Eels end Tigers' season at Homebush

Round 20
Wests Tigers 6 v Parramatta Eels 34
at Telstra Stadium
Referee: Shayne Hayne

Match Summary:
Parramatta has continued its charge towards the 2006 finals series with a comprehensive 34-6 victory over the Wests Tigers this afternoon at Telstra Stadium.

The premiers were off to a promising start, enforcing repeat sets of six on the Eels in the opening passages of play.

The Tigers? work was brought undone however, with a converted intercept try to Eels flyer Jarryd Hayne after seven minutes and a Tigers attacking siege.

Wests managed to keep themselves in the game after the subsequent missiles fired by the Eels. They locked things up at 6-all with a try to Robbie Farah from dummy half and a difficult conversion from Scott Prince.

Although consecutive blows from the Eels; a solo try to halfback Jeremy Smith, and another intercept try on the stroke of halftime to Hayne, ensured that it was a long road back for the Tigers who trailed 16-6 at the break.

We were then treated to a lacklustre second half from both sides. The Eels managed to cross three times in the second stanza but the Tigers really had raised the white flag at the halfway point after the scintillating Hayne Try.

Both sides have worries on the injury front but the Tigers? are far more serious. The 2005 premiers can add Bryce Gibbs (elbow) and Brett Hodgson (knee) to their injury list, although Gibbs should be fit to play next weekend.

Parramatta hooker Mark Riddell was taken ill before the start of the match and Chad Robinson was ruled out of this match, but both injuries appear to be minor.

In Round 21, Parramatta will resume its rivalry with Manly on Saturday night at home while the Tigers will travel to Suncorp Stadium to meet the Brisbane Broncos next Sunday afternoon.


Scorers:
Wests Tigers: 6
Tries: Robert Farah
Goals: Scott Prince 1/1
Parramatta Eels: 34
Tries: Nathan Hindmarsh, Wade McKinnon, Luke O'Dwyer, Jeremy Smith, Jarryd Hayne(2)
Goals: Mark Riddell 4/5, Jarryd Hayne 1/1

By the Clock:
Telstra Stadium is the venue for this 'do or die' Round 20 clash between the Wests Tigers and the Parramatta Eels. Both of these sides sit outside the top eight with 18 competition points and a loss here would just about spell the end of the season for either side.

Change for the Eels; Chad Robinson is out of the side, Daniel Wagon moves from the bench to the second row and Henry Perenara comes onto the bench.

No changes to the Tigers side named earlier in the week.

Late change will Mark Riddell taken ill during the warm-up. Riddell will now start from the bench with PJ Marsh coming into the starting side.

KICKOFF!, match underway at Telstra Stadium.



7 min: TRY Parramatta Eels
Unbelievable scenes here at Telstra Stadium with Parramatta managing to withstand four consecutive sets of six on their own line before Luke O'Dwyer took an intercept and linked up with Jarryd Hayne who scored under the posts. Hayne converts his own try. Incredible start!
Eels 6-0

15 min: NEWS Physical start from the Eels here with Bryce Gibbs coming off second best after a few PJ Marsh specials. Gibbs has left the field with a re-occurance of an elbow injury. Still 6-0 the Eels lead.

18 min: NEWS Another injury with Brett Hodgson succumbing to what looks like a serious knee problem. He leaves the field on the Medi-cab and is unlikely to return. Mark Riddell looks very unwell on the bench for the Eels although Bryce Gibbs is likely to return at some stage today for the Tigers.

28 min: NEWS Parramatta have repelled the Tigers once again with an intercept to Ben Smith after repeated sets of six on their own line from the Tigers. Still 6-0 the Eels lead.

34 min: TRY Wests Tigers
Robbie Farah scores a soft try from dummy half after compounding pressure from the Tigers. There was some doubt over the grounding for the try which was referred to the video referee but he elected to give the decision the green light. Scott Prince converts the try to lock things up.
6 all.

37 min: TRY Parramatta Eels
Jeremy Smith scores a tremendous solo try under the posts for Parramatta. His running game has improved markedly. Riddell finally makes his first appearance on the field and converts the try.
Eels 12-6

40 min: TRY Parramatta Eels
Hayne has put an early nail in the Tigers' coffin for this game with a 100-metre intercept try. A 12-point try as the Tigers were looking like scoring down the other end. Riddell misses the conversion and at halftime, the Eels lead the Tigers by 16 points to 6 and it's a long way back now for the injury-ravaged Tigers.
Eels 16-6

43 min: TRY Parramatta Eels
Wade McKinnon finishes off another length-of-the-field effort from the Eels. Floodgates starting to open now. Riddell converts.
Eels 22-6

54 min: NEWS The Tigers' attack is stalled and the way things are going the Eels will slowly but surely eliminate any hope of a Tigers' finals berth. Still 22-6 the Eels lead.

63 min: NEWS This game has hit the wall and has taken a similar turn to last night's dour encounter between the Bulldogs and the Roosters. 22-6 and both sides appear to be going through the motions.

67 min: TRY Parramatta Eels
O'Dwyer breaks through a brittle Tigers defensive line to score out wide. Riddell successfully converts.
Eels 28-6

70 min: NEWS NO TRY: Dean Collis knocks the ball forward in the in-goal area, letting a rare opportunity go begging for the Tigers. 28-6 Parramatta lead and we will have new premiers in 2006.

77 min: TRY Parramatta Eels
Hindmarsh puts the icing on the cake with a terrific individual try, with momentum taking him over the line. Riddell converts.
Eels 34-6

FULLTIME: Parramatta has completed a resounding victory over an injury-ravaged Wests Tigers outfit by 34 points to 6. Match report to come soon...
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Leagueunlimited.com players of the match:
3 - Nathan Hindmarsh
2 - Nathan Cayless
1 - Jarryd Hayne
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