Knock-on Effect NSW Cup - Eels Team

[Forty20]

A handful of changes for an already weakened Wenty roster today:

1. Jake Butler-Fleming
2. Bureta Faraimo
3. Fabian Goodall
4. Vai Toutai
5. Halauafu Lavaka
6. Ryan Matterson
7. Beau Henry
8. Daniel Alvaro
9. Sam Gorman
10. Tui Kamikamica
11. Cody Nelson
17. Nick Kassis
13. Joseph Ualesi

Interchange:
12. Moses Manu
15. Taunaola Kei
20. Mitch Stanfield
23. Mick Stevens

Moses Manu and Nick Kassis swap places between starting and the bench while Dean Parata and Wes Mourad drop out of the team for Mitch Stanfield and Mick Stevens. None of the players with first grade experience have been rested ahead of next week's NRL game against the Cowboys.

 

[Jake the snake]

A handful of changes for an already weakened Wenty roster today:

1. Jake Butler-Fleming
2. Bureta Faraimo
3. Fabian Goodall
4. Vai Toutai
5. Halauafu Lavaka
6. Ryan Matterson
7. Beau Henry
8. Daniel Alvaro
9. Sam Gorman
10. Tui Kamikamica
11. Cody Nelson
17. Nick Kassis
13. Joseph Ualesi

Interchange:
12. Moses Manu
15. Taunaola Kei
20. Mitch Stanfield
23. Mick Stevens

Moses Manu and Nick Kassis swaps places between starting and the bench while Dean Parata and Wes Mourad drop out of the team for Mitch Stanfield and Mick Stevens. None of the players with first grade experience have been rested ahead of next week's NRL game against the Cowboys.

How's TUI doing? Any chance of cracking NRL level?

 

[Forty20]

There has definitely been progress for Tui this year and you can see the potential he possesses but it is hard to gauge how far off he is. Good motor and capable of strong runs but still lacking consistency and presence around the ruck I would say. I wouldn't mind the club keeping him around in the hopes of him kicking on in the next 12-24 months but I would be very surprised if he played NRL in at least the first year of that hypothetical deal.

 

[Forty20]

Wenty are lead out by Cody Nelson today. Not sure if he has the (c) but he will be handling the kickoff so perhaps that is what is doing.

As per that odd lead in sentence, Wenty will be kicking off today!

 

[Forty20]

Nelson gets us underway and the Bears start the game by losing the ball backwards. They clean it up well enough and begin to ruck it out. They eventually find their way to the halfway mark where they spin it left on the last and complete their set with a shallow kick. Butler-Fleming dives on it to secure the pill.

Solid first set by Wenty in return as the work the ball down their right edge before dabbing it in behind and trapping the Bears 2m off their line.

 

[Forty20]

Terrific defence there by Wenty now as they limit the Bears to their 30m line and put huge pressure on the kick. Halauafu Lavaka fields the bouncing ball on halfway and Wenty are set for a set with great field position before the Bears concede a penalty early in the count.

Wenty find touch and resume play by centreing the ball from Kamikamika to Alvaro with a short ball. They then come back left as Matterson runs to the lien and is tackled before switching to the right edge to bring up the last. Henry calls for the ball and looks to kick for Lavaka but Halauafu reads the kick well, choosing not to contest it outright but rather wait for his opposite to come down with the ball and drive him in goals for a drop out.

 

[Forty20]

Again Wenty work it down the left early in the set as Matterson throws a nicely held up pass to Kassis who carries defenders to line but is stopped just short. We go back to the posts but are held out by willing defence before Matterson gets rushed on the last. He manages to get a grubber kick away despite being half tackled but the fullback Darryl Millard for the Bears cleans it up easily.

Having spent a considerable portion of the early exchanges defending the Bears play it safe by rucking it out and finding touch 20m off our line in what is a good result for them.

 

[Forty20]

Solid ruck work from Alvaro and Kamikamica early in this set before there is a good run from Lavaka as he cleans up a dropped ball down our left edge. Ualesi linked up with Matterson who intended to find Kassis but the backrower looked to have over run the play so Lavaka scooped up the pill and went in field.

Henry completes the set with a bomb towards our right edge. We' don't contest the kick but a good kick chase pins the catcher in the North Sydney red zone. Unfortunately a tackle later Wenty are done for infringing the 10m mark and the Bears get a much needed hand down field.

They quickly capitalise on it as well as they spread the ball across their right edge creating an overlap. They kick ahead along the ground and in a huge swing in momentum in the game, win the race to the ball to cross 10m in from touch down our left edge.

The conversion attempt from Darren Nicholls is waved away after striking the upright.

North Sydney lead Wenty 4-0

 

[Forty20]

Big set from the Bears as the roll into Wenty's half for an attacking kick. They bomb Lavaka who makes a rare mistake in catching the ball but loses it backwards and quickly recovers himself to dive on the ball. The Bears then prove to be over eager in defence themselves as they jump the gun and are penalised.

Play resumes on halfway as Wenty use Ualesi and Kamikamica before venturing down the right edge with Butler-Fleming who is well tackled.

The ball comes to our left from Nelson to Henry to Matterson who then sends Alvaro into the line for a quick play the ball which sees Beau Henry then jump into first receiver down the left edge. He runs in behind the ruck and shows some nimble feet to weave in between the retreating defence from ~12m out to force his way over for a try! Great effort.

Cody Nelson with the conversion duties and he is successful first up today.

Wenty strike back quickly to seize the lead 6-4.

 

[Forty20]

Alvaro with the run from the kick off. Kamikamica follows with a good carry. Wenty shift to their left where Matterson turns Ualesi back to the ruck for another good run.

Lovely work on the next tackle! Kassis plays first receiver down the left edge short side to find Matterson on the second man who commits the winger and gets an around the back offload to Lavaka away. Halauafu storms over a defender as he gains a further 15m before he is pulled down and the Bears' defensive line is in tatters.

A quick shift to the right is all Wenty needs as Jake Butler-Fleming slices through the line, I missed who fed him the ball but Jake comes to Millard in the last line of defence and draws and passes with a cute little fade to Henry who has raced up on his right! Henry is happy to make it an early brace of tries.

Nelson adds the extras.

Wenty extend their lead to 12-6.

 

[Forty20]

Again the kickoff run is given to Alvaro. Ditto with Kamikamica following him up. Matterson runs it himself this time before Ualesi adds another run to his name, carrying defenders to the half way line.

A second carry to Tui will bring up the last where Henry stabs it in behind. Millard is well positioned this time around and catches the ball on the full.

 

[Forty20]

Wenty are pinged late in the count for a hand on the ball which will see the Bears go on the attack deep in Wenty's half.

They are adventurous with the ball from the first tackle spreading it from their right to left and very nearly catching the Magpies asleep but some committed effort from Toutai and Faraimo keep them out and the home team make an error in the play the ball from that tackle! Big break for Wenty.

More work from Kamikmaica and Alvaro in this set before Nelson gets a carry down the right edge. Some more quality footy from our left edge as again Ualesi acts as the focal point by linking up with Matterson. Matto quickly shifts the ball to Henry or maybe Butler-Fleming - hard to catch from my angle - who fires a cut out pass to Lavaka. Halauafu palms off his opposite number for a line break and steams down the sideline before passing back to Kassis who is eventually pulled down 5m short of the line.

Butler-Fleming then jumps out of dummy half looking to catch the retreating defenders out but incredulously doesn't draw a penalty and the ref signals the last tackle. In spite of the poor call, Henry looks to roll the ball in behind down the right but Millard puts himself in the right place. But hang, has he spilled it? He has! And guess who is right there to pick it up and dive over? None other than Beau Henry who completes an unlikely first half hat trick!

Nelson misses the rather easy conversion attempt though.

Wenty lead 16-6.

 

[Forty20]

Another penalty for Wenty now as they get a chance to attack from the kickoff set. The Bears are more resolute in defence this time and despite a pretty well timed grubber and run from Matterson intended for Kassis, the Bears clean the ball up. Kassis does make a great tackle though.

 

[Forty20]

The Bears get some luck as they draw a scrum call from the ref for a Wenty hand touching a pass but it all comes undone from the scrum win as a loose pass is dived upon by Matterson. Fabian Goodall gets into dummy half afterwards and has a tremendous scoot, making 20m but Wenty then get bogged down in using their right edge.

Matterson puts in a cross field kick for Lavaka on the last but Halauafu just mistimes his run and the Bears come down with the ball.

The Bears counter attack down our right edge where an offload creates a line break. Butler-Fleming kills the movement and the home team look to kick to the posts on the next tackle but a great juggling attempt by one of our big men secures the ball.

Metres are tough to come by for Wenty this set and we are forced to simply hoof the ball down field but a decent kick chase means the Bears start the set marginally in their half.

North Sydney focus on working the ruck in this set but Wenty met them equally well there and midway through the set the Bears throw a sloppy forward pass for a soft turnover.

 

[Delboy]

Forty, out of interest, are the coaching staff at the game checking players?

BA is usually around and a bit hidden from memory

 

[Forty20]

Not much on offer in this set for Wenty before a bustling carry from Moses Manu, fresh on, puts us in range for an attacking kick. Matterson looks to dab it in behind down the left edge but it gets a deflection in the line and sits up perfectly for Lavaka! He weaves in between the defence before chipping over the fullback and is CLEARLY held back by Millard but no call comes! Awful no-call there and the Bears survive on their 1m line before getting a piggy back down the field for offside defenders.

Scratch that! Wenty back on the attack after a Goodall intercept! He doesn't get it cleanly so there is no break away run but he does move the ball a good 20m down field. Oh dear, double down on the scratchings as Wenty quickly turn it over in a fast shift to our right. LOL. The Bears then lose it immediately themselves so Wenty are back on the attack.

Then on the first tackle they take Nick Kassis high and the ref quickly raises his arm for the penalty. ~22m directly in front and Wenty do not hesitate to point to the sticks with half time looming.

Nelson hits it sweetly and the flags are raised.

Wenty lead the Bears now 18-4.

 

[Forty20]

Forty, out of interest, are the coaching staff at the game checking players?

BA is usually around and a bit hidden from memory

I spotted Steve Murphy before the game. Haven't caught sight of anyone else bar Steve Sharp.

 

[Forty20]

Wenty won't score off the back of it with the half time siren ringing but Daniel Alvaro makes a huge bust up the middle, carrying defenders for about 30m! Great run by the Polar Bear and a poignant way to cap off an excellent first stanza for the Magpies.

 

[Forty20]

Both teams are out for the second half. The Bears will be kicking to Wenty.

 

[Forty20]

Madness from the kickoff. Mid range kick from the Beats that hits the deck. Ualesi pushes back to clean it up from the bounce but loses it backwards so Manu cleans it up and is nearly tackled on his goal line before getting back out to the 20m mark. Absolute chaos!

Wenty end up posting a kick from halfway, mid field bomb as it were, but the Bears have little issues fielding the ball.