Clint Gutherson takes on the Eels for the first time since leaving the club, before the Wests Tigers face the Broncos without skipper Jarome Luai. Follow all the action.
Clint Gutherson takes on the Eels for the first time since leaving the club, before the Wests Tigers face the Broncos without skipper Jarome Luai. Follow all the action.
Two for the price of one.
Dean Hawkins takes Luciano Leilua high, while Will Penisini makes dangerous contact with a hip-drop down low.
No sin-bin for either player, but the Dragons get a penalty and a hand up field.
Clint Gutherson scoops the ball up quickly from dummy-half in front of the Parramatta line, and he burrows over to score a double this afternoon.
Another perfect conversion from Valentine holmes, and the points are piling up against the Eels.
Dragons 20, Eels 8
We’re into the second half in Parramatta, where the Dragons hold a narrow lead over hosts the Eels.
It’s Clint Gutherson who gets the final 40 minutes under way with the kick-off, and Junior Paulo takes the first carry for Parramatta.
Dragons 14, Eels 8 with 40 minutes to go
Half-time: Dragons 14, Eels 8
The Dragons have too many numbers on the left edge, and Chrisian Tuipulotu scores in the corner.
A lovely shift to the left which Kyle Flanagan asked for, and the ball passes through the hands of Lachlan Ilias, Toby Couchman, Flanagan and Clint Gutherson before ending with Tuipulotu on the edge.
Valentine Holmes takes the conversion from the touch line, and manages to add the extras.
Dragons 14, Eels 8 after 37 minutes
Parramatta hit back with a try of their own, after Junior Pualo knocks the wind, and the ball, out of David Klemmer.
With a fresh set just 10 metres out from the Eels line, fullback Isaiah Iongi links up on the left edge with a cut-out pass to Josh Addo-Carr who scores.
Lomax attempts the conversion from the left touch line and bends it back beautifully through the posts. We’re all square at CommBank Stadium.
Eels 8, Dragons 8 after 27 minutes
Off the back of their try, the Dragons roll up field and earn a penalty.
It’s Shaun Lane who gifts the penalty for obstructing Kyle Flanagan’s kick chase. Flanagan certainly milked it, but it’s a stupid thing for Lane to do considering how close the match has been so far.
The Dragons like their chances at kicking for extra points, and Valentine Holmes slots the ball over to add two to their tally.
Dragons 8, Eels 2 after 23 minutes
This is pure poetry – Clint Gutherson scores the first try of the match against his former club the Parramatta Eels.
Couldn’t have scripted it better myself, and a satisfying start for the former skipper, who was booed onto the field just 20 minutes ago.
Gutherson takes a late offload from Valentine Holmes, and beats Joe Ofahenguae and J’maine Hopgood to score.
Dragons 6, Eels 2 after 18 minutes
Another illegal strip in front of the posts, but Parramatta decline the penalty kick in favour of a fresh set.
This time it’s Clint Gutherson who strips Dylan Brown of the ball, but the Eels like their chances at scoring the first try in this match.
Referee Gerard Sutton calls six again as the Eels are nearing the end of their set, but the opportunity slips through their fingers – a forward pass on the first tackle hands the ball over…should have taken the two.
Eels 2, Dragons 0 after 14 minutes