Eels take out wooden spoon play off

There were to be no losers at Skilled Park when the Titans took on the Eels to decide the recipient of the 2011 wooden spoon. A 32-12 victory gave the Eels the game spoils, but the Titans would not go home empty handed collecting the wooden spoon on their way out of the season.

Eels took an early lead and did not look like relenting whilst the Titans were gracious hosts and never looked like challenging their visitors for the game with eyes to the bigger prize of the wooden spoon. The first half saw the Titans prove remarkably unwilling to complete a set and the Eels look to help them collect the spoon in emphatic style putting 4 tries on them in the opening 40 with star fullback Jarryd Hayne having a hand every try. Eels' debutant Ken Sio collected Parramatta's first in the 8th minute, before Hayne ran goal line to goal line to score the visitors' second in the 13th minute. Morgan playing at centre in a backline reshuffle scored the Eels' last two tries of the half in the 20th and 32nd minutes. Burt had a superb 75% conversion rate for the half with conversiond from both sidelines to help Parramatta to the 22 nil lead they took to half time.

Not to be outdone by his three quarter partner, Ben Smith in right centre collected two tries of his own early in the second half crossing in the 45th and 48th minutes. Hayne had a boot in both tries with Smith flying in similar style to give the gold coast a case of de ja vu with his second four pointer. Burt converted the second after missing the first to right the only thing wrong with the first try. The Eels appeared to have the game won with over half an hour left to play and began to relent. Titans however refused to take opportunities and insisted on maintaining a poor completion rate throughout the game. the Titans found some of the intensity the Eels lost at the back end of the game and used it to put on 12 points to add some respectability to the scoreline with tries to O'Dwyer and Mead and conversions to Campbell and Laffranchi.

The story of the night saw failures and successes to both teams just as the result of the game did.  The Eels defeated the Titans 32-12 taking the game. Titans took home the spoon but left with some dignity to see off many departing players.

Match Details
Gold Coast Titans 12 were defeated by Parramatta Eels 32
National Rugby League - Round 26 - Saturday September 3, 2011 7:30pm
Venue: Skilled Park
Referee: Brett Suttor and Chris James
Video Referee: Bernard Sutton
Touch Judges: Gavin Morris and Peter Gough
Crowd: 18,265
Halftime: Gold Coast Titans 0 Parramatta Eels 22

Leagueunlimited.com players of the match:
3 Points - Jarryd Hayne (1 Try)
2 Points - Reni Maitua
1 Point - Mitchell Allgood

GOLD COAST TITANS (12)
Tries: Luke O'Dwyer, David Mead
Conversions: Preston Campbell (1/1), Anthony Laffranchi (1/1)

PARRAMATTA EELS (32)
Tries: Ben Smith, Jarryd Hayne (2), Ryan Morgan (2), Ken Sio
Conversions: Luke Burt (4/6)

LeagueUnlimited.com Live Commentary Good evening and welcome to Skilled Park on the gold Coast for the battle to decide the 2011 wooden spoon winners. The contenders for this year's spoon are the Gold Coast Titans and the Parramatta Eels.
Gold Coast took out the Toyota Cup curtain raiser defeating the Eels under 20s side 24-18.
TEAM NEWS: Esi Tonga has been ruled out for the Titans and Bodene Thompson will replace him in the centres and he will be partnered in the centres by Luke O'Dwyer with Toopi to start from the bench and Ben Ridge in 18 to come onto the bench. The Eels will be without Casey McGuire and have named a debutant at half back, Ken Sio in jumper 18.
1 min: Eels kick off to give Titans first use of the football.
2 min: Both sides throwing the ball around early.
3 min: Great kick by Luke Burt, Campbell plays at it and gets a foot on the sideline for a Parramatta scrum 10 out.
4 min: PENALTY to the Eels for a Thompson strip 5 out.
5 min: some good defence from the Titans keeps the Eels out and Gold Coast now have the ball.
6 min: Titans attempt to run away with the ball but play is called back for an eels scrum with the ref seeing a Titans knock on.
7 min: VIDEO REFEREE for a possible Eels TRY.
8 min: TRY
TRY to the Eels!
Lasalo throws a magic ball out the back to Hayne who gets it out wide to debutant Sio to score in the right corner. Burt nails a beautiful sideline conversion.
Parramatta Eels 6-0
9 min: Luke Burt kicks a 40/20.
10 min: Courageous tackle from Campbell on MoiMoi and it seems to halt the Eels attack.
13 min: TRY Media Mantarays
TRY to the Eels!
Campbell grubbers in goal, Hayne collects it and runs over 100 metres to score in the left corner. And Burt converts from the left sideline.
Parramatta Eels 12-0
14 min: Tim Mannah has come off the field for an early interchange, word is that he has a hamstring twinge and that he is unlikely to come back out tonight.
17 min: A Luke Bailey error gives the Eels great field position.
18 min: VIDEO REFEREE for a possible Parramatta TRY.
19 min: TRY
TRY to the Eels!
Hayne grubbers to the post, Hindmarsh collects the ball from Burt's regather and sees an overlap on the left and gets it on to Morgan to score out wide. Conversion attempt from Burt unsuccessful.
Parramatta Eels 16-0
20 min: MoiMoi makes an error collecting the kick off, the knock on was in goal so it will be a goal line drop out.
20 min: PENALTY to the Titans, Eels are penalised for something in the line drop out.
21 min: Titans waste the opportunity with an error.
22 min: PENALTY to the Eels against Bird for hands in the play the ball.
22 min: PENALTY to the Eels against White for a high tackle 45 out.
24 min: Errors both ways as Titans have not been able to complete many sets and the dropsies may just be contagious with the Eels developing their own case.
28 min: Eels making huge metres with ball in hand whilst the Titans are still struggling to complete a set.
33 min: TRY
TRY to the Eels!
Hayne creates the overlap and gets it on to Morgan to power over for his second near the corner. Burt converts.
Parramatta Eels 22-0
34 min: PENALTY to the Titans against unsquare markers.
36 min: Campbell chips it through and earns a repeat set by forcing the line drop out forcing Sio to pat it dead. Titans' first completed set in a while.
37 min: Another complete set form the Titans, but the attack is not great and Eels make easy work of it.
40 min: PENALTY to the Eels late in the count to offer them 30 seconds at the Titans' throats before half time.
40 min: Good news for the Titans, the half time hooter has blown and no more damage has been done. Eels lead the Titans 22 nil.
41 min: Second half under way.
43 min: Eels earn a repeat set forcing the goal line drop out.
46 min: TRY
TRY to the Eels!
Jarryd Hayne chip kick and Ben smith flies through to collect a try. Burt's easiest conversion of the night and he misses.
Parramatta Eels 26-0
47 min: PENALTY to the Eels against Thompson for holding down in the play the ball.
49 min: TRY
TRY to the Eels!
Hayne pops it over the top, the aerial contest comes to nothing and Smith flies through again to collect the 4 pointer. Burt adds the extras.
53 min: Eels continue to look right on top in this match, letting the titans know where the spoon will be going.
56 min: Errors return to the Titans' game. Whatever the 6 try deficit tells us about their defence, their attack has been worse.
60 min: Errors both ways as Gold Coast's woes continue and Parramatta are again inflicted with a case of the dropsies.
62 min: Completed sets each way, Parramatta have let off a fair bit, but the Titans are still not offering much in attack.
63 min: Titans with their most impressive passage of play with ball in hand have a pass intercepted by Hindmarsh.
63 min: Parramatta beginning to show mercy on the Titans with a drop in intensity and discipline.
64 min: VIDEO REFEREE for a possible Titans TRY.
64 min: NO TRY! One on one contest between Mead and Burt and Burt gets him into touch.
68 min: More errors from both sides, Titans have pegged their completion rate back below 50%.
69 min: Burt's boot has a little too much on it and Gold Coast get a 20 metre restart.
70 min: TRY
TRY to the Titans!
Ridge makes a massive line break carving through from about 30 metres his own side of half way and finds O'Dwyer on his inside who collects the 4 points. Preston Campbell makes no mistake with the boot.
Parramatta Eels 32-6
72 min: Titans can do so little right tonight, another error.
73 min: PENALTY to the Titans against Hayne in possession for an incorrect play the ball.
74 min: Titans don't like the opportunity they've been given and turn the ball over on the first tackle.
76 min: Eels error, Titans error, nobody wants to complete a set any more.
78 min: Six again to the titans when Hicks gets hands on a ball on the 30.
80 min: PENALTY to the Titans against O'Hanlon for a steal outside the Titans 20.
80 min: VIDEO REFEREE for a possible Gold coast TRY!
80 min: TRY
Srama chips over the top to Bailey who does a superb job collecting it and getting it on to Matthews who finds Mead who collects the 4 pointer. Laffranchi takes the conversion and adds 2 points.
Parramatta Eels 32-12
80 min: It's all over, the Titans have won it. The spoon that is. Eels take the game 32-12.