Parramatta Eels Holden Cup & Junior Reps Thread Part III

[Delboy]

Heard an interesting story about DeLuis, apparently had a major accident when 6 or 7 , his dog came smashing into his knees and busted them real bad. When he runs you can see he has issues which he has overcome. Solid defender but his running game suffers, a great effort to get this far

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Late mail is in: Parramatta Eels U20s Late Mail

Lussick and Bush both out, SG Ball player Denzal Tonise makes his NYC debut at hooker. Interestingly Tonise has been playing back row for the Ball side. I believe he was starting hooker last year though. Big boy for a dummy half. Built like a brick shithouse and quick.

 

[Forty20]

Get hyped, merkins!

I'm seriously surprised by Denzal's selection at hooker. I know he his listed as a backrower/hooker on his profile but he seriously looks like a pure backrower from what I have seen in the SG Ball. Like Poups said, he is built like brick shit house.

 

[Forty20]

Parra to kick off today.

 

[Forty20]

Josh Aloiai leads the team on for the first game of the year while Nathan Davis has kicking duties.

Davis gets us underway as and Twal and Aloiai make a crunching tackle first up.

The Eagles quickly spin it to their right edge and nearly make a break through but are pulled down by some desperate defence. On the next play they are pinged for a forward pass from an offload.

Parra scrum 10m into Manly's half.

 

[Joshuatheeel]

Markus maybe playing hooker

 

[Forty20]

Davis takes the hit up from the scrum as Parra work to their right edge.

Twal brings the ball back to the center before a gorgeous move down the left edge sees Abbas Miski open his account for 2015! Tepai Tepu-Smith started the movement with a nice ball out the back at the line while Reimis Smith showed some poise to play out the finishing touch perfectly.

The conversion is unsuccessful.

Parra lead 4-0

3min gone.

 

[Forty20]

Tom Tbrojevic gets play back under way and Twal fields the ball on the bounce. Tonise is definitely playing hooker as he works the ball to the left via his forwards. ZDC completes the set with an uppish kick but the kick chase does pretty well - a penalty two tackles later however undoes the good work.

Manly resume play 10m into Parra's half.

 

[Forty20]

A second penalty now against the Eels for failing to make the 10 and time comes off as Jeff Markus receives treatment for a head knock. He is taken off by the trainer. Not exactly ideal there.

Manly start play down their right edge but shift it quickly to their left looking for Tom Trbo but he is wrapped up by good defence. Manly continues to probe down Parra's left and have a chance to score off a grubber but fail to ground it!

20m restart for the Eels.

 

[Forty20]

Promising stuff from Dockar-Clay and Davis as they nearly unleash Aaron Pene down the right sideline but the last pass from Davis is called forwards.

Manly scrum 10m short of halfway.

Again they look for Tom Trbo but he is taken down without an issue. Manly bring the ball back down their right edge and earn their third penalty of the game as the ball pops out of the tackle on their backrower.

Nothing comes of the repeat set as their James Parker, their #12 drops the ball cold off a short ball frm an unders line down their right.

 

[Forty20]

First penalty of the game for the Eels now as they work out from their red zone. Brutal run from Aloiai after the touch finder skittles a defender.

Twal plays the ball at the like to Tepu-Smith, who Manly barely contain before working the ball to the left. Reimis Smith is pulled down after beating the initial tackle and Davis brings the ball back to the right where Tepu-Smith makes an error in the play the ball.

 

[Forty20]

Manly ruck it out to halfway on the last and drive the ball straight to Pene. Miski has a charge and is followed by Muna. Tepu-Smith takes us over halfway but yet again comes up with an error, this time as he hits the deck.

Manly scrum 10m into their half.

 

[Forty20]

Tom Trbo is the option from the scrum once again as he attacks down Manly's right edge short side. He is pulled down and the visitors continue to plug away down the right for a few tackles before Muna nails a Sea Eagle who goes on a looping run.

Davis is trapped in goals on the last from an astute grubber.

 

[Forty20]

Cheap error from Manly now as they knock on at hooker. Big let off for the Eels.

Parra scrum 15m short of halfway.

Dockar-Clay uses Fuimaono from the scrum win who beats the first defender and passes to Pene. Pene nearly loses the ball before pulling it in and gaining some extra metres. The Eels drive deep into Manly's half and French chips across field for Miski but the kick is *just* too big and sails into touch. Wasn't much in that as Miski was over for all money if the kick was a smidgen shorter.

Manly come to life in the following set though as Tom Trbojevic finally makes an incision in the Parra defensive line. He loops to the left edge as Manly ruck it over halfway and slices through the defensive line. Davis looked to have him covered by Trbojevic backs himself down the sideline and Davis misses the tackle.

The conversion is successful.

Manly lead Parra 6-4

19min gone.

 

[Forty20]

Jeez that was a rough call. Strong tackle looked to have dislodged the ball there but the ref rules strip. I had a good angle for that one and it looked pretty clear cut the other way.

Manly resume play on halfway and begin to ruck it in. They then venture down their left edge once again and Tom Trbojevic is into the back field again! Our right edge is really struggling with that sweeping play. Davis comes up against Tom Trbo again but this time the Manly custodian has support and passes to his winger who just makes it to the try line.

The conversion is unsuccessful.

Manly lead Parra 10-4

22min gone.

 

[Forty20]

Davis with his third kickoff of the day now.

Manly finally venturing some second phase play but the Eels do well to contain the ball however they come up with yet another penalty as Manly find themselves in Parra's half again. A bit of luck for the Eels though as an error in the play the ball relieves the pressure.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Markus maybe playing hooker

That's what I thought might happen but then wouldn't Tonise go to the bench with one of the bench forwards starting?

Forty, is Tonise wearing jersey 9 as listed on the parraeels.com or does he have 18+?

 

[Forty20]

Reimis Smith takes the first hit up of the set and Brandon Raeli follows him up as Manly are pinged for the 10m mark.

French turns the ball from Muna on the first tackle. Raeli is up next and draws a second penalty. Tonise taps and uses Raeli - no penalty this time but a crisp back line down the right sees the Eels cross! Davis was the bluff there as he was cut out on the sweeping play. Fuimaono was the recipient of Dockar-Clay's pass instead and he quickly shovels the ball to Pene who beats the initial contact of his opposite to slam the ball down out wide.

The conversion is successful.

The Eels lock it all up at 10-all

26min gone.

 

[Forty20]

That's what I thought might happen but then wouldn't Tonise go to the bench with one of the bench forwards starting?

Forty, is Tonise wearing jersey 9 as listed on the parraeels.com or does he have 18+?

#19 and playing hooker.

 

[Forty20]

Messy kick off there as Aloiai cleans it up eventually.

Momentum with the Eels now as the ref blows another penalty for the home team. Another 10m infringement.

Parra quickly turn the ball over though as Raeli passes to Kaufusi who loses the ball. Some good defence from Smith down our left as Manly raid that edge. However, as good as the left is the right seems to have continued issues - this time from the grubber as Pene is beaten by his opposite Mitch Thomas to the ball. Try time for the Sea Eagles. Not sure who kicked that.

The conversion is successful

Manly lead 16-10

30min gone