Please direct me to these reports. Id love to read. Ive seen nothing about the game other than game day stats.
Thanks
Eels surge home to overcome Rabbitohs in the wet
Hugo Lumb
Game summary
The Parramatta Eels left their comeback until the final minutes to earn a 16-14 win over South Sydney Rabbitohs on Saturday night.
Souths started fast and took advantage of early field position, with second-rower Ben Lovett sliding over in the third minute.
Halfback Dean Hawkins extended the Rabbitohs’ lead to eight points after Eels winger Solomone Naiduki was sin-binned for an illegal tackle on Liam Knight.
Playing with a man down, the Eels struggled to absorb the relentless attacking pressure from the Rabbitohs, as centre Izaac Thompson scored in the 19th minute. As the first half continued into the latter stages, errors quickly crept into the game with both sides struggling to maintain possession.
South Sydney squandered a late chance to extend the lead beyond three tries, failing to complete a lovely attacking move after a forward pass. The Eels capitalised and marched upfield before receiving a penalty on the stroke of halftime.
Captain-coach Jordan Rankin then slotted the penalty goal to give Parramatta their first points of the game, trailing 14-2.
The second half descended into a battle for field position as the rain waterlogged the middle of the field, making it difficult to build any momentum.
It was the Eels who adapted best to the surge in rainfall, with winger Sean Russell crossing for Parramatta’s first try of the evening in the 49th minute. Rankin converted to bring the Eels within six points of the Rabbitohs.
Russell’s try was a brief reprieve for the Eels as Souths dominated proceedings for the next 10 minutes, yet they failed to make the most of their momentum with the score remaining 14-8 as the game entered the final 20 minutes.
With 10 minutes remaining, Eels back-rower Elie El-Zakhem crashed over the stripe to put his side within two points of the Rabbitohs. Hayze Perham followed up with a try just four minutes later, giving the Eels a narrow lead in the final stages.
The Eels managed to close out their emphatic comeback with some solid defence and calmness in attack for the remaining minutes, keeping the Rabbitohs scoreless in the second half and running out 16-14 winners.
Talking points
Due to wet and windy conditions, it was vital both teams kicked well to win the field position battle. Opposing halfbacks Jake Arthur and Dean Hawkins answered the call and showed great composure throughout the game.
Although the Eels’ victory came in the shadows of full-time, the consistent work of the outside backs put them in a position to win. The Parramatta back five fielded several difficult kicks, defended strongly, and gained great yardage coming out of trouble, topped off with tries for Sean Russell and Hayze Perham.
Key moment
When the Eels trailed by two points the result was well and truly in the balance. Off the back of Elie El-Zakhem’s try, the Eels put themselves in great position again with Jack A Williams landing a 40/20. Parramatta took the opportunity with a try to Perham, who beat his opposing man to score the match-winner.
What’s next?
The Rabbitohs will look to put the loss behind them when they face the Knights next Saturday at St Johns Oval, while the Eels take on the much-improved Magpies at Leichardt Oval in Saturday’s NRL curtain-raiser – broadcast live on Fox League.
Round 16 of The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup kicks off with a Friday night top-of-table clash between ladder leaders the Penrith Panthers and the second-placed North Sydney Bears. The action follows with three games on Saturday afternoon headlined by fellow top four teams the Canterbury-Bankstown...
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