Eels Holden Cup Team and junior reps thread, Part II

[Forty20]

Good first half in general although as I mentioned earlier, mistakes are keeping the Tigers in the game by a thread.

Tanginoa was immense up the middle and our left edge, spearheaded by Ryan Matterson, have looked slick and dangerous.

 

[Forty20]

Second half underway shortly with Parra kicking off.

 

[Forty20]

Davis gets the second half underway.

The Tigers look to ruck it out early in the set before shooting for another early 40/20 attempt.

Makelim dashes for the ball and is forced to bat it back into the field. He does well initially and then dives on the ball before the chasers can get to it but loses possession on the ground.

Massive start for the Tigers as they get a scrum 20m out from our line.

 

[Forty20]

Parra defend well on their line. Good line speed and commitment repel the Tigers for the majority of the set before Wests construct a nice back line move that looks to have Parra short on our right edge but the last pass doesn't find their winger and trickles into touch.

Lavaka might have been able to cover their winger in any event.

 

[Forty20]

Parra have to work hard to ruck it out but Clay releases the pressure with a superb kick that finds touch 10m out from the Tigers' goal line.

Big play from the little half.

 

[Forty20]

Great set of defence from Parra as the restrict the Tigers to ~28m gained.

Makelin brings the ball back to ~20m short of halfway before Lavaka powers through some defenders for strong metres.

Makelim wants the ball on the last and screams down the short side with support. He has two men on his outside but doesn't need them as he shows power that belies his size and pushes through two defenders before planting the ball down outwide.

Great speed and power on show there from Makelim.

Davis lines it up from out wide and raises the flags for another two points.

Parra lead Tigers 34-10

48min gone.

 

[Forty20]

Tangioa drags three defenders with him for a ~15m run before Pritchard steals massive metres from dummf half. Parra have their last tackle on the Tigers' 30m line and Clay hoists it high.

The chase from Folau and Lavaka is spot on and Halauafu outleaps his opposite numbers to take the ball and score near the posts after he centres the ball to some degree.

Good footy from Parra thus far in the second half.

Davis hits another conversion.

Parra extend their lead to 40-10

51min gone.

 

[Forty20]

First bit of bad play from Parra in this half with an error from the kickoff set.

Tigers' scrum 40m out from our goal line.

They continue to play basic footy early in their sets and we defend it easily. Their efforts later in the set focus on our right edge but we contain some second phase ball before a grubber on the last results in a knock on from one of our defenders for a repeat set.

 

[Forty20]

The Tigers left their tempo as they hurl themselves at the try line near our posts but we raise our intensity with them and belt them back before finding an unforced error for the turnover.

 

[Forty20]

A bit of tension between Makelim and a Tiger for some heavy contact which resulted in a penalty for Parra.

Nothing comes of it as Parra find touch near halfway.

 

[Forty20]

Matterson finds a gap yet again and strides through but has defenders close in on him before he can get to the line.

He has the ball stripped from his possession but the ref rules play on for the Tigers and the end up with a penalty with Parra infringing onside the 10m near the goal line.

Play stops as Jeff Markus is walked off the field by trainers for Parra.

 

[Forty20]

I didn't quite catch the play as a dozen people waled in front of me but I think the Tigers got a penalty for one their chasers getting taken out by a Parra defender.

 

[Forty20]

Parra defend well for most of this set on their goal line but a sharp cut out ball allows their centre to get on the outside of Davis and they score out wide.

 

[Forty20]

Moses is waved away

Tigers trail Parra 14-40

60min gone.

 

[Forty20]

Davis gets one back on his opposite this time around as he gives him a sniff on the outside but racks him well and drives him into touch

Parra scrum 10m short of halfway

 

[Forty20]

Lovely passing and hands from Matterson and Makelim put Davis into half a gap and that is all he needs as he bamboozles the Tigers with his speed, footwork and fend and goes over yet again.

Quality run of play there from our left edge.

 

[Forty20]

Davis converts his own try for the second time today.

Parra lead Tigers 46-14

64min gone.

 

[Captain BF]

Davis and Matterson are carving up. Folau has hardly seen the ball as our other side of the field are killing it.

 

[Forty20]

Nice cut out from Matterson to Moeroa but it is well read bu the Tigers. Moeroa showcases some tremendous strength though to fight for more meres and out Parra into position for a good kick.

They bomb it on the last towards the Tigers' right edge but the play results in a double knock on against Parra before a penalty is blown on the subsequent play.

Tigers resume play 10m short of halfway.

 

[Forty20]

Davis and Matterson are carving up. Folau has hardly seen the ball as our other side of the field are killing it.

Yep, Davis and Matterson are starring today along with Goodall in the limited chances he has had.