Eels cling on to beat Dragons

Parramatta still aren't playing vintage football but they did enough to secure a one-point, 19-18 win today against the St-George Illawarra Dragons.

The Eels led the entire match but couldn't put the Dragons away and survived numerous close calls before finally collecting the two points.

Up 18 to 12, Brett Finch kicked a vital field goal with six minutes to go and that proved the difference after the Dragons scored a late try to get within a point of the Eels.

Full match report to follow

Keating and Tautai make way

Ben Smith and Mark Riddell have been named to take on the Dragons this weekend with exciting youngsters Taulima Tautai and Kris Keating the unlucky players to make way.


Smith comes into the centres with Joel Reddy moved onto the wing while Riddell's inclusion in the starting side pushes Matt Keating to the bench. Tautai and Keating join Todd Lowrie as being outside the 17 but named on an extended bench.

Eric Grothe has overcome concussion and has kept his place.

In a media statement, coach Michael Hagan praised Ben Smith for his work in getting back into the NRL side.

“Ben brings a lot to the table in defence and attack and we’re very glad to have him back,” Hagan said.

“He’s worked incredibly hard to get to this stage and has had to overcome a number of setbacks, which is a testament to his strength and work ethic.

“He’s a popular member of the team and he probably doesn’t get the wraps he deserves.

“I have no doubt we’re yet to see the best of Ben Smith and I’m looking forward to what he has to offer the team for the remainder of the season.”

Teamsheets: Eels vs Dragons (R9)

PIRTEK PARRAMATTA EELS
TELSTRA PREMIERSHIP
V DRAGONS

ANZ STADIUM
SUNDAY 11 MAY 2008
3PM

1. Luke BURT
2. Joel REDDY
3. Ben SMITH
4. Jarryd HAYNE
5. Eric GROTHE
6. Feleti MATEO
7. Brett FINCH
8. Nathan CAYLESS [C]
9. Mark RIDDELL
10. Fuifui MOIMOI
11. Nathan HINDMARSH
12. Daniel WAGON
13. Chad ROBINSON

INTERCHANGE
14. Matthew KEATING
15. Brendan OAKE
16. Weller HAURAKI
17. Junior PAULO
18. Kristopher KEATING
19. Taulima TAUTAI
20. Todd LOWRIE

COACH: Michael HAGAN

Cordoba out for six weeks

Josh Cordoba has sustained an AC joint injury and will miss six weeks of footy with his place being taken this week by Brendan Oake.

The injury is opportunity for Oake to push his credentials but also for Junior Paulo to take on additional responsibility and establish himself in the seventeen.

Paulo had probably his best game in the NRL against Manly with a number of smart offloads and he should be brimming with confidence.

Teamsheets: Eels vs Panthers

PIRTEK PARRAMATTA EELS
TELSTRA PREMIERSHIP
V PANTHERS
CUA STADIUM
SATURDAY 3 MAY 2008
730PM

1. Luke BURT
2. Taulima TAUTAI
3. Joel REDDY
4. Jarryd HAYNE
5. Eric GROTHE
6. Feleti MATEO
7. Brett FINCH
8. Nathan CAYLESS [C]
9. Mark RIDDELL
10. Fuifui MOIMOI
11. Nathan HINDMARSH
12. Daniel WAGON
13. Chad ROBINSON

INTERCHANGE
14. Matthew KEATING
15. Brendan OAKE
16. Weller HAURAKI
17. Junior PAULO
18. Kristopher KEATING
19. Todd LOWRIE

PIRTEK PARRAMATTA EELS
TOYOTA CUP
V PANTHERS
CUA STADIUM
SATURDAY 3 MAY 2008
515PM

1. Domenic NASSO
2. Mase Laulu TOGAGAE
3. Ben McLENNAN
4. Tony WILLIAMS
5. Owen LAUOFO
6. Daniel MORTIMER
7. Cameron SPEECHLEY
8. Tim ROBINSON
9. Anthony MITCHELL
10. Tim MANNAH [C]
11. David BAUMANN
12. Luke LATHAM
13. Martin LEWIS

INTERCHANGE
14. Luke MOTTINELLI
15. Mitchell ALLGOOD
16. Taniela LASALO
17. Joe MATAELE
19. Joel LATHAM

Eels to stand by Smith

Denis Fitzgerald has affirmed that Parramatta will continue to support embattled half back Tim Smith as he battles Bi-polar Disorder.

“We have been very supportive of Tim and his situation and we will continue to support him,” Fitzgerald said in an Eels media statement.

“It is good that Tim has come out publicly to say he has got Bipolar Disorder and that in this case it is important to not there has been no incident that’s triggered this situation.

“The primary thing now is for Tim to be doing what he and his medical advisors think is best for him and we will give him all the support he needs to get better.”

Tim Smith's prepared statement is as follows:

"This morning I made a request to the club to be stood down from this week’s game. The coaching staff and club officials have agreed to grant me this leave. I have just had a meeting with my team mates to tell them of my actions and where I’m at.

I was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder 18 months ago and in this time have been seeking professional advice and taking prescribed medication to try and help me deal with the day to day life of someone with Bipolar.

I am not using Bipolar Disorder as an excuse for anything that has happened in the past or my decision today. However I am not coping with the constant media pressure and public scrutiny.

The hardest thing about this has been telling my team mates, who have been extremely supportive and understanding, as well as the Parramatta club, and my family and close friends.

Thank you."

Smith given leave

Tim Smith has requested indefinite leave in a bid to deal with his bi-polar disorder, saying he was not coping with the "pressure and public scrutiny I am under".

“This morning I made a request to the club to be stood down from this weekend's game,” AAP reported Smith as saying.

“They have granted me leave and I have just had a meeting with my team-mates to tell them of where I am at.

Smith's manager David Riolo said he was sure Smith would be back.

“He is a quality person from a good family and he'll work hard to get back from this.”

Match Analysis: It's not so bad

Let's have a reality check. Parramatta hasn't started the season on fire and at times we've been ordinary, but anyone reaching for the panic button just yet, needs to take a chill pill.

Match Report: Eels thrashed in Nth Queensland

This is the official match report from the Eels

The Pirtek Parramatta Eels have crashed to their second defeat of season 2008, going down 38 points to 14 to a fired up North Queensland outfit at Dairy Farmers Stadium.

In front of a parochial home crowd of 19,231 the Cowboys dominated possession from the outset and never relinquished control of the match, scoring six tries to three to run out convincing winners.

The loss is the Eels second on the road this season while the Cowboys broke their duck having lost three straight matches to kick off 2008.

The Eels saw little of the ball in the opening ten minutes and the Cowboys made them pay, crossing for two tries to race out to a 12-nil lead.

The first went the way of prop Carl Webb, who burrowed over from dummy half in the fourth minute of the match.

The second was scored by five eight Justin Smith off a neat Aaron Payne
break, Jonathon Thurston converting both tries to make it 12-nil in favour of the Cowboys.

Regaining the ball and their composure it wouldn't be long before the Eels found the tryline, just their third full set of six seeing Brett Finch touch down off a well place Tim Smith grubber kick.

Luke Burt's conversion narrowed the gap to six points at the twenty minute mark.

The Cowboys hit back approaching the half hour, Ashley Graham touching down wide out to make it 18-6 in favour of the home side.

Undeterred Finch was in the thick of the action soon after, firing a well
placed cut out ball to Eric Grothe who replied by scoring in the corner.

With Burt's conversion attempt just going wide the Eels trailed by eight
points, a Thurston penalty on half time stretching the buffer to ten at the break.

There the score stayed until the 17th minute of the second half, when after an evenly matched start to the stanza the Cowboys scored through second rower Jacob Lillyman.

Trailing 26-10 the Eels suffered another blow just three minutes later, Mark Henry scoring in the corner to put the result beyond doubt at 32 points to 10.

The Cowboys rubbed salt into the wound five minutes from fulltime with replacement Anthony Watts scoring a try, which Thurston converted to ensure he'd finish with a 100 percent record for the night.

Eels winger Taulima Tautai got one back for the Eels two minutes from the end, the winger's four pointer taking the final score along to 38 points to 14 in favour of the home side.

The Eels return home Sunday to prepare for their round five clash with the Titans at Parramatta Stadium on Friday night.

Bowen out against Eels

Parramatta's hopes against the Cowboys received a boost today when mercurial fullback Matt Bowen was ruled out of the game.

Bowen has been chief destroyer for the Cowboys when they have defeated Parramatta in recent seasons with the Eel's struggling to sometimes cope with the pace of the North Queensland custodian.