Eels Impress in the Nines

The Parramatta Eels have become the dark-horse for the 2014 Nines tournaments after consecutive dominant displays.

With their first match against the Roosters they raced to a 10-0 lead courtesy of a Semi Radradra double. Easts responded quickly with a bonus point try before scoring out-wide and they led 11-10 at half-time.

It was all the Eels though in the second half with Radradra crossing for his hattrick and Vai Toutai also adding to the scoreboard. They finished 18-11 winners over the 2013 NRL Premiers.

Parramatta's second match was against their traditional rivals, the Canterbury Bulldogs. The Eels were in no mood to let the Bulldogs into the match though.

Manu Ma'u crossed early on and that was quickly followed by Corey Norman's first try in Blue and Gold. Toutai then scored Parramatta's first bonus point try, taking Parramatta's lead to 15-0 at half-time.

Terepo crossed in the corner after Chris Sandow created something from nothing and took the score to 19-0. Sam Perrett crossed for the Dogs but the celebrations were short-lived when Radradra bagged his fourth try of the tournament. The Eels won 23-6.

Further good news for Parramatta is the form of their halves with both Sandow and Norman playing good games, controlling their team and kicking well. Sandow has been more impressive, drifting across field and slicing through the defence on a number of occasions.

Fuifui Moimoi has been one of the form forwards in the Nines, combining his ferocious charges with bone crunching defence and a wonderful kick-chase against the Bulldogs.

Parramatta's young forward pack has played without fear and have shown their full bag of tricks. Willie Tonga has also been playing well, often beating his man and positioning Radradra well.

The Eels will go into their final pool match tomorrow against the Broncos with 4 points and a +24 differential. With those stats the Eels have all but qualified for the quarter-finals with one game to play.

If Parramatta finish first in their group they'll play the second placed team in Group Blue.

Tomorrow the Roosters play the Dogs at 10:50am Sydney time

Eels play the Broncos at 11:15am Sydney time.

"The Bunker would of call it out any way and even though if it was a try we still would of lost any way the score would of been Parramatta 26 Dragons 34"

"Still not sold on him, doesn't really break the line much has got that burst through speed like Reece Walsh is actually a Temu version of Reece Walsh makes as many mistakes too. "

"Touch judges miss lots of obvious calls, particularly forward passes. You would think their should be a benefit of the doubt ruling favouring plays when millimetres are involved "

Replies

Michael Picklum February 15, 2014 at 4:50pm

Wow.
jamesy February 15, 2014 at 4:55pm
SchnitzelKilt February 15, 2014 at 5:16pm

There has been som great eels highlights so far. Edwards and Manu Mau have done well, Fui and Radradra has been on fire. Teredo did well to turn to get the ball down on his try. Oh and how good was it when Fui muscled big cat Williams out over the sideline.
Moray Eel February 15, 2014 at 5:24pm

Anyone got a link to eels v dogs highlights?
- ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER > Moray Eel February 15, 2014 at 5:45pm
  
  just for say if we beat the broncos tommorrow and warriors beat cowboys do we play warriors first in the quarter final
- SuperEel 22 > Moray Eel February 15, 2014 at 5:51pm
  
  It's up on the NRL.com site
jamesy February 15, 2014 at 5:51pm

http://www.parraeels.com.au/news-display/Nines-Game-2-Eels-smash-Bu...
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER February 15, 2014 at 6:00pm

i throught only one side from each group go on but they just said on fox the roosters have still got a change to
- SuperEel 22 > ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER February 15, 2014 at 6:07pm
  
  2 teams from each group go through. Roosters have three ways of making it.
  
  1. They lose to the Dogs in a close game and Parra smack the Broncos.
  
  2. They beat the Dogs and the Eels beat the Broncos.
  
  3. They beat the Dogs by a big margin and the Eels get hammered by the Broncos.
Pork Rind February 15, 2014 at 6:13pm

Finally we win with a white jersey