2024 NRL Round 7 Eels v Dolphins – EELS 16 DOLPHINS 44. The one-minute match report – giving you the bare minimum NRL round up in the bare minimum of time.
The Dolphins had one of their best nights out in their fledgling NRL life as they withstood the heat of a Darwin evening much better than the highly fancied Parramatta Eels.
With more excuses than most sides could to justify a loss, like key injuries and their coach missing due to sickness, it looked like it was going to be a long night as Parramatta dominated most of the first half with the opening try to Shaun Lane followed up Will Penisini in the 26th minute and the Dolphins looked off the pace in attack.
Jack Bostock scored the Dolphins first try ten minutes before half time, and at 8-4 it was a half time score that wasn’t bad considering the Dolphins had been second best.
After the break was a different story as the Dolphins went on a rampage that has never been seen before from the club.
Four tries in eight minutes from the 49th minute to the 57th minute for Tesi Niu, a Max Plath double and a reward for Trai Fuller saw the Dolphins take out most of the oxygen that was left in the Darwin heat for Parramatta.
But the scoring didn’t stop there, with another four tries coming in 11 minutes including Jack Bostock’s second and third tries, Tesi Niu’s second and one to Jake Averillo. All told the Dolphins had scored eight second half tries in a tick over 20 minutes. An onslaught few were expecting on any day, let alone against quality opposition almost at full strength in those hot conditions.
The win sees the Dolphins temporarily move to second, but somewhat importantly, they have the best for and against in the NRL. And a W4 L2 start to the season few would have predicted with confidence.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Great to see such a performance from Trai Fuller, filling in at fullback for The Hamner. Although few who have seen him carve up in the Queensland Cup would doubt the speed and ability, one did wonder whether he would ever get the chance. Well he has been given the chance now, and boy did he take it.
In the first half when the Dolphins were on the back foot, he made crucial last man tackles and cleaned up at the back with confidence. When the Dolphins were on top in the second half Fuller got to show all of his skills and was electric. Scoring tries, setting them up, involved in line breaks, a solid 177 run metres on a hot night another impressive highlight. Instead of worrying about how to cover for Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow for a month’s worth of injury, Dolphins fans might be wondering how to keep him in the side once The Hammer returns.
Trai Fuller was described as small in stature during the broadcast, but one key to the Dolphins win was the selection of smaller, more mobile players. While Parramatta had hulking forwards which were good while they were on top, the Dolphins hard workers like Max Plath, Ray Stone, Euan Aitken and Jeremy Marshall-King who ended up running rings around the Eels in the hot conditions. Wise selections from the supercoach who may or may not be smiling from home after missing the trip due to sickness.
Also Jeremy Marshall-King had his best game of the season so far, and his running game caused Parramatta many headaches in the second half.
One final thought is the way the Dolphins approached the second half in attack. Now it can’t always be as good as it was in the second half, but one could accuse the Dolphins of being a little too one-dimensional in attack at times. So perhaps this game against the Eels can prove that they need to chance themselves a little more each week.
Courtesy of nrl.com
BEST OF STATS
It was the first time in their NRL lifetime that the Dolphins had scored over 40 points. Beating the point scoring record set against the Dragons in Round 2 this season.
Dolphins are now three wins from three against Sydney teams in 2024. They only won three in the entire 2023 season.
The Dolphins win broke a run of three straight losses on a Friday.
Dolphins record away to Sydney clubs is now W2 L5. Coincidentally, the Dolphins’ only away win v Sydney clubs are at Suncorp Stadium in Magic Round and this one in Darwin.
Isaiya Katoa’s combined seven line break assists and try assists is a player single round record for 2024.
Parramatta’s record in Darwin is now W6 L4. However they have lost their last three games there, all against various Qld opposition. Overall the Eels’ record in Darwin v Qld sides in W3 L4.
Parramatta’s last five Friday games have ended in defeat.
