick tap, the Bulldogs five-eighth caught the Eels defence on the back foot and scored next to the posts.

Now with a four point lead, the Bulldogs were seemingly in the box seat to secure the win. They continued to attack the Eels through the middle but the Eels scramble defence was holding on. 

A huge moment in the game then arrived when Freedom Crichton Ropati was awarded a penalty and followed the Bulldogs lead in taking a quick tap. The Eels winger split the defence through the middle, racing nearly fifty metres before she was reeled in by the Bulldogs cover defence just outside the quarter.

Two tackles later, the Bulldogs were penalised for an offside defender, giving the Eels a full set in their red zone. Towards the end of that set, a Bulldogs defender got their hand to a pass, causing the ball to fly over the sideline.

Pressure was mounting on the minor premiers, as the Eels commenced their second set attacking the line. The Eels then asked question after question of the defence as the Bulldogs scrambled to deny them. 

From a play the ball on the right edge, the Eels ran the ball on the last, with wide passes finding Sharon Latapu and Temieke Withers. Carrying the ball in two hands, it looked like Withers was going to feed a pass to her left, but the Eels half dummied then split the defence to score the Eels fourth try.

The conversion was unsuccessful, and the scores were locked at 20 all with ten minutes remaining.

As time ticked away, Canterbury attempted to lift their physicality but the Eels were equal to the occasion and were matching the Bulldogs metres through the middle. The Eels were eventually rewarded for their tenacity when they were awarded a penalty in front of the posts for a flop by a fatigued defender.

Even Bailey Ma-Chong’s penalty goal added to the drama when it deflected off the left upright on its way between the posts.

The Eels had a two point lead and just under three minutes to navigate against a Bulldogs team that had never tasted defeat.

In their last possession of the game, the Bulldogs threw caution to the wind and gained six again from a kick in the Eels red zone. They went perilously close on a couple of plays, then with just seconds on the clock they sent the ball wide to the right and seemed certain to score.

However, the biggest play of the match then unfolded as Georgia Wansey slid across in defence, and her tackle on the Bulldogs centre dislodged the ball as the siren sounded. As the referee blew time on his whistle, exuberant Eels players ran from everywhere to join the celebrations in the right corner.

The Eels now advance to the grand final at Leichhardt Oval where, in a re-match from the first week of the finals, they will face the Central Coast Roosters.

Eels 22 (Tries: Bailey Ma-Chong, Cody Tuimaseve, Hine Rikiti, Temieke Withers; Goals: Bailey Ma-Chong 2) defeated Bulldogs 20.

Tarsha Gale Cup

In yet another memorable result, the Parramatta Eels disposed of the Bulldogs to advance to the Tarsha Gale Cup grand final for the first time in the club’s history.

The victory continued the Eels late season surge and was the second time in a month that they had defeated the previously unbeaten Bulldogs.

In a powerful performance, the Eels set the tone from the start, scoring the first try after ten minutes and from there they were never headed.

That first try came after the back-pedalling Bulldogs defence were  penalised in front of their posts for holding Tess McWilliams down in the tackle.

Declining the two points, Ryvrr-Lee Alo took the pass from the tap and powered through defenders to plant the ball next to the posts. 

The Eels were winning the battle through the middle in both attack and defence, whilst the Bulldogs were struggling to get out of their own half.

A change in momentum came when an awkward last tackle kick earned the Bulldogs a line drop out and a full set in the Eels quarter. After challenging the Eels middle defence, Canterbury then created an overlap on the left to score an unconverted try.

The Eels then needed to defend a couple of dangerous Bulldogs attacking raids, and this only served to strengthen Parra’s resolve. In fact they would be the next team to score five minutes before the break.

An awkward last tackle kick from Khyliah Gray was allowed to bounce by the Bulldogs defence. That hesitation was all that Avena Racoma Ngata needed and she pounced on the ball, weaving past defenders before passing to Ava Jones who scampered away for a try between the posts.

The Eels defence continued to stand strong in the closing minutes of the half and they took an eight point advantage to the break.

After an arm wrestle at the beginning of the second half, it was the Bulldogs who crossed first with a try in the left corner.

The margin might have been narrowed but the Eels refused to let the Bulldogs gain momentum. As the match progressed, Parra continued to play up-tempo, physical football and their forwards were winning the territorial battle.

Finally, after receiving a penalty with less than five minutes remaining, the Eels launched a match winning set inside the Bulldogs quarter. For five consecutive tackles they peppered the Bulldogs left edge.

On the last tackle, Khyliah Gray threaded a grubber kick through defenders and behind the posts, and Tess McWilliams won the race to ground the ball. Alleya Scrivens duly converted and with only a couple of minutes left to play, the result was secured.

The Eels opponent in next Saturday’s historic grand final will be the Roosters Indigenous Academy.

Eels 18 (Tries: Ryvrr-Lee Alo, Ava Jones, Tess McWilliams; Goals: Alleya Scrivens 3) defeated Bulldogs 8.

SG Ball Cup

It was a case of a return to normal programming when the Eels comprehensively defeated the Rabbitohs in the SG Ball grand final qualifier at Redfern Oval on Sunday.

The minor premiers stamped their authority early in the match, and when their attack kicked into gear, the Rabbitohs had no answer.

First points came after just two minutes when a perfectly weighted kick by Lincoln Fletcher was chased down and grounded by Chris Petrus.

The Rabbitohs fought hard to stay in the contest for the next ten minutes until a crucial error undid all of their efforts. 

A bungled Souths penalty tap handed the ball to the Eels inside the red zone, and almost immediately Ryda Talagi ran onto a pass from Lachlan Coinakis and steamrolled a collection of Rabbitohs defenders on his way to the posts.

Just minutes later, Jezaiah Funa-Iuta had a try disallowed for a forward pass but it mattered little as it wasn’t long before the Eels grabbed those sought after six points. 

This time it came from a right side shift that produced an overlap for Dominic Farrugia to score in the corner. A superb sideline conversion by Lincoln Fletcher added the extras.

The Eels were filled with confidence and from the kick off they advanced back down to the Rabbitohs quarter playing adventurous second phase football. It was then over to the spine as Lachlan Coinakis, Lincoln Fletcher, Lorenzo Talataina, and Cameron Bamblett linked down the right side to send Dom Farrugia to the corner for his second try.

With the clock approaching half time it seemed like the Eels would take their 22 point lead to the break. However, a string of four penalties to the Rabbitohs finally stretched the Eels defence and the Bunnies winger dived over in the left corner as the siren sounded.

When the second half resumed, the Eels had to endure a period of Rabbitohs momentum on the back of consecutive penalties and Eels errors. But, after absorbing the best that the Rabbitohs could muster, the Eels were ready to extend their lead.

An offside penalty against Souths took the Eels back to the Bunnies red zone, then Lorenzo Talataina and Cameron Bamblett combined to send Aidan Kebourian to the corner, a task that he needed to complete with a spectacular aerial finish.

The physicality of the Eels was arguably at a season high as they punished the Rabbitohs with brutal defence. Time and again Souths were forced into error and the Eels threatened to pile on the points.

Unusually, the next points to come the Eels way were from a penalty goal when they decided to lock in a four converted tries lead rather than pushing for their sixth try.

Eels fans didn’t have to wait much longer for that try. A big tackle from Wesley Pakoti forced the Rabbitohs into error and a couple of plays later Lorenzo Talataina bulldozed his way over the line to put the exclamation point on the match.

In next Saturday’s grand final at Leichhardt Oval, the Eels will face the only team to defeat them this season, the Sydney Roosters.

Eels 34 (Tries: Dom Farrugia 2, Christopher Petrus, Ryda Talagi, Aidan Kebourian, Lorenzo Talataina; Goals: Lincoln Fletcher 4) defeated Rabbitohs 4.