Eels lead 8-4. Thirsty work for all players in 32-degree Darwin heat. Parramatta had the better of most of the half but only lead by four points, so the Dolphins will take heart from the fact they only conceded two tries.
Key posts
- Match report: Eels wilt in Darwin heat after second-half onslaught from Dolphins
- Try: Bostock gets a hat-trick
- Try: Averillo gets on the board
- Tries: Dolphins hit the front
- Dolphins tape over medicinal cannabis sponsor
- Match report: Lomax playing his way into Origin frame
- Stats: The numbers at half-time
- Lomax on wing v centre as Madge watches on
Latest posts
Stats: The numbers at half-time
Dolphins hit back
31 min: Isaiya Katoa’s superb right-to-left cut-out pass puts Jack Bostock over in the corner. Kick unsuccessful. Eels 8-4
Eels double their lead
27 min: Will Penisini spins out of a tackle near the Dolphins’ line and scores the Eels’ second try. Russell is 0-2 after missing another conversion attempt. Eels 8-0
Eels almost extend their lead
21 min: A desperate cover tackle by Tesi Nui denies Russell a try, hit foot touching the sideline before he grounded the ball. Danger signs for the Dolphins.
The Dolphins finally crack
17 min: Shaun Lane powers over his second try of the season. Too big, too strong for Kodi Nikorima close to the line. Sean Russell fails to add the extras. Eels 4-0
Dolphins finally get chance of their own
14 min: Dolphins launch a raid on the Eels line but fumble the ball late in the tackle count. 0-0 it remains.
Early stalemate
Almost 10 minutes have been played in Darwin, and neither side is yet to trouble the scorers. Parramatta appear to be winning the field position battle at this point but have yet to capitalise.
Lomax on wing v centre as Madge watches on
Late Mail: Eels v Dolphins
From Wollongong to Darwin we go, don’t get to say that often in rugby league land. The Eels have been taking an early season game north for several years now - had the pleasure of tagging along a couple of times. The Anzac Cup at Darwin track is a great time to be had by all, Monsoons Nightclub in town, that’s certainly some sort of time too.
Wayne ‘life of the party’ Bennett hasn’t made the side for the visitors, he’s been laid low with a virus back in Brisbane. Rest up Wayne, Kristian Woolf has got this.
The teams are in by the way. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow is gone for at least a month with a torn hamstring, replaced by 27-year-old Trai Fuller at fullback. Fuller’s been around the traps in Qld Cup for a while, he’s only 170cm tall but there’s a bit of Dylan Edwards’ endless running game about him, apparently with a bit of attitude as well.
Parramatta have swapped Junior Paulo and Joe Ofahengaue around as is customary this year. Jarrod Wallace drops back to 18th man for the Dolphins, replaced on the bench by Oryn Keeley.
Eels: 1. Clinton Gutherson 2. Bailey Simonsson 3. Viliami Penisini 4. Morgan Harper 5. Sean Russell 6. Daejarn Asi 7. Dylan Brown 8. Reagan Campbell-Gillard 9. Joey Lussick 16. Joe Ofahengaue 11. Shaun Lane 12. Bryce Cartwright 13. J’maine Hopgood 14. Luca Moretti 15. Ryan Matterson10. Junior Paulo 17. Blaize Talagi 18. Brendan Hands
Dolphins: 1. Trai Fuller 2. Jamayne Isaako 3. Jake Averillo 4. Tesi Niu 5. Jack Bostock 6. Kodi Nikorima 7. Isaiya Katoa 8. Jesse Bromwich 9. Jeremy Marshall-King 10. Mark Nicholls 11. Kenny Bromwich 12. Euan Aitken 13. Max Plath 14. Josh Kerr 15. Sean O’Sullivan 16. Ray Stone 18. Oryn Keeley 17. Jarrod Wallace