Eels Blogs

I attended today's game at 3pm at Lyle Peacock Oval, Toronto for Newcastle's home game.  Lyle Peacock Oval is one of those small suburban ovals where you can park your vehicle up against the fence at either end and on the hill to the east and watch the game whilst sitting in your car.  A small grandstand is to the west with training fields behind the grandstand.  With the continued rain we have experienced over the past 7 weeks this suburban ground was in pretty good condition.  Wentworthville were as per program and both Robson and O'Brien did not drop back.  From what I could tell Newcastle were only missing one player being Anthony Tupou who very recently returned back to Australia from Super League (a big loss for Newcastle ISP).  I was keen to watch our new players, Terepo, King and Schulte.  Both teams have a good sprinkle of first grade experience with Terepo being the most experienced guy on the field   Newcastle enter the game with zero wins from three games and Wenty one win from three games.  Both teams look strong on paper. 

Kick off:

Newcastle kicked off and are running north to south.  Wenty strongly works up the field even though Newcastle where racing out of the line to put big hits on.  Josh King for Newcastle looks powerful in defence.  Newcastle start their set off in good field and quickly target our right side defence of Fogarty, Auva'a and George Jennings.  Thomas Hughes gets on the outside of Auva'a and sprints away to scored in Newcastle's first set (Wenty looked stunned, 2 minutes gone).

The next couple of sets results in physical defence in the middle with both forwards not relenting with bone jarring tackles.  Thomas Hughes make another break down our right edge and outsprints everybody to score his second try.  Schulte at fullback did not make any gain on Hughes's two tries (12-0, 10 minutes gone). 

Seemingly shocked by two quick Newcastle tries Wenty graft their way down to Newcastle's red zone.  Quick feet from Fogarty (10 metres left of the post) after moving from the right edge to the left edge, took the line on and passed a beautiful double pump soft short pass off the hip to Nathan Davis (Try Time for Davis, Fogarty converts, 12-6 Newcastle). 

Unforced errors starts to creep into Newcastle's game with drop balls, penalties and poor completions.  The possession swings sharply in Wenty's favour from about the 20 minute mark as Newcastle self implode with errors. 

Wenty attack Newcastle's right again with Dargan.  Dargan throws a terrific long cut out pass and hits the gun Bureta Faraimo on the chest (Try tine for Faraimo in the corner.  Fogarty misses from the side line.  12-10 Newcastle). 

Soon after, not wanting to be outdone by Thomas Hudges our gun Faraimo (looking more like a shotgun then semi-automatic pistol) demolishes several defenders and scores again in the corner (Try time).  Another hard kick for Fogs.  Wonderful kick from fogs 6 inches from the side line over the black dot (Wenty 16, Newcastle 10). 

Half time - Wenty 16, Newcastle 10.  Wenty seemingly had 60 percent or more of the ball in the first half, whilst Newcastle still struggle to complete their sets.  Not losing resolve Newcastle still very physical bashing our forwards in the middle.  The first two tries were to Newcastle and then the next three straight to Wenty.  All 5 tries were scored down the oppositions right edge. 

Soon after half time the tactics shifted and it appeared that both teams were competing with each other to see who could make the most mistakes, unforced errors and penalties (it was painful to watch and both coaches' blood pressure would have started to rise quickly).

Finally, Wenty got back into Newcastle's red zone by default (more mistakes by Newcastle) with Wenty shifting the ball to our right with a quick feed to 'shoulders' (Auva'a, shoulders like Meninga) and he thought of which foot to step off, but decided to run 15 metres on an angle straight to the corner taking several Newcastle players over the try line with him to score about one inch from the corner post (bulldozing powerful run).  Wenty's fourth straight try - Wenty 20, Newcastle 10). 

Newcastle start to complete their sets and pressure slowly builds against Wenty.  Wenty continue to make unforced errors and give penalties away. The shift of the game becomes noticeable and I start to get nervous for the Wenty boys. 

Bang, try to for Newcastle (Wenty 20, Newcastle 18.  My nerves increase). 

Newcastle's possession improves and Newcastle's forwards are making more and more metres up the middle. 

With several minutes to go Newcastle are pressuring our try line and the boys are scrambling in their defence to hold them out (my nerves increase).  Importantly Wenty graft back down the park and get to Newcastle's 30 metre line (stress levels drop).  Crash, bang, another unforced error by us, Newcastle get the ball in decent field possession. 

Newcastle marched down the field with two (2) minutes to go (Wenty 20, Newcastle 18).  Wenty desperately kept them at bay and Newcastle go to the Hail Mary and put a massive bomb for Schulte, who has been safe under the high ball all game. 

Schulte leaps like and AFL player with arms stretched out straight above his head.  Bang, swoosh, f**kkkkkkk.  Schulte spills his lollies, 10 metres out in front of the post, 40 seconds to go (Wenty 20, Newcastle 18).  I started looking through my pockets for my heart pills but realised I don't take heart pills - sh^t. 

Thirty seconds (30secs) to go, Newcastle quickly shift the ball to our right and an overlap unfolds.  Newcastle score, game over (Newcastle 24, Wenty 20).  Wenty, 1 win from 4. 

Wenty Players that impressed me:

- Jack Morris (right edge secondrow).  Tireless worker, great line speed in defence, good foot work at the line.  I was very impressed with Jack and he surprised me.  He could play first grade now.  He looks more likely to play first grade this year over Twal.  Morris looked our fittest forward on the park.   

- Faraimo.  Scored two tries, and nearly scored a third try (long break down the sideline as well). 

- Davis had some nice touches, hard to tackle, good hands.  But looks underdone and was struggling with fitness, but when he is fit he will excel at this level.        

- Terepo looked good when he got his second wind.  Probably needs another game with Wenty before returning to the top grade.

- Auva'a looked powerful, very hard to tackle.  He still needs more games with Wenty prior to returning to the top grade, but when becomes fit he will be a handful.  He could easily convert to a middle forward as he is a powerful tackler and runs like a tank (good balance and punch at the line.  Shoulders like Meninga). 

- The Hulk Tanginoa was a tank in the middle.  He didn't get big minutes, but was a handful in attack and not someone you can tackle one on one.  Could play first grade as well.   

- Fogs and Dargan had some nice touches and for the most part had a strong passing game and kicked reasonable well. 

Wenty players that disappointed me:

- Schulte had 6 bad mistakes.  He was caught out of position that lead to the first try; He threw a forward pass in an attacking position that went out on the full (shocker); He knocked on a last play kick from Newcastle in front of his post; He threw another ball out over the touch line; He missed a one on one tackle at the back with 3 minutes to go and only our scrambling defence stopped a sure try; Lastly he dropped the high kick that lead to Newcastle winning the game with 40 seconds to go.  I had very high hopes of Scott with his recent high praise but he was a liability for us in this game.  To me I haven't seen any improvement in him from last year, although he does look like he has put some muscle on.  In my opinion Scott is a winger, not a fullback, and I don't think he will play in the NRL any time soon.  If Tuha was fit for next week Scott would be in the Ron Massey Cup.  Tuha is streets ahead of Scott as a fullback as well as Auva'a; G.Jennings; Davis, Faraimo as an NRL winger. 

- King disappointed me at times.  His passing from dummy half is slow and he reminded me of Matt Keating from dummy half.  He also has a bad habit of jumping/skipping out of dummy half and then passing, as opposed to a quick, clean pass off the ground.  His running was average and his one kick was poor.  Kings physicality or lack thereof would concern me in first grade.