Knock-on Effect NSW Cup - Eels Team

[Forty20]

Newcastle get a penalty for a shoulder charge, didn't see anything in it to be honest though and a second penalty follows somewhat bizarrely when the Newcastle runner advances the mark UNDER the Wenty marker. The marker is caught riding the runner and is pinged despite the Knights advancing the mark.

Back to the footy itself and Newcastle earn a line drop out from the set as they roll it ingoals behind Lavaka who does well to get back and bat it dead.

Bit of vigor from both teams this set but Wenty hold out with Goodall, having switched to the right with Butler-Fleming playing fullback, leaping high and taking a great catch from the bomb.

Face palm stuff follows though as we lose the ball from the restart but the Knights play their advantage and then lose the ball themselves. Manic stuff.

 

[Forty20]

Aloiai has another involvement with the pill and Ualesi gets back on for a run. Henry pulls up on the last and stabs the ball into touch 12m out from the Newcastle goal line. Good, composed option there.

 

[Twizzle]

we should have switched coaches at the start of the year

 

[Forty20]

Moses Manu is playing left centre with Goodall on the right wing.

Speaking of Goodall, heart in mouth stuff there as he bats a Newcastle chip back to Butler-Fleming. We seem to have dodged the bullet but Newcastle somehow keep Jake off the ground and drag him into touch.

Scrum is set 20m off our goal line.

Another penalty falls to the Knights and Alvaro is called out as captain. No idea what that was for though.

And wow, they are taking the two. Interesting call not backing yourself for the try there.

They raise the flags for the attempt though.

Newcastle trail 8-10

64min gone.

 

[Forty20]

Another left edge shift from a kick off from the Knights. We contain it again but they make it past the 20m mark.

Newcastle complete their set with a bomb that is defused by Butler-Fleming

Refs lets the Knights slow the ruck up a fair bit and we find the going tough before a pass hits the deck on the last. We recover to get to rushed kick but the kick chase lead by Aloiai does enough to bring the Knights down 10m in their half.

A handful of tackles later we have time off as a Newcastle player gets a stinger on his leg and from the resumption of play some aggressive line speed from our left edge forces an error!

 

[Forty20]

Wenty use Lavaka for the opening hit up from the scrum win before Ualesi has a barnstorming run down the right! Shades of Hindmarsh in his early days as he drags defenders along and exposes the crack! Earns a penalty as well AND has the first run from the tap restart. Phenomenal stuff!

Off the back of that Wenty cross the white strip! Beau Henry to Vai Toutai down the right edge. Money ball. Great line. Try time!

Henry adds the extras to secure the eight point lead.

Wenty lead the Knights 16-8

70min gone.

 

[Forty20]

Superb run from Alvaro from the kickoff! 25m straight to the bank and Aloiai and Ualesi both follow him up with great carries with Ualesi earning a second penalty on the back of his carries.

Henry finds touch deep into Newcastle's half but we have time off for a concussed Novacastrian.

One he is escorted to the bench the ref signals time back on and Ualesi gets us back underway. Alvaro centres the ball before Kassis takes it to the left. Henry looks for Butler-Fleming as we switch it back to the right but our makeshift fullback drops it cold.

 

[Forty20]

Geez Newcastle make a clean break down our right edge from the scrum win. We were caught napping there but Nic Kassis makes a huge cover tackle and then is deadset robbedd as he is pinged for flopping back on when the runner had slipped out of his grasp. Massive call from the ref there.

And indeed the Knights prosper from the dubious decision as they work it down our right once more where we are simply short on numbers and despite Goodall's best effort to knock the pass down the Knights score in the corner.

The conversion is waved away.

Newcastle narrow the margin to 12-16

74min gone.

 

[Forty20]

Holy shit, what a dud call. We are dead set getting jobbed now as the ref pings us for a shoulder charge on what was just a great tackle.

The Knights rush their touch finder and Butler-Fleming gets a chance to keep it in play but spills it over the line.

Newcastle scrum.

Our right edge gets worked over early in the count. They try to barge over but we repel them before the shift to our left comes. Lavaka is beaten back on the inside by his opposite but there is a swarm of cover defenders and they bring up the last where the Knights have nothing and Moses Manu dives on a grubber kick in the line.

 

[Forty20]

Tough going for Wenty this set though and Henry gets rushed on the last. It looked like a charge down on the kick that we recovered but the ref has ruled that Henry hit his own player with the kick! Crazy scenes in the dying exchanges of this game.

Newcastle get the play the ball and do the opposite of their recent sets as they raid our left edge early in the set but they come up with an error!

Wenty scrum with 90 seconds on the clock.

Gorman runs from the base. Manu and Toutai have runs after, with Vai *nearly* losing the ball into contact. Holy shit.

We get to our kick and Jack Madden and Fred Pakutoa make a great kick chase. Newcastle will get a couple of plays.

They gets some metres down our right but we scramble well. They then go edge to edge to edge before Henry takes the game winning interception! He thinks about having a tilt for the try line from 65m out but thinks better of of it and walks into touch!

Full Time

Wenty 16 DEF Newcastle 12

 

[Kornstar]

Fantastic result for the club. All 3 grades won this week.

Thanks Forty, as always you are awesome and the updates are appreciated.

 

[hineyrulz]

Great stuff 40, sounds like we played tough this week in all 3 grades.

 

[Forty20]

Awesome effort from our boys in the NSW Cup today. A raft of mid game injuries resulted in sweeping changes but they held firm and ground out the win.

Some of our young players lead the way today with Daniel Alvaro, Josh Aloiai and Joseph Ualesi all putting in monstrous efforts. Beau Henry played a good hand as well, despite an intercept while Halauafu Lavaka looked very comfortable making the transition from Ron Massey Cup to NSW Cup.

3. Josh Aloiai
2. Jospeh Ualesi
1. Daniel Alvaro

To be honest though you could swap those three around easily or even include a couple of others for the 1 point. Aloiai made two errors in the first half but was immense for the full 80min. Great line speed and massive production in attack. Ualesi and Alvaro were equally good though with the former overcoming an injury scare to get back onto the park for a fantastic second stint while Alvaro simply continues to impress in the grade.

 

[Joely01]

Woohoo all 3 grades win!

 

[Forty20]

Oh and it was the knee that Quinlan busted, not his hammy. He was well enough to walk out of the ground after the game though.

 

[Casper The Ghost]

Awesome effort from our boys in the NSW Cup today. A raft of mid game injuries resulted in sweeping changes but they held firm and ground out the win.

Some of our young players lead the way today with Daniel Alvaro, Josh Aloiai and Joseph Ualesi all putting in monstrous efforts. Beau Henry played a good hand as well, despite an intercept while Halauafu Lavaka looked very comfortable making the transition from Ron Massey Cup to NSW Cup.

3. Josh Aloiai
2. Jospeh Ualesi
1. Daniel Alvaro

To be honest though you could swap those three around easily or even include a couple of others for the 1 point. Aloiai made two errors in the first half but was immense for the full 80min. Great line speed and massive production in attack. Ualesi and Alvaro were equally good though with the former overcoming an injury scare to get back onto the park for a fantastic second stint while Alvaro simply continues to impress in the grade.

Hope we hold onto these three for at least the next 3 seasons because they are NRL standard players and our 2016 forward pack is going to easily get us into the top 8 next season. To win the 2016 premiership we need Foran and another classy winger or centre. Wonder if Lavaka can make that transition by next season Forty?

 

[Parra47]

How did Jack Madden go 40? Was Henry solid/controlling, without being an attacking spark.

 

[Forty20]

Wonder if Lavaka can make that transition by next season Forty?

Lavaka looked at home in the higher grade. Not really sure why it has taken him until Round 16 to get his chance but I hope he keeps his spot and can build from it.

How did Jack Madden go 40? Was Henry solid/controlling, without being an attacking spark.

Madden was a non-factor for most of the game. Henry did most of the playmaking.

 

[Casper The Ghost]

Lavaka looked at home in the higher grade. Not really sure why it has taken him until Round 16 to get his chance but I hope he keeps his spot and can build from it.



Madden was a non-factor for most of the game. Henry did most of the playmaking.

Great to hear that Forty.

Is Lavaka top 25 this season?

And if so and considering our 2nd tier cap, I wonder if the coaching staff is now grooming him for a shot in the top 17 over the coming month or so?

By my estimation and if he's overcome whatever those hurdles were, Lavaka should already be or will soon be our second best winger in our club.

 

[Chipmunk]

Hasn't Quinlan signed somewhere else? I presumed he would've been gone before June 30.