Match Report: Eels stand tall to down Dragons

A mighty defensive performance has held back competition favourites the Dragons and delivered the Eels through to the next round of finals on the back of their 25 to 12 victory. The Eels consistently repelled the Dragons attack, which was made to look almost inept at times, as the Blue and Gold were able to rise to the occasion while the Red V once again faltered as the finals heat was turned on. Things looked bleak for the Eels early on. Krisnan Inu was a later withdrawal and Jonothan Wright again thrust into the starting side. The young Eel, who had a shocker the week prior, really lifted his performance, although it helped that he was defending on the left where the Dragons seem completely unable to mount any effective attack. Once the game was underway, we then had to repel attacking raid after raid. Some early mistakes and suspect refereeing decisions, just kept offering up opportunities to the Dragons, but our defence was equal to the task on every occasion. Finally it took a penalty to get the Dragons on the scoreboard and after twenty minutes we had reason to be pleased with just a 2 to nil deficit. When we finally got into the Dragons 20m, we managed to put on immediately. A towering bomb from Jarryd Hayne was knocked back by Daniel Mortimer and scooped up by the ever-present Luke Burt to score next to the posts. He converted and somehow, despite having had no possession we were in front. Not just in front, but suddenly it was a ten point advantage when just a few minutes later we went in again with the three men at the centre of the last try front and centre again. Luke Burt took a bomb, broke through a couple of tackles and then passed to Hayne who sprinted down field only to be brought down by some desperate defence from Darius Boyd. We did well to keep our cool, rucking the ball forward through the forwards before Daniel Mortimer then exploited a stretched defensive line to break through and score. Burt again converted and we were now in front 12 to 2. Parramatta would have been overjoyed to have taken that lead into half-time, as we must have been dying for the buzzer following the mountain of defence we had earlier completed. Unfortunately, those tired legs weren't able to complete the 40 minutes without being breached and it was Jamie Soward - the only Dragons who looked dangerous the entire match - that broke through some weary defenders before passing off to Dan Hunt for the try. Soward converted and it was 12 to eight. Going into half-time, Eels fans were delighted but still nervous. Would the early defensive prove telling in the end? Would the Dragons find that clinical execution that had taken them to a minor premiership. As time was blown back on, we were pleased to discover that the answer to both questions appeared to be no. The Dragons still couldn't find a way through the Eels defence, and indeed their ball-handling was abysmal compared to the near faultless performance of last week. We weren't much better, though, and the first 20 minutes was something of a drop-a-thon. When Kevin Kingston spilled the ball after making some good ground, the Dragons were again presented with another ideal chance to attack on the 60 minute mark. As they did all game, they immediately sent the play down along their left, looking to create that overlap for Morris. For a moment we looked stretched, but as the Dragons looked to find Morris with a final pass, Eric Grothe swooped from his defensive position snatched the ball from the air and streaked downfield for a 95 metre try. Grothe has copped a lot of criticism for his defence, but he and Reddy have a good combination that really excelled defensively today. However, the Dragons finally got one down that side on the 70th minute mark with a neat cut-out pass from Boyd putting Morris away. Fortunately Soward failed to convert from touch but the Dragons were now back within six and had 10 minutes to put the game in to overtime. A drop goal looked the likely option for the Eels and the first time they were in range, the ball went back to Burt and he punted a magnificent 40 metre field goal to all-but seal the match for the Eels. Hayne then put the icing on the cake, with the kind of try that saw him taking home the Dally M award. I'm not exactly sure how many men he beat on his way to the tryline but from my position amongst all the Blue and Gold folk on the hill it looked liked at least 17. Kicking from in front, Burt kept up his perfect record for the day and the Eels had done it, setting up a semi-final next Friday against the Titans. As Eels fans had hoped, it was a very different Parramatta side today. However, it wasn't the second-phase play that we had expected to cause the Dragons forwards problems. Rather, we won the match off the back of some outstanding defence, playing patient football until the individual brilliance of Hayne, Burt and Mortimer delivered us the points and the finals victory. The tremendous news is there is definitely room for improvement. We will meet a Titans team, who don't travel well and whose defence has looked haphazard in recent weeks, in front of a parochial local crowd. And let's not forget that in the process, our victory knocked the Sea Eagles out of the competition. It doesn't get any better, does it?

"Hey Wiz, I know that.
We've been well and are loving life on the Gold Coast!
As you can imagine, my wife is very distressed at what's going on in her homeland. I have to renew my rolling 5 year visa in person and I have my interview in October at…"

Replies

Hugh September 13, 2009 at 6:01pm

AHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHH!! YESSSSSSSSSS =DDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!
parra1947 September 13, 2009 at 6:02pm

oh yer woo hooo i love it
Steve-o September 13, 2009 at 6:05pm

What a pearla of a game. Defensive was outstanding. Everybody stood up.

Was sweating like a pig on my lounge watching the game lol

Go Parraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kieran Douglass Smith September 13, 2009 at 6:06pm

amazing game!
what a difference hindmarsh and grothe make
Defence won us the game!
Djl September 13, 2009 at 6:07pm

OMG THIS IS INSANE I WENT SYCHO and through the chair out the window lol FUCK YER !!!!!
- Steve-o > Djl September 13, 2009 at 6:13pm
  
  HAHAHAHA
Dave S September 13, 2009 at 6:11pm

GO PARRA SEE YOU LATER MANLY AND F%^K THE DRAGONS. THEY GOT THEIR OKI THE SPOILT PRICKS..........................AND WE WON!!!!!!
jamesy September 13, 2009 at 6:12pm

MATCH REPORT : Dragons CHOKE
David September 13, 2009 at 6:14pm

so how does T. Rex feel about going to manly now
- ElDoughan > David September 13, 2009 at 7:34pm
  
  on a completely different note
  t - rex played for sunshine coast in the qld cup GF and he was amazing
  played 5/8 and was too big and strong for the opposition
  he got man of the match

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Match Report: Eels stand tall to down Dragons

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