Andrew Pelechaty reviews the Friday night clash between the high-flying Eels and the struggling Broncos. Here’s how the game went.
SCOREBOARD
Eels 46
Tries: Maika Sivo (1, 27, 69), Isaiah Papali’i (31), Oregon Kaufusi (34), Tom Opacic (45), Bryce Cartwright (50). Clinton Gutherson (77)
Goals: eg. Mitch Moses (2, 32, 34, 39 – pen, 47, 51, 78)
Player of the Year Points
Embed from Getty Images3 pts – Maika Sivo (Parramatta Eels)
2 pts – Isaiah Papali’i (Parramatta Eels)
1 pt – Blake Ferguson (Parramatta Eels)
MATCH REPORT
Embed from Getty Images1st Half
There was an early blow for the Broncos, with Alex Glenn a late omission, replaced by Rhys Kennedy.
It was a hot and humid night in Darwin. Who would handle it better: Parramatta, who’ve played plenty of footy in Darwin, or Brisbane, who are used to the humidity back home?
Brisbane had a horror start, with Xavier Coates knocking on from the kick off.
Maika Sivo scored off the first set of game, as Parramatta went right to left, stretching the Broncos’ right edge defence. Mitchell Moses converted for a 6-0 lead.
Brisbane struck back through Tevita Pangai Junior in the 10th minute (crashing over after some good lead up work from Payne Haas), as the Broncos benifitted from a few set restarts.
After a 17-minute scoring lull, Parramatta put the game away with a try-scoring glut.
Sivo scored his second try 13 minutes from half time, again in the left corner.
Isaiah Papali’i increased the Eels’ lead a few minutes with with a barge-over try off a Reed Mahoney ball from five metres out.
Parramatta made in three tries in a row when Oregon Kaufusi scored, cleaning up the spoils from a Moses chip-bomb.
In just seven minutes the Eels had pushed out the lead to 22-6, which would made the well-hydrated Brad Arthur very happy. It was similar to their round one clash, when Parramatta scored three tries in 11 minutes in the second half after trailing 16-0. After a strong effort against Penrith, it looked like Brisbane were on the end of another hiding.
Moses added two more points just before halftime, when Brisbane kicked their line drop out on the full, to lead 24-6 at the break.
HALF-TIME: Parramatta Eels 24 Brisbane Broncos 6
Embed from Getty Images2nd Half
Tom Opacic added to the Eels’ tally five minutes into the second half as Parramatta again exposed Brisbane’s right-edge defence.
Five minutes later, Bryce Cartwright scored his first try for Eels as the scoreline threated to become embarrassing for the Broncos.
Any faint hopes Brisbane had of respectability were hurt by unforced errors: it was the story of Brisbane’s night following the error on the opening kick-off, though Parramatta weren’t immune from errors either. Considering the conditions and the result already being in hand, it was understandable that the footy started getting scrappy.
Sivo secured his coveted hat-trick with another try in the left corner as Parramatta scored 40 points for the first time this season. It was the evening’s second hat-trick after David Fifita scored three for the Gold Coast against Souths earlier tonight.
Clint Gutherson scored late after a clever in-field kick from Moses – he did an even better job to re-enter the field of play before a second kick. Once again, Brisbane’s right edge was badly exposed.
For Parramatta, the last fortnight has shown that the loss to the Dragons was an aberration, scoring 81 points to 16 against Canberra and Brisbane. Speaking of Brisbane, it was their fourth straight loss since their drought-breaking win over Canterbury-Bankstown, conceding 141 points in the process.
FULL-TIME: Parramatta Eels 46 Brisbane Broncos 6
Injuries
to be advised
Match Review Committee
to be advised
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