They may have made hard work of it, but the Eels started their 2019 campaign in the best possible fashion with a brave upset victory over their more fancies cross-town rivals, the Penrith Panthers.
Tries to Marata Niukore, Reed Mahoney and a double for Michael Jennings saw the Eels come up with the two points in wet conditions at Panthers Stadium. The Eels held a comfortable 14 to nil lead before a controversial Michael Jennings sin-bin decision turned the momentum back in the Panthers favour, and the Pennies struck back with two tries to make it a heart-in-mouth finish to the game. However, the Eels held strong enough and Jennings sealed the victory with a fitting try.
Penrith certainly helped the Eels into the game, making early handling errors that gifted Parramatta posession and territory. After knocking back a gift two points - a questionable decision given the wet weather conditions - the Eels finally came up with a four pointer in the 14th minute. Blake Ferguson who enjoyed a strong start to the game got a tap back to Brad Taikarangi who made an effort for the sideline before managing to kick the ball back in field. Marata Niukore was in the right place at the right time to pick up the ball, but he had plenty of work to do to get the ball down under heavy attention, but that he did planting the ball on the line to come up with his first NRL try. Niukore will be all smiles after an all-round strong game and he well truley justified his starting role. Mitchell Moses kicked wide.
There were a couple of early near misses. Just prior to the Niukore try, Moses was perhaps fortunate not to cop a penalty when he ran an attacking player off the chase for a grubber, and then Ferguson claimed a try before being denied after replays showed his foot touched the sideline. The Eels didn't have long to wait though for points, when Dylan Brown slipped a smart short pass to Shaun Lane, who offloaded to Jennings. Jennings did a juggling act before eventually grounding the ball and the Eels went up eight nil, as Moses again kicked wide.
The Eels took that lead into the half-time break and it was at least what they deserved after dominating the first-half.
Early points in the second half, came after a Brad Taikarangi quick pass was knocked down. The Eels retrieved the ball and it ended up in the hands of dynamo young hooker Reed Mahoney who broke through one tackle, picked himself up off the ground before diving over and the Eels had a 14 to nil lead with Moses landing his first kick.
However, this was the same score as Round One last year before Penrith pulled up off a come-back win. Thoughts of that seemed to be alleviated when Maika Sivo picked up a dropped ball and strolled away to touch down for what looked like his NRL debut four-pointer. However, the play was called back when Michael Jennings was adjudged to have hit Isaah Yeo with a high tackle. With Yeo concussed, Jennings was sent to the bin, forcing the Eels to face ten minutes a man down.
Penrith looked like they had scored almost immediately via Waqa Blake, however some great last ditch defending from Moses saved the day. However, the reprieve was only temporary and the Eels were slack around the ruck - Tim Mannah and Moses at fault - allowing hooker Wayde Egan to score from dummy half.
It was then looking like a case of history repeats when the Eels gave away a soft four-pointer, with Will Smith and Daniel Alavaro culpable for letting James Tamou bully them, in scoring under the posts. Parra fans were no doubt white knuckled as memories of last year's many late capitulations haunted their brains.
However, not this time. The Eels refused to grind out the win. They knocked back multiple chances to take two point penalties and persisted with attacking football despite their slender lead and finally their bravado paid off, when the Panthers were caught short down the left and Clint Gutherson put Michael Jennings away for the match winner.
- This was a really strong team performance for the Eels. They were good across the park and deserved the victory
- Michael Jennings produced a performance that was better than all of last year's efforts combined. We need him and he delivered.
- Young guns Brown and Mahoney have a maturity that belies their years and it was those two who came up with some of the day's smartest plays
- Mitchell Moses has been maligned for his defence, but he came up with big effort plays today
- Shaun Lane makes a massive difference to the Eels attack and is always a massive threat when he is around the ball
- Blake Ferguson will be an inspired signing if he keeps his head on straight
- Nathan Brown has reportedly suffered a torn pec, which is not injury most players come back quickly from. He was looking strong before he went down
Comments
Yes nice to get a win first up especially after they binned Jennings for a lazy shot on a falling man - penalty yes, binning NO BLOODY WAY.
Could’ve very well cost us that game. Let’s hope the precedent set by the refs continue or was this just a Parra thing.?
Anyway good first up game let’s continue the momentum next week.
GO PARRA.
Yeah, he got Yeo high, but he didn't go high. It should've just been a penalty not the bin.
I have real concerns about this new rule, the referees are effectively pre judging a player as guilty based on whether the opposition is injured or not. That is a slippery pole.
What happens if the charged player is binned but then is not suspended by the judiciary ?
I disagree, I like the ruling even though it went against us this time. Besides referees are required to make thousands of judgements throughout a game. This is no different and pretty clear cut as to where contact was made and the reason for Yeo losing possession of the ball.
I have no issue with the fact that Jenko got him high, and yes a penalty was deserved, but there was no intent to go high. If you watch the footage Jenko's arm is angled down. If Yeo remains upright he gets him around the midrift, or at worst the chest, which is exactly where he should be aiming. He got Yeo high because because Yeo was falling. Definitely a penalty because the head and neck must be protected, but there was no intent and it wasn't careless, it was accidental. Sin bin was harsh I thought.
But more importantly, we are now taking into account whether a player is injured or not to determine penalties. What if Yeo has a glass jaw ?
What if Jenko isn't charged, or if he is, he beats the charge ?
Is the fact that he was binned going to be included as evidence against him in the judiciary hearing ?
Is the fact that Yeo was concussed going to be used against Jenko in the judiciary ?
It's a slippery pole IMO.
Good point Brett, It is a slippery slope.
A reactice and ill-conceived ruling.
Slater might have retired, but down the line, I would be surprised if there weren't Academy Award performances taking advantage of it.
Especially in critical moments, or say in tight games, close to your line, or under pressure.
You'd be dumb not to.
I also wonder if, in our case yesterday, common human reactive psychology also contributed: Pre-judgement of reigning ill-disciplined wooden spooners.
Where's the sack BA brigade?
Yes I know is it to earlly to say we will make the top 5
Probably, but the 8 is certainly within reach.
IamNot, Patience. They'll return, singing full operata, once we lose a game or two.
Great win and we were good across the park. Well led by gutho moses Fergo and Alvaro. Good lines by Niukore and lane and Moses was very good with long kicks and good control even thought he missed 7 tackles highest in round one he made 2 of the best from all games. Great debut by young Dylan and Siva also did well. Still lots to work on and improve and we are going to have to as the dogs are going to cop heaps this week and will come out firing next week. Well done to ba and team
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