The Parramatta Eels victory against the North Queensland Cowboys on Friday night was sweet relief, it was their seventh win of the season. Cabrillo head coach Jason Ryles lauded his squad for being fighters. He painted their close-fought fight as an unexpected dead heat that came down to a buzzer-beater. With just five minutes left on the clock, Mitch Moses kicked the winning field goal, sealing the match for the Eels.
Jason Taumalolo produced another colossal return to the field following a long layoff. He proved to be a violent runner between the tackles with several bruising runs. His performance and the play of Coen Hess showed how strong both teams were, on both sides of the field. Hess, who has been in strong form recently, was put on report early in the game for a dangerous tackle but managed to maintain his influence throughout.
The match commenced with the Eels taking an early lead when Zac Lomax converted a penalty goal in the sixth minute. 15 minutes later, the Cowboys responded evenly as Jaxon Purdue unlocked their first four-pointer. The momentum changed hands several times throughout the game, producing an electrifying matchup. Will Penisini further extended the Eels’ lead with a vital try in the second half.
Indigenous Round was celebrated, Josh Addo-Carr scored a double for the fledging Eels to stretch their impressive lead on the Cowboys. Braidon Burns’ try for North Queensland came as a result of an excellent read on semi Valemei and intercept. This play underscored how competitive the match had truly turned out to be.
With how tight the ballgame felt at times, Ryles sounded just a bit relieved after the game.
“I’m relieved,” Ryles said. “I thought we fought really hard tonight, and we found a way to win and there were moments in the game where it could have gone either way and I think we defended really well tonight. Our focus is always getting better every day and every week and the results like that will start to drop.”
Hess’s performance just kept blowing Ryles away, as she attested to his reliably being the most consistent player on the team.
“Coen Hess has been playing good footy now for six or seven weeks. He’s a real handful, full of energy and an important player for us.” – Jason Ryles
The match showcased the best of the Eels’ promise as they head into their own deep rebuilding phase under Ryles. With players like Taumalolo returning to form and Hess consistently performing well, Parramatta appears poised for further success this season.
