Eels Holden Cup Team and junior reps thread, Part II

[Forty20]

Davis gets the second half underway as the home team stand around and watch the ball bounce. They somehow pull it in as it turns towards the dead ball line!

Newcastle recover well as they work the ball up to the halfway line.

Leva Li takes the kick on the full. Good positioning.

Fabian Goodall takes a run and offloads to Pritchard who pinches another ~6m.

Lavaka and Twal are used to ruck the ball out before Clay is hammered on the second last tackle. He does well to hold onto the ball and for once this game doesn't panic.

Kaysa kicks from dummy half on the last. He finds the grass but Mamo is there on the first bounce to take the pill.

The Knights roll downfield but much like with Dockar-Clays first kick of the game, the bomb is far too deep and Parra defuse the kick in goals for a 20m restart.

 

[Forty20]

Good set from Parra now. Worked the ball nicely through the middle and down the right before Dockar-Clay redeems himself somewhat with a great kick that traps Mamo in goals.

The Knights send the ball 60m down field from the drop out but undo the advantage by giving away a penalty from the first tackle.

Incredibly, Parra fail to find touch BUT Leva Li nearly takes the ball! Poor kick from Matterson.

Newcastle with the unexpected possession now.

Haha and now Parra get the ball back after what I can only call a stupid offload.

Matterson sends Muna down the middle before looping to the left edge. Pauli makes a really good run down the left and offloads to Li who can't quite grasp the ball. That one was on Li as he wasted the chance that Pauli created, IMO.

 

[Forty20]

Newcastle find some space down our left edge as their young half Cogger does some nice work.

And the Eels are punished for the turn over as simple hands and a poor tackle from Lavaka see the Knights cross in the corner. Lavaka needed to make a better tackle there.

So now we have time off as the refs look for foul play in the attempted tackle here. Davis has hit him with an accidental knee but on precedence from this game it should only be a six point try...

The conversion is unsuccessful (no eight point try)

The Knights are back in front 20-16

50min gone.

 

[Forty20]

Pritchard nearly steals the ball from the kick off! The ball holds up in the wind but Kaysa just fails to get it.

The game is getting pretty rough now and Parra might be in trouble for a late hit here...

 

[jk13]

Dumb dumb football

 

[EelsFan05]

Our defence is woeful. I don't watch much 20's but the outside backs need some serious defensive work.

 

[Forty20]

Tanginoa there with the late shoulder charge. Silly, silly stuff.

Some stupid stuff is hurting Parra here.

Newcastle find touch 30m out from Parra's line.

They bring the ball to the middle before an offload creates some space down Parra's left edge and from the next play the Knights crash over down the same edge as Muna and then Goodall are beaten by the dummy half run.

Poor first hit by Muna there which left Goodall with a tough ask to clean it up.

That penalty from Tanginoa proving to be terribly costly...

The conversion is successful

Newcastle extend their lead to 26-16

52min gone.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

This NYC side doesn't deserve to win anything. They're bigger and stronger than all the other sides, with more first grade experience, but they shit themselves far too easily.

 

[jk13]

Getting a bit smarter

 

[Forty20]

This time around Parra get the ball back from the kick off!

Davis working well into the breeze with the dead ball restarts.

Matterson rifles the ball out to Goodall but Fabian is jammed on quickly!

Parra work down the left edge short side as Leva Li gets away another terrific offload another nearly spilling the ball from dummy half! He tries to pass to the right but nearly loses the pill, regaining control and then running to the left and offloading to Goodall who plants the ball over the line!

The conversion is unsuccessful.

Parra trail the Knights 20-26

55min gone

 

[Kornstar]

This NYC side doesn't deserve to win anything. They're bigger and stronger than all the other sides, with more first grade experience, but they shit themselves far too easily.

Agreed, they seem to think they just need to turn up to win each week because of their skill, they rarely work for anything and judging by the amount of games they have won at the death, imagine how good they'd be if they turned up to play every week.

 

[Forty20]

Junior Mauala is on and takes the opening carry. Leva Li comes in next and is followed by Tanginoa.

A nice offload from Fuimaono creates some space for Folau and Lavaka as Parra drive the ball over halfway.

There is chaos on the last as one of the refs looks to have called a chaser offside as ZDC willingly takes the tackle for the penalty.

Neither ref wants to follow up on the call as the ball is turned over....

Such is the dizzying heights of the refs.

 

[jk13]

Good to see ref stupidity is also rampant in u20

 

[Forty20]

Some great work by Matterson nets the Eels a 20m restart as he backs up across two tackles.

Parra then get a penalty that takes them over halfway as Matterson manages to find touch this time around.

Davis runs the ball early in the set before Matterson pokes his head through the line to no further impact.

There was nearly something on there from the sweeping play down the right but Davis can't get a clean grab at Folau's offload.

Markus is used to centre the ball for the kick on the last but he loses the ball in the tackle.

 

[Forty20]

Pritchard again with the jam and hit! Incredible commitment from the livewire hooker this game.

And now Goodall terrorises Mamo to force an error! The quality of the game may be lacking at times but the shots today are fantastic.

Matterson throws a nice fade away short ball to Aloiai who then backs up some second phase ball from Aloiai and Davis to crash over for his second!

 

[Avenger]

Matterson will play first grade. He is too good.

 

[Forty20]

The conversion is unsuccessful.

Parra still trail the Knights 24-26

63min gone

 

[jk13]

Yes!!!

 

[Forty20]

More work from Li up the middle. He has really gotten heavily involved today.

Pauli has switched to the right edge now and takes another carry before Matterson nearly cuts through again! He is just brought down but Dockar-Clay is there for an attacking kick! He kicks from the narrow right edge and cops a deflection. Pritchard and Davis pour through after the ball and the rangy fullback grabs the ball and races to the line to score!

There is a challenge from the Knights. Replays show that no one seems to be offside and the decisions stands, Parra are in front!

The conversion is successful.

Parra lead the Knights 30-26

66min gone.

 

[Kornstar]

All that good work undone!