PARRAMATTA EELS 38 CANTERBURY BULLDOGS 20
IAN HOWE, CommBank Stadium, Sunday
PARRAMATTA EELS produced one of the shock results of the season with this comfortable victory over the high-flying Canterbury Bulldogs.
It comes only a week after they had suffered a humiliating home 16-52 defeat against the Gold Coast Titans, while the Bulldogs a week earlier had clipped the wings of competition leaders Penrith Panthers 32-16.
The turnaround was hugely impressive, in front of a big crowd, with the Eels scoring six tries at regular intervals after the Bulldogs grabbed the first try by Jacob Kiraz.
The Eels responded with three tries in each half, beginning with Josh Addo-Carr and continuing with a brilliant individual effort from near the line by Ronald Volkman.
From that point they never looked back and this victory, in front of a big crowd of fans from both clubs, will revive what had been until now their fading chances of making this season’s play-off places.
This weekend they will travel to the resurgent Sea Eagles, while the Bulldogs face a difficult journey to Brisbane to face the Broncos.
EELS: 1 Joash Papalii, 2 Brian Kelly, 3 Will Penisini, 19 Araz Nanva, 5 Josh Addo-Carr, 6 Ronald Volkman, 7 Mitchell Moses, 8 Luca Moretti, 9 Ryley Smith, 10 Junior Paulo, 11 Charlie Guymer, 12 Jack Williams, 16 Jack de Belin. Subs: 13 Dylan Walker, 14 Tallyn Da Silva, 15 Saxon Pryke, 17 Toni Mataele, 18 Teancum Brown (not used), 20 Lorenzo Talataina (not used)
Tries: Addo-Carr (14), Volkman (29), Papalii (35), Walker (58), Da Silva (61), Penisini (76); Goals: Volkman 1/1, Moses 6/6
BULLDOGS: 1 Connor Tracey, 2 Jacob Kiraz, 4 Broncos Xerri, 21 Josh Curran, 5 Marcelo Montoya, 6 Matt Burton, 7 Lachlan Galvin, 8 Samuel Hughes, 9 Bailey Hayward, 10 Leo Thompson, 11 Viliame Kikau, 12 Jacob Preston, 13 Jaeman Salmon. Subs: 14 Kurt Mann, 15 Sitili Tupouniua, 16 Harry Hayes, 17 Jake Turpin (not used), 19 Jonathan Sua, 20 Lipoi Hopoi (not used)
Tries: Kiraz (11), Galvin (51), Sua (73), Xerri (78); Goals: Burton 2/4
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-4, 6-4, 12-4, 18-4; 18-10, 24-10, 26-10, 32-10, 32-16, 38-16, 38-20
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Eels: Mitchell Moses; Bulldogs: Connor Tracey
Penalty count: 6-1; Half-time: 18-4; Referee: Liam Kennedy; Attendance: 25,938