By Claire Stegbauer
The Parramatta Eels and Western Suburbs Magpies delivered a gripping Round Five clash in The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup at CommBank Stadium on Monday afternoon, with the visitors securing their first win of the season in a hard-fought 30-24 victory.
Parramatta couldn’t have asked for a better start. Off the back of early kick pressure and repeat sets, the Eels spread the ball from a scrum before shifting right where numbers told, sending Mohamed Alameddine over in the corner for the opening try. Ronald Volkman converted to give the home side an early buffer.
Riding that momentum, the Eels surged back into attacking territory through penalties and set restarts, going close again through Toni Mataele, who was held up over the line. But the Magpies weathered the pressure and struck back soon after.
A penalty handed the visitors field position, and they capitalised through captain Charlie Murray, whose sharp offload sparked a right-edge shift. Quick hands and a cut-out pass found Fiohiva Siale Fainga’a, who raced away and improved the angle to score under the posts, levelling the game.
Errors began to creep in, but it was the Magpies who made the next opportunity count. After Fainga’a broke down the right wing, before passing back into his fullback Jack Attard who was just held up before the line, on the next tackle five-eighth Javon Andrews stepped up off the a quick play-the-ball, spotting a fractured defensive line, he dummied and powered his way over off the back to give the visitors the lead.
Momentum continued to swing the Magpies’ way, with Andrews again at the centre of it. This time, his offload released Patrick Herbert, who chipped a kick ahead down the left edge. Solomone Saukuru chased through, regathered cleanly and finished in stride to extend the advantage. The conversion was again waved away.
Just as the Magpies looked to take control, Parramatta hit back before the break. Sustained pressure on the line finally paid off when the halves combined with a sharp play, sending Araz Nanva charging onto a well-timed pass to crash over.
And in a crucial late blow, the Eels struck again on the stroke of half-time. With the defence compressed, they shifted left where Samuel Loizou dove and planted the ball down by the fingertips, tying the scores at 14-all heading into the sheds.
The second half picked up exactly where the first left off, with the Magpies reclaiming the lead through slick ball movement. Andrews again dug into the line before offloading, with Herbert drawing defenders and throwing a cut-out pass to Saukuru, who grabbed his second try tight to the sideline.
Parramatta responded in style. On the last tackle, Volkman took on the line and found Bradley Avery, who burst down the sideline and raced away to score in the corner. Volkman nailed the sideline conversion to lock things up once again.
But the Magpies found another gear. Jack Attard sparked momentum with back-to-back strong carries before Ben Stevanovic turned the defence around with a grubber into the in-goal. The visitors won the race to the ball, grounding it under pressure to edge back in front.
Moments later, Attard produced a piece of individual brilliance. With little doing, Andrews shifted the ball to his fullback, who stepped and weaved through the line before planting it under the posts, stretching the lead out to 30-20.
The Eels refused to go away. A late chance went begging when Alameddine was denied by obstruction after slicing down the wing, while both sides traded near-misses in a frantic final 10 minutes.
Parramatta gave themselves one last shot in the dying moments. After an Attard error handed them possession, the Eels shifted left off a scrum and created an overlap, allowing Loizou to cross for his second and bring the margin back to six.
It proved too little, too late, with the Magpies holding on in a high-scoring contest defined by momentum swings, attacking flair and key moments of execution.
Talking Points
- The Western Suburbs Magpies’ fast start proved crucial. While Parramatta struck first, the visitors quickly flipped momentum and piled on points through the middle stages, with their ability to capitalise on opportunities ultimately the difference.
- Javon Andrews was at the heart of everything for the Magpies. The five-eighth consistently threatened the line, setting up multiple tries with sharp ball-playing and offloads, while also crossing himself in a commanding attacking performance.
- Bradley Avery was a standout for the Eels despite the loss. The fullback injected himself into the contest with pace and intent, producing a brilliant try down the sideline and constantly chiming into the backline to create opportunities.
- The Eels’ missed chances proved costly. Multiple attacking sets inside the Magpies’ red zone, including a held-up effort and a late denied try, left points out there that came back to haunt the home side in a tight finish.
Key Moment
With just over 20 minutes remaining and the game finely poised, the Magpies struck back-to-back through sharp execution and individual brilliance, including a weaving solo effort from Jack Attard. That quick double shifted the scoreline from level to a two-possession buffer, giving the visitors enough breathing room to withstand Parramatta’s late surge.
What’s Next?
The Western Suburbs Magpies face a tough challenge next week when they take on the ladder-leading Knights at Campbelltown Sports Stadium on Sunday at 1:40pm. However, they’ll carry plenty of confidence into the clash after securing their first win of the season, with momentum and belief finally building within the group.
The Parramatta Eels will return home to the James Hardie Centre of Excellence in Kellyville, where they’ll meet the eighth-placed Rabbitohs on Sunday at 6:00pm.
