Round 8
Penrith Panthers 18 l. Parramatta Eels 26

2008 NRL Telstra Premiership Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

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

Eels savouring victory over Panthers
Tue May 6, 2008
Source: www.parraeels.com.au

The Pirtek Parramatta Eels have scored a pressure relieving 26 points to 18 victory over Penrith in their round eight Telstra Premiership clash at CUA Stadium.

In a season defining effort the Eels turned around an eight point deficit then ran in four tries in 11 minutes to stamp their authority on the match.

After scoring the first try of the match the Eels went into their shells, allowing Penrith to score twice on the way to a 14-6 half time lead.

However there were signs of better times ahead and playing at first a more composed then more adventurous brand of Rugby League in the second half they ran away with the win.

With five players backing up from City-Country the Eels got off to a shaky start, a third minute bomb from Country half Brett Finch going 10 metres back towards their goal line.

However after repelling the Panthers with some hard goal line defence the Eels scored on their first trip inside Penrith's 22, a neat second man play from hooker Matt Keating sending Daniel Wagon in under the posts without a hand being laid upon him.

Luke Burt added the extras to bring up his 1000th First Grade point and put the Eels out to a 6-nil lead after 12 minutes.

Three minutes later the Panthers had their first, skipper Petero Civoniceva repelling the attempted tackles of Matt Keating and Luke Burt to score a try that took video referee Graeme West ten replays to award.

Jarrod Sammut converted from beside the posts to level it up at 6-all.

Soon after the Panthers took the lead, big man Tony Puletua hitting the line wide out to score 12 metres in from the left hand touch line.

Sammut's conversion attempt rocketed into the left post before going through for a 12-6 lead to the Panthers.

The Eels fell into a hole for the remainder of the first half, Penrith playing a far more adventurous brand of football for little reward.

The only addition to the scoreboard before the break came off the boot of Sammut, who nailed a goal from in front after the Eels were penalised for a drop out not going ten, however the Panthers were unlucky not to extend their lead further with referee Ben Cummins ruling Nathan Smith was held up over the line just before half time.

Luck played a hand twice for the Eels after the resumption, the end result of which was the narrowing of the deficit to four points at 14-10.

First the Panthers had what looked to be a legitimate length of the field try disallowed, with referee Cummins ruling Michael Gordon had caught the ball on the full in the in goal before he sprinted 95 metres to lay on a try for Luke Priddis.

Then Nathan Hindmarsh touched down for the Eels in the 11th minute of the half, the Country representative scoring off a Feleti Mateo kick which only came about after play had appeared to break down.

Burt missed the conversion however the Eels were back in the hunt at 14-10.

Quick hands on the short side saw the Eels take the lead three minutes later, Jarryd Hayne and Taulima Tautai combining before flinging it back in the other direction to Mateo who scored in the right hand corner.

Burt converted from wide out to see the Eels lead again 16 to 14.

Two sets of six later the Eels were in again, a beautiful ball across the ruck setting Weller Hauraki on a path to the tryline.

The back rowers first try in First Grade was converted by Burt, seeing the Eels out to an eight point buffer with 20 minutes left to play.

With offloads hitting the mark the Eels scored their fourth try in 11 minutes, Joel Reddy going over in the corner after the ball was kept alive by Mateo, Finch and Matt Keating.

The Panthers kept themselves in the hunt with a try to Michael Jennings five minutes from full time, however their cause was then set back when Sammut's conversion attempt hit the post and bounced back into the field of play.

That was where it finished, Eels fans in the crowd of 18,724 erupting as full time sounded.

Representative players Finch, Hindmarsh, Mateo, Jarryd Hayne and Chad Robinson were outstanding for the winners, as were interchange players Hauraki and Junior Paulo, fullback Luke Burt, skipper Nathan Cayless and the Keating brothers, Matt and Kris.

The Eels next match is on Mothers Day, Sunday 11 May against St George Illawarra at ANZ Stadium.

PIRTEK PARRAMATTA EELS 26
Tries: Daniel Wagon, Nathan Hindmarsh, Feleti Mateo, Weller Hauraki, Joel Reddy
Goals: Luke Burt 3/5

PENRITH 18
Tries: Petero Civoniceva, Tony Puletua, Michael Jennings
Goals: Jarrod Sammut 3/4

At CUA Stadium
Crowd: 18,724
Referee: Ben Cummins

EELS V PANTHERS - AS IT HAPPENED
10th Minute: Daniel Wagon scores for the Eels. Luke Burt converts. Eels 6-nil.

15th Minute: Petero Civoniceva scores Penrith's first. Jarrod Sammut converts. 6-all.

18th Minute: Tony Puletua barges his way over for the Panthers. Sammut converts. Penrith 12-6.

35th Minute: Sammut adds a penalty goal. Penrith 14-6.

Half Time: Penrith 14 Eels 6

51st Minute: Nathan Hindmarsh scores off a Feleti Mateo kick. Burt misses the conversion. Penrith 14-10.

54th Minute: Mateo finishes off a 60 metre movement with a try. Burt converts. Eels 16-14.

58th Minute: Weller Hauraki scores his first try in First Grade to stretch the Eels lead further. Burt converts. Eels 22-14.

61st Minute: Joel Reddy touches down in the corner for the Eels. Burt misses the conversion. Eels 26-14.

75th Minute: Michael Jennings scores on the left for the Panthers. Sammut's conversion attempt hits the posts and bounces back into the field of play. Eels 26-18.

Full Time: Eels 26 Penrith 18

Report source: www.parraeels.com.au


Lewis and Rooney on bench for Panthers
Tue April 29, 2008
Penrith coach Matthew Elliott has named City representatives Luke Lewis and Luke Rooney on an extended six-man bench for Saturday's clash against Parramatta at CUA Stadium.

Lewis and Rooney have been selected in the No.18 and No.19 jumpers respectively with Elliott to make a decision on their availability after how they come through Friday's clash for City against Country in Wollongong.

The Panthers have been in good form winning three of their last four matches before the bye last weekend. Penrith in their last match defeated Cronulla 21-20 in Golden Point after clawing their back match into the match during the second half.

Parramatta have held the wood on Penrith in the western derbies and will need to be at their best to defeat the Eels, who have been down in form of late, but capable of turning the on switch at any moment.

TELSTRA PREMIERSHIP
Penrith Panthers v Parramatta Eels
CUA Stadium
Saturday May 3
7.30pm

Panthers (NRL): 1. Rhys Wesser, 2. Geoff Daniela, 3. Michael Jennings, 4. Brad Tighe, 5. Michael Gordon, 6. Maurice Blair, 7. Jarrod Sammut, 8. Tony Puletua, 9. Luke Priddis, 10. Petero Civoniceva (c), 11. Frank Pritchard, 12. Joseph Paulo, 13. Nathan Smith. Subs: 14. Keith Peters, 15. Frank Puletua, 16. Junior Moors, 17. Matthew Bell, 18. Luke Lewis, 19. Luke Rooney (two to be omitted).

Coach: Matthew Elliott

TOYOTA CUP
Penrith Panthers v Parramatta Eels
CUA Stadium
Saturday May 3
5.15pm

Panthers (NYC): 1. Lachlan Coote, 2. Zoram Watene, 3. William Isa, 4. Chris Ward, 5. Junior Tia Kilifi, 6. Wade Graham, 7. Trent Iselin, 8. Bradley Goodwin, 9. Masada Iosefa, 10. Sam McKendry, 11. Michael Leeds, 12. Daniel Penese, 13. Jamie Theoharous (c). Subs: 14. Joel Romelo, 15. Tinirau Arona, 16. Joel Orton, 17. Guy Hodgins,18. Ollie Tia Tia, 19. Mitchell Cahalane, 20. Luke Clydesdale (three to be omitted).

Coach: Steve Georgallis

Tue April 29, 2008
• Eels name rep players for Panthers clash
  

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