Parramatta are one game away from their first Grand Final since 2009, after the Eels thrashed the Raiders by 40-4 at CommBank Stadium tonight.
The Eels were relentless in front of their home fans, racing in seven tries to one to book a date in Townsville next week where they will face the Cowboys to decide who will make the 2022 NRL Grand Final.
Parramatta half Mitch Moses was terrific for the home side, scoring a memorable try on his birthday and silencing the doubters who questioned his and coach Brad Arthur's poor finals record. Moses did give his side a late injury scare when he left the field in the Second Half with a potential concussion, but the Eels number seven passed his Head Injury Assessment to return to the field and played a pivotal role in the victory. It was a hugely disappointing performance from Canberra, who simply missed the bus as the home side raced in four early tries before the Raiders finally came to the party through a Xavier Savage solo try.
With their poor finals record the topic of conversation in the build up, Parramatta came into the game under serious pressure and it was relieved early when skipper Clint Gutherson put his centre Viliami Penisini in some space down the right-hand side. The rookie centre then muscled his way over to score the first try of the night. Moses converted and it was 6-0 after just 8 minutes.
The Eels continued to dominate possession and were rewarded when Raiders fullback Xavier Savage failed to collect a grubber from Dylan Brown, with the ball taking a wicked bounce for Eels centre Tom Opacic to score the Eels second try. Parramatta then ran riot, with two more tries through winger Waqa Blake and then through NSW prop Junior Paulo who charged through a huge hole close to the line allowing the Eels to race out to a 22-0 lead.
Canberra were shell shocked after 30 minutes and needed something special to get back into the match. Xavier Savage then got some redemption following his earlier error, when the lightning quick fullback raced 80 metres to score a superb solo try and keep the Green Machine within touching distance before the break. The Eels could have easily had two more in the first half with both Gutherson and Maika Sivo disallowed tries but in a dominant display it was the Eels leading 22-4 at halftime.
Parramatta continued their dominance early in the Second Half when Junior Paulo produced a superb offload to Moses, who used his speed to race to the corner to score an electric try for the Eels. Departing backrower Marata Niukore, then had a farewell to remember in front of his home fans when he collected a late double, the first thanks to a superb pass from Gutherson and then at the death he scored off a nice offload from winger Maika Sivo to end the route, with Parramatta running out winners by 40-4.
Parramatta now travel to Townsville next week, where they face the Cowboys for the right to play in this year's Grand Final.