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GALLANT TIGERS CHEW UP SOFT EELS
The mighty Balmain Tigers SG Ball team have produced the upset of the season by defeating the competition favourites the Parramatta Eels 25 - 18 at Cabramatta Sports Ground yesterday.
The Eels have been dubbed the quarter million dollar team this year because of their eight costly imports but one disgruntled supporter said on making a hasty exit from the stadium, I wouldnt pay two bob for this mob.
Meanwhile seasoned Tiger supporters were reminiscing about 1969 when the Balmain club produced one of the greatest upsets in NRL history by defeating the great South Sydney team in the grand final. One elated supporter said to me, They did us proud.
The Eels led 18-0 at one stage in the second half and looked to have the game in the bag after trys to wingers Ulugia and Taufua and five eight Jason Wehbe.
Even at that stage the score did not reflect the evenness of the contest. Balmain was giving as good as they were getting.
What we witnessed then was the greatest capitulation since Britain fled Singapore in WW2.
The Parramatta boys under significant pressure from the Tigers offence gave up their tryline and allowed Balmain to cross their line five times in the second half.
The cracks started to appear in the Parramatta team last week after Cronulla exposed their right side defence.
The Eels led 26 - 10 at half time in that game and came within a whisker of defeat then.
The right hand side in Parramattas defence was again their nemesis yesterday. Numerous times Tigers winger Faleula Finau was found in space.
This boy can motor. He scored 5 trys against WSAS a few weeks back and he scored another two yesterday.
He would not be out of place in the NSW under 18 team to be picked later this season.
Also contributing significantly to the Balmain victory yesterday were two players from the Parramatta Harold Matthews team in 2007, half back Daniel Mahoney and centre Blake Williams who now proudly wear the Tigers colours.
Mahoney led the team around the paddock well with long passes and his organisational ability. While his kicking game was ordinary he had a good game in attack.
Williams scored two trys and red-faced Eels officials were left wondering why they let two local juniors go and instead bring in eight imports from far and wide.
The Balmain team is well coached by their former NRL star David Brooks but he must be scratching his head at his teams enigmatic performances.
They have beaten Parramatta, WSAS, Western Suburbs and Souths but have fallen to Manly, Cronulla and St George so far this season. Have they turned the corner to become a threat to the title? I think so.
As for Parramatta PK has heard from the highly secretive Eels bunker that changes will be made for next weeks game against Melbourne Storm.
Players on the right hand side of defence will surely come under coach Mick Lewiss microscope.
Lewis and his coaching staff are frustrated that senior players are not following the game plan and this has eventuated in the below par performances the past two weeks.
The Eels are a good team and will bounce back.
PKS BEST AND FAIREST:
3 Daniel Mahoney Tigers half back
2 - Faleula Finau Tigers winger
1 Patrick Politoni Tigers five eight
BALMAIN 25 (F Finau 2 B Williams 2 tries P Politoni try J Nicholas 2 goals J Nicholas field goal) bt
PARRAMATTA 18 (C Ulugia J Taufua J Wehbe tries J Tavita 3 goals)
HAROLD MATTHEWS CUP
The Eels were too good for the Tigers winning 46-0.
Parramatta representative fullback Jacob Gagen was again the star after scoring three trys.
His speed was a standout highlight of a one sided game where the Tigers were no match for their much-vaunted opposition.
The Eels offence was on fire yesterday but it will be their outstanding defence that should be talked about in the dressing room this week.
Keeping the Tigers score to a duck egg was a great performance by the Parramatta players who showed great commitment to keeping their line free of trys.
On many occasions last ditch and scrambling defence was needed to repel the Balmain attacks on their line.
Parramatta is starting to look like premiership material.
Only time will tell. Balmain was their own worst enemy yesterday where discipline let them down badly.
Lets hope Tigers officials censure their young captain Kyle Lovett who was clearly heard by the crowd in the grandstand yell to his players, Lets take their f...... heads off.
If we could hear it in the grandstand why couldnt the match officials hear it and take appropriate action?
There is no place in the junior representatives for this type of behaviour. Not the best example of leadership Mr Lovett.
PKS BEST AND FAIREST :
3 Jacob Gagen Eels fullback
2 Josh Neale Eels prop
1 Junior Paulo Eels prop
PARRAMATTA 46 (J Gagan 3 T Errington 2 J Neale 2 D Golding tries S McGuinness 7 goals) bt
BALMAIN 0
