Eels Holden Cup Team and junior reps thread, Part II

[Maroubra Eel]

Won't they get wet?

 

[Forty20]

I tweeted the merkins at the club asking about the status of the NYC game but got no reply. Seeing as I'm now out at Ringrose I can tell you that it looks like the game is going ahead.

 

[Forty20]

Hard to tell since the boys are warming up on the top oval but I think Dylan Izzard might be in for Zach Dockar-Clay.

 

[Forty20]

Some notables in the stand today with Darcy Lussick, Daniel Anderson and Pauli Pauli (decked out in a slick suit, it must be said) turning out.

 

[Forty20]

Parra will be kicking off today.

 

[Forty20]

Good set of defence for Parra to start the game off. Li fields the Canterubry kick on his 30m line and takes the ball up. Lavaka follows him up and on the next play the Eels draw the first penalty of the game.

The Eels find touch 20m out from the Dogs' line. Parra generate some second phase play down their left edge but Davis loses his footing coming back on the inside. Paula Kaufusi and Josh Aloiai nearly crash over near the posts, drawing in defenders. Parra exploit an overlap on the right edge as hands out to Lavaka are enough to see the prolific try scorer nab another one.

Lavaka comes to the sideline afterwards, looks like a dislocated finger or thumb. Whatever it was, Lavaka gets it put back in and takes the field again.

The conversion is unsuccessful.

Parra lead Canterbury 4-0

6min gone.

Oops daisy. Mistake from the kick off now. Line drop out.

 

[Forty20]

Penalty to the Dogs now as Kaufusi lays on the runner for too long. The visitors find touch 20m out from Parra's line.

The Dogs shift the ball down Parra's right edge but have trouble building a fluent attack in the greasy conditions. Parra end up holding the Dogs out. Good goal line defence.

The Eels then seize momentum with some incisive dummy half runs that ends up netting a penalty.

Play resumes 10m into Canterbury's half.

Simple stuff from the Eels early in this set. The work around the posts before coming down the left. Matterson drops the ball to the boot. it picks up a deflection and rolls into touch and Parra get another set.

The Eels take the ball to the right from the scrum win but a couple of tackles into the set there is a forward pass. Disappointing end to the run of possession there.

 

[Forty20]

Another solid set in defence but this time the Dogs put up a swirling bomb. Lavaka can't track it and lets it bounce. He manages to clean it up with a chaser hot on his heels.

Parra come down their left and Tui Kamikamica makes half a break. He looks for the offload but it is intercepted by a defender. The Eels get the ball back two tackles later with a good hit under the ball.

Matterson cops some questionable attention in the tackle. Despite that the Eels get into position for an attacking kick and Izzard sends up a good bomb. Li gives chase and makes perfectly timed contact on the winger but the ref has rules that he touched the ball for a turnover.

The Eels then give up a penalty for shooting from the 10m mark early.

 

[Forty20]

Some metres for the Dogs now as they throw a fairly forwards pass to beat Lavaka. The Eels make the cover tackle and the Dogs head infield on the last. There isn't much structure to the play but they keep the ball alive with some desperate offloads. Eventually the get a kick in goals where Lavaka cleans it up. He beats the two chasers to get back into the field of play but is driven into touch.

The Dogs get full value out of the fresh set and their #10 barges and rolls through Kaysa Pritchard and a couple of others next to the posts. Nothing much to that try, just the initial contact was high but didn't lock the ball up.

The conversion is successful.

Canterbury lead Parra 6-4

18min gone.

 

[Forty20]

Bit of adventurous play from the kick off as the Dogs look for the offload from their first hit up. Dylan Izzard has stayed down after an involvement in the defence on the right edge.

The Dogs complete their set as Li and Makelim head back to secure the ball.

Time if finally called off as Izzard is seen to by trainers.

 

[Forty20]

Izzard is clasping around his pec/shoulder from the looks of it. He is walked off and Joey Lussick is brought into the game.

Raeli gets us back underway but on the next play Josh Aloiai drops it cold. Fortunately the defenders were offside and Parra dodge a bullet. I said that too soon! Brandon Raeli now drops the ball as he thunders in on an unders line.

Canterbury scrum 20m out from their goal line.

 

[Forty20]

Parra break from the 10m mark too early again and are called out by the ref. They take too long to consolidate the line and the Dogs punch through from a hit up. They find support to their left and cross under the posts.

The conversion is successful.

Canterbury lead Parra 12-4

23min gone.

 

[Forty20]

Better stuff this time around from Parra but the Dogs still complete a strong set after points. Li fields the ball in goals and barely gets out. That was a pretty good kick from the Dogs.

Tough slog for the Eels getting out but an astute kick from Kaysa at dummy half goes some way towards relieving pressure.

Nothing fancy from the Dogs in this set. They grind it down our right edge before kicking in behind the same side. The find touch 10m out from the Parramatta goal line.

 

[Forty20]

Some enterprising stuff from the Eels. Davis starts it off with a nice offload to Makelim down the left. On the next play, Alew Twal steams through the middle, making half a break. He finds Joey Lussick on his right who then turns back left to Makelim but he can't get his mitts cleanly on the ball. Turnover just pass halfway.

Lavaka does well to defuse a testing grubber kick and stay in the field of play before the Eels then earn a penalty of their own for the infringing inside the 10m.

 

[Forty20]

Folau takes the hit up frm the tap kick and is followed by Twal. Kaysa takes play down the right edge shortside with Makeli who puts Folau into half a gap.

The Eels work it to their right next but Aloiai is well taken on an inside line. Lussick gets the ball on the last and directs the kick to the right for Lavaka. Halauafu times his run perfectly and leaps high to claim the pill and a second try. Much better from the Eels.

The conversion is unsuccessful

Parra trail the Dogs 8-12

31min gone.

 

[Forty20]

Good charge from Raeli from the reception. Twal follows him up, good work rate from the young bull. Lovely work from the left edge now as Matterson and Makelim come together. Makelim slices through the defence but Li JUST over runs him! Makelim correctly decides to hold onto the ball. They spin it to the right next but Markus is hammered in a blatant shoulder charge. He gets up immediately and the Eels get a penalty.

Time off shortly from the restart as Muna stays down in a tackle. Looks to be contact around the nose. No penalty but rookie Jack Morris is up for his maiden cap! I happen to be sitting next to his mother, who has been a lovely lady to talk to.

 

[Forty20]

Twal slips over from the restart and is taken easily. The Eels come left as Markus hits Raeli flat. Pritchard tries to barge over but is held up by three. Matterson brings the ball to the right and runs himself, he is taken pretty high but gets ho aid from the ref.


Lussick is in the slot on the last and weaves in a viscous, bouncing grubber that earns the Eels a line drop out.

The Eels build down their left edge but the play comes undone when the ref allows the Dogs an age to drive Davis into touch. Pretty rough call there by my estimation.

 

[Forty20]

Good clean up work from Lavaka again. Redeems his earlier miss on a swirling bomb with an immaculate take this time round. He then beats the initial chase and draws a penalty in the play the ball.

Another error undoes the good work as Twal loses possession heading into contact this time. The sun is poking out now but the field is obviously pretty wet still.

Canterbury scrum on halfway.

The spread it to their right from the scrum win. Davis makes poor contact first up but the cover defence cleans the runner up.

The Dogs ruck it to our goal line where the punch in a heavy grubber. I'm not sure if Li had to play at that but he has and he knocked it on.

Line drop out.

 

[Forty20]

Nice cover tackle from Jack Morris there as he cleans up a linebreak down the right sideline. The Dogs come back to the posts where they nearly cross but are just held out.

That brings up the last and with second left in the first half the Dogs opt to run it down their left. We look to have held the runner up but he has somehow gotten the ball down despite the attention of at least three defenders.

Poor way to end a pretty ordinary half.

The conversion is successful.

Half Time

Canterbury lead Parra 18-8

 

[Stagger eel]

Dogs score at half time we're going to have to dig real deep to get out of this one

18-8 half time