As promised, today turned into a very intriguing day of NRL football, with the finals race well and truly on now.
We'll be back tomorrow for more action, but until then, I'll bid you adieu.
As promised, today turned into a very intriguing day of NRL football, with the finals race well and truly on now.
We'll be back tomorrow for more action, but until then, I'll bid you adieu.
Bear in mind the seventh-placed Broncos are expected to beat the 16th-place Knights tomorrow, so you would assume they would put some space between themselves and the chasing pack.
Meanwhile, the 11th-placed Tigers take on the Cowboys (15th) tomorrow, meaning we could have three teams tied on 26 points chasing the Roosters by tomorrow night.
I'm still backing the Roosters to hold on, but I can see a world wear the Dolphins rack up a score against the Titans and then maybe face a Raiders side resting a few stars in the final round.
At the end of the day, all four of those teams are in the middle of this ladder because they have been utterly unpredictable all season, so no matter what I say, the opposite is probably just as likely to happen.
The only thing I know for sure is the Tigers ain't making it. Gee, it'd be funny if they finished ninth./
Another truly brilliant outing for this Eels team that has been unrecognisable in the best possible way since Mitchell Moses returned.
They produced some spectacular tries tonight and, while the Roosters helped them out with a huge error count, Parramatta made them pay time and time again, while playing some staunch defence to apply the pressure.
Roosters fans, it's been a tough night, so take a look at this one more time:
The Roosters have completed 20/35 sets, according to NRL.com, which may be the worst mark from any team this year.
I know Mark Nawaqanitawase, I've watched Mark Nawaqanitawase. Junior Tupou, you are no Mark Nawaqanitawase.
The bomb goes up and Junior Tupou gets back to field it. He's corralled by Zac Lomax and tries a desperate behind-the-back flick pass, but it's over James Tedesco's head and Jordan Samrani dives on the ball to score.
Billy Smith latches onto a chip kick and takes off up the field, but he doesn't have the pace and he's tracked down.
The Roosters look gassed, so they try injecting Mark Nawaqanitawase on the left side (never a bad idea getting him more ball) but Billy Smith is caught on the shift and offloads forward.
Zac Lomax leaps for a bomb, takes it above his hands, lands, chucks it backwards while Matrix bending. Will Penisini picks it up, passes back infield to ... Lomax, who's back on his feet.
Lomax grubbers in behind, Charlie Guymer gets through to put a soccer on it and chase, but the ball is kicked away by a sliding James Tedesco.
It looks over, but Jordan Samrani arrives from nowhere to dive and ground it out wide.
There is simply too much happening out there tonight.
What's the best try? I have no idea, but I'm having a good time.
That might be the greatest pass in rugby league history! And it's not even hyperbole.
The Roosters attack down the right and James Tedesco loops a glorious ball over to his freakish winger. The Eels defence closes in, with three of them trying to shut him down.
I, and the rest of the rugby league world, are expecting him to leap high or dive low to try and go for the corner, but he instead pings an around-the-back pass perfectly to Rob Toia to dive over 10 metres in from touch.
Amazing.
Hugo Savala converts and the Roosters only trail 20-10 with 19 minutes left.
My word, Mitchell Moses might be the best halfback in rugby league.
He storms onto the ball, improvises a grubber off the outside of his boot, leaves Hugo Savala and Lindsay Collins clutching at air, then beats Tedesco to the ball.
Mitchell Moses launches a monster torpedo bomb and James Tedesco is twisted in knots trying to get to it. He can't.
The ball bounces high towards the cross bar and Isaiah Iongi is streaming through.
He and Tedesco jump for it and it's batted dead. And Iongi knocked on.
A lucky escape for the Roosters and Tedesco and Moses chuckle at each other from about 40 metres away.