ELIMINATION FINAL ONE
Saturday 7:45pm AEST, 15th September 2007, @ Telstra Stadium, Homebush.
V
PARRAMATTA EELS
1-13: J Hayne, K Inu, D Wagon, T Tahu, E Grothe, B Finch, T Smith, N Cayless (c), M Riddell, FF MoiMoi, N Hindmarsh, I Hindmarsh, C Robinson.
Bench: PJ Marsh, J Cordoba, F Mateo, J Reddy.
Coach: Michael Hagan.
BULLDOGS
1-13: L Patten, H El Masri, D Millard, W Tonga, M Utai, B Roberts, B Sherwin, M O’Meley, C Hughes, W Mason, SB Williams, A Ryan (c), R Maitua.
Bench: A Perry, C Armit, N Kouparitsas, J Hickey.
Coach: Steven Folkes.
FIRST HALF
1st Minute PAR – FuiFui MoiMoi runs back the first hit up. Tim Smith puts in a clearing kick from halfway to end an okay set. Patten returns cops a suspect tackle by Timana Tahu and comes out of the tackle with what looks to be a dislocated finger.
2nd Minute BUL – Dogs set takes them into Parra’s half but Sherwin’s kick doesn’t ask to many questions of Inu on the kick return about 10m out from his line. Dogs give away a piggy back – just what Folkes would have stressed to avoid all week – for inside the 10m.
3rd Minute PAR – Eels get first attacking set starting at the 30m line. Finch touches the ball on almost every tackle and only a desperate dive by El Masri foils Inu from scoring in the left corner. Finch at first receiver looks to be the plan. Dogs Dropout.
5th Minute PAR – Cayless knocks-on on the second tackle.
5th Minute BULLDOGS TRY – From the follow up run by SB Williams he offloads to Patten who splits the defence hits Ryan who finds Tonga – who despite falling manages to put Utai in to score on the left side. Dogs first opportunity comes from a Parramatta error and they score.
BULLDOGS TRY – M Utai (1); C Hughes 2A D/Half Short Pass to – SB Williams 2A Offload to – L Patten 1A Line Break and Pass to – A Ryan 2A Run and Offload to – W Tonga 2A Run and pass to – M Utai to score in the left corner.
H El Masri CONVERSION from touchline successful.
6-0 BULLDOGS after 7 minutes.
7th Minute BUL – O’Meley smashed on the kickoff return.
9th Minute BUL – Williams may have done his wrist or lower arm – huge loss if it is serious.
10th Minute PAR – Wagon knocks on as the Eels move it right inside their own 40m line. Another chance for the Bulldogs.
11th Minute BUL – Finch stops Mason with a great one on one tackle 10m out. Sherwin’s last tackle play is poor with a chip kick to the corner being easily taken by Inu. Eels withstand the pressure.
12th Minute PAR PENALTY – Eels get another piggy back penalty for Hughes not being square.
13th Minute PAR – Smith’s last tackle play emulates Sherwin’s only with a worse result – kicking to the left touchline and Inu knocks on 10m out over the sideline.
14th Minute BUL – Williams signals to the bench saying he has no power in his right arm. Told to stay on – Williams does. Dogs knock on in the meantime giving the Eels a set starting inside the Dogs half.
15th Minute PAR – Tahu knocks on trying to tip the ball onto Inu on the left side. Sherwin found out in defence but the Eels make a mistake. Williams now off replaced by Kouparitsas.
18th Minute PAR – Ian Hindmarsh makes something happen with a great grubber to force a goal line dropout. His play comes after the Eels keep the ball alive well. Kouparitsas offers good offloading ability but defensively he’s no comparison at all with Williams on the right side. Parra need to target him and look to be early.
19th Minute EELS TRY – Finch gets away an amazing offload to Riddell who grubbers through near the line and Millard muffs the grubber and Riddell comes through and scores on the left side. What a play by Finch to get the ball away and Riddell is Johnny on the spot from his own kick. Inu to level.
EELS TRY – M Riddell (1); No Assist as Riddell kicked and regathered but Finch deserves recognition for a great offload.
K Inu CONVERSION from just to the left of the posts.
6-6 ALL after 21 minutes.
22nd Minute PAR – Cayless gets a great offload away to Tahu who makes a half break but it is diffused.
23rd Minute BUL – Ryan butchers a try after a Roberts makes a break at halfway. Ryan had Patten and Tonga on either side and Ryan kicked the ball over the dead ball line. Deadbeat play.
25th Minute PAR – Tahu spurts into open space after El Masri and Millard can’t read an easy draw and pass by Inu. El Masri then gives the Eels another piggy back holding down in the play the ball.
26th Minute PAR – Robinson hammered by Mason in a great tackle! Tim Smith doesn’t back himself and throws the ball into Nathan Hindmarsh just 5m out and gives Hindy no chance.
28th Minute PAR – Ian Hindmarsh puts the ball down poorly on Armit’s foot but was walking off the mark.
29th Minute PAR – Hayne makes a super run after Nathan Hindmarsh offloads. But Finch loses the ball and Ben Roberts recovers inside the Dogs 20m zone. Ryan has poor ball control in the tackle and it’ll be an Eels scrum just over halfway.
31st Minute PAR PENALTY – Adam Perry gives away a penalty with his first tackle for not clearing the play the ball. Eels don’t take the two points and go for six.
32nd Minute PAR – Roberts stops Wagon on the line somehow but then Mason helps Wagon lose it trying to play the ball right on the line. Hayne misses it and Dogs scrum. But Utai is stripped – Hayne misses it again – and Parra get another go.
35th Minute EELS TRY – Grothe goes over in the right corner after the Eels keep the ball alive from the left to the right and Mateo shapes to kick passes to Wagon who finds Reddy who draws Utai and Grothe scores. Well executed from second phase play.
EELS TRY – E Grothe (1); F Mateo 2A Short Pass to – D Wagon 2A Short Pass to – J Reddy 1A Short Pass to – E Grothe to score in right corner.
K Inu CONVERSION from right touchline.
12-6 EELS after 36 Minutes.
39th Minute PAR – Smith finds the dead ball line after a good set by the Eels. Dogs need to hang in until halftime.
40th Minute PAR – Ryan stops Finch from getting a field goal attempt away from about 35m out. Great play by Ryan despite Finch possibly getting hurt.
HALFTIME WRAP
The Bulldogs started well which was always going to be vital for their game plan but they also kept giving away piggy back penalties to allow the Eels to get out of their own half time and time again. Utai’s try came from the first attacking opportunity the Dogs created and their only other chance came when Roberts made a break and Ryan butchered the final option. The Dogs haven’t had another chance while the Eels have manufactured better chances from about halfway through the first half.
Finch has been the best player on the field followed by Tahu, Hayne and Grothe. For the Dogs Mason and Roberts have tried hard but the loss of SB Williams to a possible right wrist/arm injury may have finished the Dogs before the second half even begins.
SECOND HALF
41st Minute BUL – Dogs first set won’t feature Williams, he isn’t part of the 13 men to run on for the second half.
42nd Minute PAR – Inu brings back a kick return brilliantly. The Eels are building nicely to open the second half but a knock on ends their momentum.
45th Minute BUL PENALTY – Ryan gets a penalty for being stripped but it looks like he’s just lost it.
46th Minute PAR – N Hindmarsh takes the ball from Kouparitsas who couldn’t handle an O’Meley offload. Inu makes a break after the ball is spread wide but the Dogs recover through Roberts and receive a penalty in that same set. A frenetic start to the second half.
47th Minute BUL POSSIBLE TRY – Sherwin is held up by a great N Hindmarsh and Mateo tackle but might’ve been stripped by Hayne over the line trying to get the ball down. No Try is the correct call and play the ball Dogs. Dogs get it in the air through El Masri but Mateo cleans up again. El Masri then gives away another penalty and the Eels get ANOTHER piggy back.
51st Minute EELS FIELD GOAL – Finch recovers a pathetic pass that bounces around about 30m out and he has no time to steady but strikes it sweetly and it’s 13-6 Eels!
EELS FIELD GOAL – B Finch (1) from 30m out.
13-6 EELS after 52 Minutes.
54th Minute PAR – Eels on the attack inside the 20m zone. Smith caught on the 4th and Finch to bomb for the corner. Utai tackled in goal and Finch is having a top game… but change of decision Utai ruled to have caught the ball in goal. Still Finch is playing the kind of game we hoped he would be allowed to – from first receiver as often as possible.
55th Minute BUL – Roberts kick is charged down by MoiMoi and the latter cleans up. Dogs then give away another penalty and points here from Parra could put the result beyond doubt.
57th Minute PAR – Hayne returns the kick to near halfway, looses the ball then knocks it out of Patten’s hands – only for Hayne to rule an Eels feed.
61st Minute BUL – Utai makes a break up the left wing but his pass to Ryan who was under pressure is lost and the Dogs let another opportunity slip.
62nd Minute PAR PENALTY – Mason gives away another piggy back penalty for not being square in the play the ball. Dogs shooting themselves in the foot at every opportunity but the Eels haven’t put the nail in the coffin yet.
63rd Minute PAR – Smith’s grubber is volleyed by Hayne but over the dead ball line. Another killer punch avoided.
66th Minute BUL – Sherwin makes a half break but N Hindmarsh stops him. Maitua’s last tackle kick has gone dead. And the Bulldogs are in all sorts on the last play option.
67th Minute PAR – Finch finds touch 5m out with a smart kick just slowing the play down and settling the Eels for the final 13 minutes.
68th Minute BUL – Sherwin kicks across the field for El Masri who loses the ball trying to pass back inside for Millard. Mason’s charges have been like he’s the only Dog capable of making yards… pity that is the reality. Williams to return for the last ten minutes – Folkes rolling the dice – hopefully not at the expense of SBW’s long term health.
69th Minute PAR – Smith dances around four but then grubbers into the in-goal for Finch but Utai cleans up and makes it back into the field of play.
72nd Minute BUL – Sherwin finally goes to the air – bombing to Inu but the Eels winger is equal to the challenge. It looks like Folkes is playing Williams on the left… shame it has taken Folkes until the last 10 minutes of the season to match his best attacking players on the same side (injured or not).
73rd Minute PAR – Reddy makes a break from inside his own half but is tracked down by Utai in a great try-saver. Dogs stay alive… but for how much longer?
74th Minute EELS TRY – Tahu pounces on a stray Roberts pass that Maitua lamely tries to handle and runs 55m to score under the sticks and end this one.
EELS TRY – T Tahu (1); No assist.
K Inu CONVERSION from in front.
19-6 EELS after 76 Minutes.
79th Minute PAR PENALTY – Perry gives away the last piggy back penalty for the Eels this game… I think I’ve run out of fingers to count them tonight.
80th Minute EELS TRY – Eels on their last attacking set of the night. Mason sends Inu into the turf with a great hit. But the ball is spread wide and Finch puts Tahu into space and he gives it to Hayne who beats Patten to the left corner. Eels deserve to win by this margin. Finch the standout.
EELS TRY – J Hayne (1); B Finch 2A Cut Out Pass to – T Tahu 1A Short Pass to – J Hayne to score in left corner.
K Inu CONVERSION from the left touchline.
25-6 EELS at Full Time.
FULLTIME WRAP
Brett Finch was the star of the night putting his stamp on the game at every key stage. Nathan Hindmarsh, Hayne, Tahu and Inu very good also with Robinson, Cayless and Riddell all excelling in the pack.
The Dogs simply don’t have the attacking structure to beat the really good defensive sides and questions must be asked of Brent Sherwin’s future as the first choice halfback.
The Eels will take on the Storm at Olympic Park next Sunday and will give the Minor Premiers and premiership favourite a good run for their money.
FULL TIME RESULT
PARRAMATTA EELS 25
TRIES
M Riddell (19th), E Grothe (35th), T Tahu (74th), J Hayne (80th).
GOALS
K Inu 4 from 4.
B Finch 1 Field Goal (51st).
Defeated
BULLDOGS 6
TRIES
M Utai (5th).
GOALS
H El Masri 1 from 1.
League Player Ratings: Player of the Finals 3-2-1
3 – B Finch, Eels, 9/10
2 – N Hindmarsh, Eels, 8/10
1 – M Riddell, Eels, 8/10
Referee: Shayne Hayne 5/10.
_________________________
Warrick Nicolson
E: wdnicolson@optusnet.com.au
P: 0402851485
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