Eels Blogs

THE new-look Knights were given a reminder of the improvement they will need to match the NRL's heavyweights in a 26-6 trial loss to Parramatta at Maitland Sports Ground on Saturday.

Newcastle's revamped squad, which featured nine imports, was overrun in the second half by a Parramatta team bolstered by the inclusion of prodigal son Jarryd Hayne, in his first game since returning from stints with San Francisco 49ers and Gold Coast Titans.

Newcastle, wooden spooners for the past three seasons, drew first blood but the Eels had gained the ascendancy by half-time to lead 12-6.

The final scoreline would have been even larger had Eels halfback Mitchell Moses been more accurate with the boot.

Only one of Parramatta's six tries was converted.

The Knights started brightly and were rewarded in the fifth minute when they spun the ball to the right edge, and five-eighth Connor Watson threw a classy cut-out pass to his former Roosters teammate Shaun Kenny-Dowall, who scored in the corner.

A metre in from the sideline, fullback Kalyn Ponga landed the goal with a minimum of fuss.

Parramatta hit back five minutes later when quick hands from Moses and fullback Bevan French down the blind side created enough room for Josh Hoffman to flash across in the corner.

French butchered a likely try 15 minutes later when he burst into open space and drew Ponga, only for his pass to Moses to be ruled forward.

The Eels hit the lead in the 31st minute when five-eighth Corey Norman gift-wrapped a try winger for winger Kirisome Auva'a, which allowed him to get outside his opposite number, Kenny-Dowall.

French capped an impressive first half in the 35th minute when he skirted across field and powered through a Watson tackle to score.

For his efforts, the Parramatta No.1 was switched to the right wing in the second half to allow returning superstar Jarryd Hayne some time at fullback.

Hayne played right-side centre in the first half and received limited opportunities.

With his first touch of the second half, Hayne found himself on the receiving end of high tackle from Newcastle centre Tautau Moga, which warranted a penalty.

French appeared to have scored a second try three minutes into the second half, only for it to be disallowed after an obstruction ruling.

A minute later, Kenny-Dowall was denied when Avaua'a dropped a Mitchell Pearce bomb. Newcastle claimed a try but were penalised for an infringement in the lead-up play.

Hayne showed his class in the 54th minute when he bumped out of a tackle and threw a looping pass to French, who outpaced Nathan Ross in a sprint for the corner.

Norman missed the conversion to leave the Eels with a 16-6 lead.

When Moses scored a smart solo try between the posts in the 61st minute, which he converted, Hayne was given an early mark by Eels coach Brad Arthur.

He finished the match watching from the sideline, with an ice pack on his back.

The highlights for Newcastle, who beat a depleted Melbourne in their opening trial, were some glimpses of class from Ponga, Pearce's kicking game and a 6526-strong crowd at Maitland's redeveloped sportsground.