Parramatta Eels Fall To First Ever NRLW Defeat As Wet Conditions Wreak Havoc

By Danielle Smith

The St George Illawarra Dragons have made it two from two in this season's NRLW competition, beating the Parramatta Eels 10-0 in horrendous conditions at WIN Stadium on Sunday.

With captain Kezie Apps and winger Jaime Chapman both out due to injury, it was always going to be a tough day for the Dragons. With the poor weather only adding to the pressure, the home side didn't let either factor get in the way of the job at hand.

After a strong and controlled first half they went into the break leading 6-0. Mother Nature decided to leave her mark on the second half, with a heavy downpour making visibility and ball control difficult.

Too many mistakes from Parramatta kept them off the scoreboard, while the Dragons adapted to the weather better than their opponents. Solid defence, better handling, and execution in the wet were the deciding factors.

Two late penalty goals helped the Dragons extend their half time lead, with Racheal Pearson scoring every point of the game, including her first ever try in the NRLW.

Elise Albert was a star for the Red V though, heavily involved and leading the run metres with 159.

Eels' fullback Bo Vette-Welsh had another strong game, doing her best to keep the ball moving in the wet by clocking up 145 metres, as well as stopping a certain try for the Dragons.

Parramatta skipper Simaima Taufa had another solid hit out for her team, also blocking a sure four pointer as well as leading the tackle count for both sides.

In the post-match press conference, Dragon's coach Jamie Soward said that it was the best NRLW win the team has ever had, given the atrocious conditions.

"I was really proud the girls adjusted and just tackled everything that moved," Soward said.

"Sometimes you just have to do that, I think we have all seen enough footy that sometimes you just have to put your attack back in the kit back and just tackle your way to a win."

First time captain Keely Davis agreed, saying: "Yeah, we just had to tighten up, keep things really simple, kick to the corners and defend hard, which I think we did really well. We kept them in their half for a fair chunk of the game which made it a lot easier."

Parramatta coach Dean Widders was disappointed with his team's performance.

"We didn't give ourselves a chance right from the word go" he admitted.

"Too many mistakes and we let the Dragons build pressure on us in the game, and we weren't smart enough or on top of our game enough to turn it around. It's a tough one for us to take, but a lesson we are going to have to learn quickly."

The Eels will be hoping to shake off the loss and bounce back into the winner's circle when they take on the Gold Coast Titans on Sunday.

The Dragons will be looking to make it three wins in a row, when they face the premiers the Brisbane Broncos the same day. They will be boosted with the return of both Apps and Chapman for the match.

Topics: Parramatta Eels, Rugby League, nrl, st george dragons, Australia, NRLW