Sportal: Eels end Sea Eagles' season

[Hurriflatch]

Eels end Sea Eagles' seasonby: Scott BrooksSportal

The Parramatta Eels have advanced to the preliminary final weekend with a comprehensive 46-22 defeat of a battered Manly in the fourth qualifying final at Parramatta Stadium.

The game was as good as over after a frantic opening 40 minutes of action as the blue and gold's went on a rampage, scoring five unanswered tries to enjoy an unassailable 28-0 half-time lead.

The Sea Eagles scored four tries to three in the second half to save face in a game that has ended their season.

Their woes were further compounded by the third minute report of prop Jason King for a dangerous throw on Eels skipper Nathan Cayless.

The Eels will now play the winner of next Saturday night's Melbourne-Cowboys match in week three of the finals.

Some ill-disciplined play from Manly centre Steve Matai gave the Eels field position for their first try when boom halfback Tim Smith sent a long spiraling pass to centre Timana Tahu, who brushed past the defence aside to score in the right corner.

Winger Luke Burt missed with the conversion, but the Eels led 4-0 after eight minutes.

The brilliant young Smith was at it again just three minutes later when he sliced through a gap to send lock Chad Robinson under the posts for a converted try and a 10-0 lead.

Hooker Mark Riddell barged through some paper-thin defence from dummy-half in the 16th minute to give the Eels a 16-0 break, Burt bagging his 200th point for the season with the conversion.

When rampaging winger Eric Grothe crossed for a converted try in the 27th minute, the shell-shocked Sea Eagles were confirmed shot birds.

An Anthony Watmough try just after the break gave Manly fans some joy, before that was soon extinguished when Tahu streaked away for his second try of the day in the 50th minute for a 34-4 lead.

A flurry of tries in the run home, including two from kicks by tireless Sea Eagles lock Ben Kennedy, completed the 46-22 result.


Eels 46
Tries: Tahu 2, Robinson, Riddell, Grothe, Burt, Wagon, Peek
Conversions: Burt 7

Sea Eagles 22
Tries: Kennedy 2, Watmough, Witt
Conversions: Williamson 2, Monaghan

http://www.sportal.com.au/league.asp?i=news&id=71150

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