As in that match Nathan Hindmarsh was a late withdrawal. His sternum injury failing to make it through the warm up and his place in the side taken by Brendan Oake, with Justin Horo moving into the starting lineup.
The Eels started well enough. 15 minutes in they should have had a try, but Feleti Mateo misread an unfolding play and came inside Jeff Robson rather than sticking to his shoulder where a gaping hole had opened up. Parramatta had come to Kogarah with a plan to run Timana Tahu at Jamie Soward but the Dragons five-eight was equal to the task with Tahu coming up with early errors.
The Dragons then ran a blindside play at Tahu and Luke Burt who were left with a three on two after particularly lazy defense and St George cut down their right side and raced away for an 80 metro try.
The Dragons would only add another penalty to their tally in the first had but the signs were looking ominous with a number of line breaks and the Eels looking directionless.
Daniel Anderson needed to manufacture a change in attitude and find some execution, but the second half started in much the same way as the first had ended with Jonothan Wright coming up with unforced errors. Like last years final round, Wright had a game he'll rather forget.
So did his wingman Krisnan Inu. That pair totally misread another blindside play with Inu unnecessarily rushing in and the Dragons were away again to mae it 14 nil.
And while Parramatta's defense was leaking line breaks, the Dragons were holding solid foiling what looked a certain try from a Daniel Mortimer kick to Luke Burt.
Instead of that Eels four pointer, the Dragons were again next to score with Inu spilling a bomb in-goal and the Dragons diving on the loose pill. Two more tries would come as the Eels slowed to a walk in the final ten minutes both coming down the Tahu/Burt side.
In that final round thrashing last year the Eels famously arrived at Kogarah without a game plan. To be frank this game didn't look any different. Last year the Eels were able to bounce back the next week to score a famous revenge win. With the ultimate revenge game looming next week against the Storm Eels fans can only hope the similarities continue.
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It's time to f*ck matt keating of to wenty
humble of bench
There's little point blowing up about this result because NO TEAM would have beaten the Dragons tonight on the back of their second half.
Long way off them tonight. HAYNE & MORTIMER are getting flogged and our forwards need to have a look at themselves. We missed REDDY & GROTHE whilst HINDY is irreplaceble...... hate this feeling
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