Round 7
Eels 28 d. Tigers 16

2006 NRL Telstra Premiership Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

Location: Aus_NZ > National > First Grade Competition: NRL Telstra Premiership

Lady luck not with Wests Tigers
Mon April 24, 2006
Lady luck was not on the side of the Wests Tigers against Parramatta in round seven of the NRL Telstra Premiership.

Wests Tigers lost 28-16 to the Eels at Parramatta Stadium but had two tries disallowed in a match that the 2005 premiers could have won with a touch of luck.

The first disallowed try came in the third minute when the video referee ruled lock Jamaal Lolesi's right foot had touched the dead ball line in planting the ball down from a grubber kick by five-eighth Daniel Fitzhenry.

Three minutes later, Parramatta went to a 6-0 lead with a converted try to centre Timanu Tahu. The Eels then jumped to a 12-0 lead after a converted try to Chad Robinson.

Wests Tigers hit back with a fine try to classy young centre Dean Collis after he stepped past two defenders to score after good work by hooker Robbie Farah. Half-back Scott Prince converted the try from out wide to leave his side trailing 12-6.

A penalty goal to Parramatta gave the Eels a 14-6 lead at half-time.

Nine minutes after the break, a great one handed offload by prop Todd Payten saw centre Paul Whatuira score his 25th try for the Wests Tigers in just 34 games.

Trailing 14-10, Wests Tigers then jumped to a 16-14 lead just two minutes later when Farah darted out from dummy half to split the defence up the middle before sending full-back Shannon McDonnell on a 60 metre run to score under the posts. Prince converted to give the Wests Tigers the lead for the first time.

Parramatta regained the lead when prop Nathan Cayless found a gap out wide on the last tackle to send half-back Tim Smith over for a 20-16 lead.

Wests Tigers then had a very tough call go against them after McDonnell fell on a grubber kick by Prince to score. However the video referee ruled that McDonnell didn't ground the ball. Had the try been awarded, it may just have broken Parramatta's back.

Glenn Morrison then sealed the game for the Eels when he beat Fitzhenry one on one to score a converted try for a 26-16 lead before a late penalty goal took the score to 28-16.

Wests Tigers coach Tim Sheens said the disallowed try to McDonnell hurt the side badly.

"We were in a position to win the game in the middle of the second half," Sheens said.

"We probably had our chance. We got a tough call in the McDonnell no try. It will be argued one way or another between myself and the league. But at the end of the day, the call went against us, so we won't know.

"There was enough downward pressure as Shannon fell onto the ball with his body. If that is not enough downward pressure, I don't know what is.''

Co-captain Ben Galea said the game was there to be won at half-time.

"We knew we could come over the top of them. But it wasn't to be, we slackened off and a couple of one on one missed tackles let us down,'' Galea said.

Sheens praised 18-year-old McDonnell for a fine performance in just his second game for the Wests Tigers.

"It won't be the last 60 metre try you see Shannon score,'' Sheens said.

"He is noted for it and he is a great kid for the future. The club has plenty of good kids coming through and he is another one of them.

"All we have to do now is get everyone on the field at the same time and hopefully we will have enough points behind us to give a bit of cheek.''

Wests Tigers have the bye this weekend before tackling Manly at Leichhardt Oval on Sunday, May 7.


Eels bounce back
Fri April 21, 2006
Parramatta have bounced back after three successive losses against Brisbane, North Queensland and Penrith to defeat Wests Tigers 28-16 in a keenly contested match at Parramatta Stadium tonight.

After an early disallowed try to Jamaal Lolesi, it was the Eels who dominated with Timana Tahu getting on the outside of his opponents for the opening try in a great 30m run. Brett Delaney converted for Parramatta to lead 6-0.

Chad Robinson went through a feeble effort in defence from Daniel Fitzhenry to crash over near the posts and Delaney's conversion made it 12-0.

Dean Collis scored a determined try outwide to get the Tigers back into the match and a great conversion from Scott Prince on the sideline brought the Premiers back within six points. Delaney added his 3rd goal for the half as Parramatta went to the break leading 14-6.

Wests Tigers came out the better side in the second half with Paul Whaturia scoring outwide running onto a great offload from Todd Payten. Prince was unsuccessful with the conversion but Wests weren't to be denied in the next set of six when Robbie Farah bursted away from dummy half with Shannon McDonnell backing up on the inside to sprint 50m for the try. Wests were up 16-14 and it was like all over again for the Eels who surrended leads against the Broncos, Cowboys and Panthers only to lose those matches.

However, Parramatta found a new lease of life and regained the lead when Tim Smith backed up a great offload from Nathan Cayless to put the Eels up 20-14. Parramatta went further ahead when Glenn Morrison charged onto a pass from Smith where he scored the match-winner. Delaney converted both tries and added a late penalty goal for the 28-16 result.

Cayless was the Eels best performer but others to impress included Tahu, Morrison and possible Kiwi halves candidate Jeremy Smith.

Wests Tigers badly missed Benji Marshall and Brett Hodgson. They got away with missing Marshall last week against a weak Cronulla outfit but being without their captain and best player in the one hit was just too much for the Premiers. The Tigers hung in well and were good enough to grab the lead but in the end Parramatta were too good on the night and got the much needed win they were searching for.

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