Knock-on Effect NSW Cup - Eels Team

[Forty20]

Wenty will receive the kick off in the first half, running away from the club house as well.

 

[Forty20]

Alvaro gets the first run of the game. Moses Manu is up next with Lasalo the third in line.

Gorman darts from dummy half and on then Henry drills the ball flat down field.

Newcastle work it down their right in their first set and bring up the last 8m into Wenty's half.

They bomb Lavaka on the last which gives him his first touch in the NSW Cup this year and he takes it comfortably before he gets a penalty for a soft lifting tackle.

 

[Forty20]

Bit messy for Wenty this set as the ball hits the deck down the right. Butler-Fleming cleans it up and Wenty rebuild. They complete their set with a Henry bomb that is well taken by the Knights.

Newcastle ruck it up the middle but lose the ball on halfway after an offload goes awry and is dropped by their hooker.

Wenty scrum.

 

[Forty20]

Great charge from Aloiai, powers through 3 defenders down the left edge. We shift to the right from Madden to Henry but the latter is brought down by a very good jam. Madden tries to force a play down the right edge on the next tackle but his face ball to Toutai I believe is batted forwards to our winger Butler-Fleming.

 

[Forty20]

Knights pick up a penalty late in the count and in Wenty's half. Hand on the ball? Missed the call sorry.

Time is off as Aloiai gets treatment for a cut on the head.

Newcastle resume play 10m out and begin to work it from their right to left. Toutai and Butler-Fleming both jam and although Vai misses his man, Jake makes the tackle. The same thing happens down out left where Goodall and Lavaka both shoot up and shut down the play and on the next tackle the Knights spill the ball one off the ruck.

Good first set of goal line defence for the Magpies.

 

[Forty20]

Lavaka is the option from the scrum win. Toutai jumps out of dummy half to follow and makes a good run and offload to Quinlan who then turns Manu inside for a half break.

Wenty then open up the Knights down our right as Quinlan slices through on an overs line. He looks for support and has it to his right in Butler-Fleming but his pace in intercepted! Try is bombed!

Newcastle are well contained by Wenty in the following set and their deep clearing kick is eaten up by Quinlan.

Lavaka gets another touch up the middle before we use Aloiai down the left. We centre the ball with Alvaro and then come down the right with Henry nearly putting Manu through on an overs line.

We get a lucky repeat set late in the count. Henry darts down the right shortside and steps back to the centre field, looking to hit a runner to the line. The ball gets a Newcastle hand though and we get a second set on the goal line.

 

[Forty20]

Crash ball for Goodall on the first tackle. Ualesi goes to the left afterwards. It gets sloppy after though. Henry gets a deadset hospital ball but survives somehow and then links up with Manu who offloads back to Henry who then bats on to Toutai. Vai turns the ball back to Butler-Fleming to calm things down.

We roll the ball towards the posts on the last where Alvaro has a spirited chase and dive, goes damn close to scoring inches inside the dead ball line but can't ground it cleanly! Great effort from the polar bear though.

Newcastle work the ball out down their right edge from the 20m restart but come up with another error as they push a pass into touch down that edge.

Two tackles into the set from the scrum win, Wenty get a penalty for offside defenders that will see them resume play 20m off the goal line of the visitors.

 

[Forty20]

Aloiai and Ualesi adds a hit up each to their name. We go back to our left where Goodall tries to offload to Lavaka, poor offload though. Lavaka lets it hit his knees and then cleans it up inside the field of play.

We go back centrefield as Lasalo plays to Ualesi at the line and on the next play Quinlan creates the try with a long cut out to Butler-Fleming. Jake does very well to reach up and pluck it out of the air before stepping off his right foot to beat two sliding defenders.

Henry is waved away for the conversion.

Wenty leading 4-0

19min gone.

 

[Forty20]

Alvaro with the kick off reception again. Toutai and Lasalo have runs this set, the latter of which bowls over a defender or two up the middle.

The set is completed with a bomb towards the posts and a solid kick chase bring the fullback down 10m off his line.

A lifting tackle mid count helps the Knights out of their half though as they get the tap restart on half way.

Kamikamica is on for Lasalo now with Alvaro staying on. Newcastle attack our left edge where Lavaka covers his opposite and the visitors try to swing it to the opposite edge but are pulled up for a lazy forward pass.

 

[Forty20]

Penalty to us now deep in their half for a hand on the ball.

Ualesi is used up the guts. Gorman tries to jump out of dummy half down the left but gets a bit lost and has to take the tackle.

We muff it up completely on the right edge shift though. Madden I think it was looked to cut out Manu who was flat at the line but there was no one pushing up flat with him and the ball is scooped up off the deck for a turnover.

Newcastle have an odd set themselves as they get into our half and then grubber kick it from dummy half via their fullback. Lavaka is more than happy to clean it up and take 15m back in reply.

We pick up another penalty as the ref pings the Knights for infringing the 10m mark again.

Alvaro off as well.

 

[Forty20]

Lavaka has a carry down the left before Madden plays to Pakutoa mid field. Ualesi has had a great work rate so far this game and he chalks up another run before getting away a ripper of an offload to ALoiai down the left. It creates a huge overlap and Aloiai links up with Goodall who then puts Lavaka over untouched!

Ualesi has stayed down afterwards though. Bad signs. He can't see to take a break this year and indeed he has to sling his arms over two trainers as he is helped off. Fingers crossed for Ualesi, plenty of talent and ticker but not much luck with injuries since graduating from the 20s.

Conversion is successful from out wide.

Wenty lead the Knights 10-0

28min gone.

 

[Forty20]

Pakutoa up first, Kamikamica has a strong charge in his wake and from the quick ruck Aloiai flies onto the ball down the left. Sensing a chance against the retreating defensive line he tries to offload to Goodall on his left but his hand gets caught and the ball flies out forwards.

Wenty concede a penalty early in the defensive set and Newcastle opt for the tap restart.

Good shape from the line so far, both edges repel raids and Goodall perfectly reads the grubber kick on the last and very nearly gets clear. He is barely pulled down but Wenty are able to roll it out from the start given with Lavaka making a great clearing run.

We complete the set with a midfield bomb from Henry and a good chase from Toutai cleans the catcher up on the spot 20m off the goal line.

 

[Forty20]

Another good set in defence by Wenty, results in Quinlan taking a bomb on the last but a second error from Aloiai - this time into contact - puts the pressure right back on.

Gorman makes a good legs tackle up the middle and the Knights are a bit slow on the next play as they attack our right. They gamble on a short side raid down our right on the last grubbering to winger but the ball is hit pretty hard and he knocks it on about 4 times.

Some fast work around the ruck coming out of our redzone sees the markers caught unaligned and Henry finds touch 10m into Newcastle's half.

 

[Forty20]

Manu and Kamikamica are used first up before the ball comes back to Manu on the third. Wenty turn the ball from left to right on the third and set up for a left edge movement on the fourth. Henry goes to the line and looks for the face ball to Goodall, it gets a hand from the Knights and deflects to Lavaka who tries to pick it up on his laces and go for the line but knocks on so we come back for scrum to Wenty.

Aloiai has a huge carry from the scrum win and nearly barges over but is pulled down agonisingly short. He creates a ton of space down our right though and Henry looks to capitalise as he plays that edge with a cut out ball to Butler-Fleming. It was the right option but it is also read by the winger for the Knights who plucks it away and flies down field. Quinlan has him in cover and closes in just past halfway but would you believe it? He blows out a hammy and hits the deck so the Knights run away for a 12 point turnaround.

Wenty down 2 men now.

The conversion is good.

Knights trail 6-10

1min on the clock.

 

[Forty20]

Wenty have no issues holding out in the last set of the half.

Half Time

Wenty 10 lead Newcastle 6

 

[BlueAndGoldPride]

Cheers forty loving the updates so far!

 

[Forty20]

Far out though, the curse continues with Joseph Ualesi and Adam Quinlan sustaining what looked like serious injuries.

Solid half of footy beyond that with Wenty showing lots of guts through out. A few times we got a little bit lost mid tackle count near the line but beyond that the intent has been positive.

 

[Forty20]

Second half underway with Wenty kicking off.

Bold footy from the Knights as they spin it down their left edge from the kick reception. Wenty scramble well and bring the pill down though.

Newcastle do build from the confident start though and continue to work our right edge before finding touch 10m out in a strong start to the half.

Aloiai and Pakutoa continue to work hard in attack. Kamikamica is our option late in the count before Nic Kassis takes us over halfway and brings up the last.

Henry fields the grass deep in the red zone for Knights and we bring them down a few metres out of the line after some sideway running from their fullback.

 

[Forty20]

Ualesi is back on the bench and doesn't have the jacket on so maybe there is hope of a return today, as I type that he is up and running so it looks better.

Newcastle shoot for a 40/20 early in their set but Goodall is seemingly on the wing and he has raced back and taken it very well on the full.

Wenty work the ball into the opposition's half and look for a grubber in behind down the left via Madden on the last but it is a pretty poor kick and it easily taken before Wenty then are done for shooting up early in defence.

Fortunately for the Magpies the Knights are pretty messy in the subsequent set are throw possession away with a forward pass.

Aloiai has another good carry from the scrum win. Gorman scoots after him and Manu is used down the left on the third. Wenty continue to play down their left and on the last I believe it is O'Malley that puts the bomb up down the same edge. The chase is fair and we look to have the Knights pinned inside their 10m zone but a second effort from Lavaka in the tackle earns the ire of the referee.

Newcastle get a second penalty early in the following set as the ball rolls out of a tackle. Hint of a loose carry there but the ref sees otherwise.

That said, Newcastle prove to be their own worst enemies again as the drop the ball cold down their left edge.

In other news, Lasalo's right ankle is heavily strapped over the boot. Not sure how healthy he is at the moment but he is walking up and down the sideline.

 

[Forty20]

Goodall, Aloiai and O'Malley work the all out. Manu is the fourth runner of the set but Kamikamica spills a simple catch on halfway which sees the Knights go back on the attack.

Aloiai makes a textbook hip driver, ripper of a tackle and it forces an error to boot but the ref is having none of it and blows a penalty. It is a shame that was pinged as that was just a beautiful hit.

Justice strikes swiftly though as the Knights produce another unforced error on our line.

Wenty pack down for a scrum 10m out with Alvaro first up in his first touch of the second half. He picks up a penalty for Wenty and the ball is HEAVED downfield by Henry and marked on halfway. Top touch finder.

Alvaro and O'Malley get early touches with the latter offloading to Gorman. Henry goes to the line down the right and puts Toutai into a smidgen of space. Vai half beats his man and tries to flick pass to Butler-Fleming but the ball is picked by the Knights.