The Parramatta Eels are zero from two to start their 2023 NRL campaign, going down 30-26 to Cronulla in front of their home fans on Friday evening.
It was Parramatta who shot out of the blocks, opening the scoring in just the 4th minute. A J'maine Hopgood offload set the 4-pointer up for his prop Reagan Campbell-Gillard, and Mitch Moses slotted the conversion in his 200th NRL appearance to take the score to 6-0. In just the next set, another Hopgood offload set up an overlap on the left edge for Maika Sivo to extend his side's lead early on.
But Cronulla worked hard to turn the momentum back in their favour, and it paid off when Briton Nikora crossed the stripe in the 16th minute. Stand-in halfback Braydon Trindall popped Nikora the short ball close to the line, and just like that it was 10-6. A few minutes later, an error from Bailey Simonsson handed Cronulla another attacking set, which fullback William Kennedy took full advantage of, scoring his first of the night.
After the chaotic opening 20, both teams went back into their shell a little. It was an error from try-scorer Kennedy that allowed the Eels onto the attack, and eventually it was Moses who crossed for the try in the 34th minute. His conversion attempt from the sideline missed, giving his team a 14-12 lead a few minutes out from the break.
But the Sharkies weren't content with heading into the sheds just yet. Some brilliant eyes up footy from Matt Moylan in the 37th minute set up William Kennedy for his second try of the night, and the Trindall conversion gave Cronulla an 18-14 lead at the half-time siren.
It was all Parramatta to start the second half, with a handful of six agains helping them downfield in the opening minutes. They took full advantage in the 44th minute through an impressive display of force by their winger Maika Sivo, who rolled his way over the top of Sione Katoa. Moses kicked his toughest conversion attempt of the night to give the Eels the lead back.
The next ten minutes was all Parramatta, with Cronulla consistently inviting them back on the attack. Maika Sivo went heartbreakingly close to his second try of the night, but the Sharks goal line defence held up well to a thorough Parra examination. Their hard work in defence paid off when Ronaldo Mulitalo plucked a pass out of the air in the 56th minute.
The chase was on, but Mitch Moses was up to the task, reeling Mulitalo in over an 80 metre sprint. But the Eels didn't scramble hard enough to get back onside, and Will Kennedy strolled over on the next play to complete his first career hat-trick in the NRL. The subsequent conversion gave Cronulla a 24-20 lead with 20 minutes on the clock.
Just two minutes later, Mulitalo proved that rugby league is very much a game of momentum, taking a stunning AFL catch off a Moylan kick to extend his side's lead. Trindall kept his impressive goalkicking performance going, nailing the conversion from the sideline to bring the Parramatta deficit into double digits.
It would take the Eels to the 73rd minute to trouble the scorekeeper again, with another wonderful display of footy from J'maine Hopgood opening up the Cronulla defence for his halfback, Mitch Moses, to take full advantage of. Quickly converting his own try, the gap was brought down to four points with just six minutes remaining.
Parramatta gave it their all in the final minutes, but the Sharks managed to hold onto their narrow lead until the final siren. The Eels will face Manly at Brookvale on Thursday night - still trying to get their first win on the board. Cronulla will travel to the nation's capital to face Ricky's Raiders in a Sunday evening clash.