Eels shock Dragons in pointsfest

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Parramatta Eels v St George Illawarra Dragons

Parramatta Eels won 44-40 against St George Illawarra Dragons in a game which featured 84 points in the Sydney sun.

The Eels almost extinguished the Dragons finals hopes in a game which defence was optional. Maika Sivo and Mat Feagai scored hat-tricks while Tyrell Sloan and Clint Gutherson had doubles in a game where we had the first losing side to score 40 points.

It was an inauspicious start for the Dragons in a must win game. They lost it on the second tackle and were camped on their line in defense. Eels capitalised quickly and Will Penisini steamed onto the ball to score. 

The Eels added another quickly after that. It was a milestone for Maika Sivo, who shrugged off some sluggish defence and slammed it down for his century of NRL four-pointers.

Dragons showed a brief bit of heart when Jaydn Su'A just kept his legs pumping to move forward. He kept the ball carrying arm free and found Connor Muhleisen to go over for 10-6.

The Dragons did get across the stripe again twice in the first half, once through Mathew Faegai who knocked on then Tyrell Sloan's effort was chalked off due to a Zac Lomax obstruction. 

There was no sentiment from the Eels in the sunshine. Sivo brushed off the winger then positioned Clint Gutherson to stroll over for an easy four-pointer as the Eels were having fun in the sun.

Parramatta finished the half with a flurry for 26-6 at the break. Dylan Brown floated one for Jake Tago to touch down then Shaun Lane just walked through the Dragons defence for a score. 

The Dragons needed a big response in the second half and that never happened. Two sets and two tries from the Eels which blew the game wide open and extinguhsed the Dragons hopes. 

Eels ran it on last, Blaise Tulagi found the ball on last and measured the pass for Brown to score then the five-eighth sliced through and found Gutherson for his second of the afternoon. 

There was some consolation for the Dragons in the second half. Zac Lomax was on the end of some quick hands to get over to make it 36-12 and maybe give them some faint hope.

Nope, the Dragons gave up another soft four-pointer. Off a restart, the Eels quickly shifted it left an Sivo strolled over for his second of the afternoon.

Next, the Sivo chant went up around Western Sydney Stadium as Sivo brought up his hat-trick. The Eels kept it alive again on last, found Sivo who bumped off Toby Couchman for the score. 

The Dragons finished off with a frenzy of tries to give them one gaso. Mat Feagai scored from a putback then Tyrell Sloan finished off two good moves for a double. 

Two kicks from Hunt and Raymond Faitala-Mariner gifted Matt Feagai a hat-trick in a game which saw 84 points scored. The Dragons had one final chance off the kick-off but it was smothered for an Eels win.