Super League Round 20 Review

The weather may have played havoc with the majority of Super League this round but that didn?t stop the title heading to Melita Stadium. The win confirmed the Premiership for the Eagles and the right to promotion to the Premier League for next season.
The only other fixture played was between Northern Tigers and Central Coast with the Tigers returning to second spot on the ladder after a 2-0 truimph.
Feature Match of the Week
Parramatta Eagles v Sydney University
The celebrations were bound to continue long into the night after Parramatta Eagles claimed the Super League premiership at the unlikely venue of Seymour Shaw Park following their 4-1 defeat of Sydney University on Saturday evening.
It will be a ground that the Eagles become more used to with the Premiership bringing with it the right for promotion to the NSW Premier League.
In truth, Parramatta never looked liked losing this one, the knowledge that the title would be theirs with a win ensuring that they were at the top of their form.
The man of the match was definitely Kutaiba Elrich who netted a hatrick to set the Eagles on their way. The first came after nine minutes when Daniel Fogarty dispossessed Simon Turner and passed to the unmarked Elrich. A left foot strike into the top corner was the result.
Just a moment later it could have been double that, but James Lowery did well in denying Shayne Ardle.
 University had their chances as they looked to get back into the game. One of the etter ones was when Carlos Villazon, dangerous down the right, crossed superbly but, unfortunately for the home side, Christian Soares could not quite make contact.
But Uni eventually got their reward on the half hour when a slip up by Parramatta keeper George Bouropolous gave Liam Delaney the opportunity to sweep the ball home. Uni lifted momentarily causing some concern in the Eagles backline but it wasn?t to be too long before Parramatta regained the lead.
An Ardle cross was palmed away by Lowery, but Uni were unable to clear and it was Elrich again who forced the ball over the line. From there on, the game always looked Parramatta?s, Daniel Fogarty almost making it three just before half time.
But it was the two goals immediately after the break which killed off the game. First it was Ardle who netted with a fine strike and then Elrich yet again, just three minutes later, gave Parramatta their fourth.
The celebrations began in the stand, the Premiership was Parramatta?s and, after a season where they led from round one, there can be no doubt that it was deserved.
It was a relaxed, and perhaps relieved Brian Dene, after the game.
?We were very smart tonight. We knew we had to put pressure on early which was why Daniel Fogarty started. We also knew we had to combat the big one [Clive Delaney] as we have conceded goals at set pieces and corners this year.
?But we were very clinical in the way we finished too and Elrich was outstanding, he could have had four or five tonight?.
While the lure of the Premier League is something everyone at the Parramatta Eagles club is certainly looking forward, there is the business of the finals series to come first.
?For the last two years, the Premiers have not gone to the Grand Final so we want to change that. It is a new competition now and we will all certainly be trying for that,? Dene concluded.
Losing Uni coach, John Caruana, was magnanimous in defeat.
?They are a good side and we were beaten by a better team tonight. We were put out of our rhythm last week but we did our best?.
The loss almost certainly sees Uni miss the semis, a disappointing end result but a close run thing and a good effort all the same considering that they have played every match ?away?.
Sydney University 1 (Liam Delaney 30?) v Parramatta Eagles 4 (Kutaiba Elrich 9?, 34?, 50?, Shayne Ardle 47?)
30 July 2010
Seymour Shaw Park, Miranda
Referee: David Christie
Assts: Lance Greenshields and Chris Pehlivanis
Sydney University: 1. James Lowery 2. Alexander Bit 4. Simon Turner (c) (12. James O?Rourke 52?) 8. Robert Morrison (13. Daren Vujovic 79?) 17. David McMurray 11. Liam Delaney 6. Clive Delaney 16. Chris Hayton (14. Ihsan Savran 69?) 21. Daine Merrin 10. Christian Soares 15. Carlos Villazon.
Subs not used: 20. Jonathan Faerber
Coach: John Caruana
Parramatta Eagles: 21. George Bouropoulos 2. Chris McDonald (14. Mitchell Duke 57?) 18. Louis Duchesne 5. Patrick Gatt 3. Daniel Borg 7. Shayne Ardle 8. Matthew Clowes 15. Ben Delicata (c) 9. Brian Soane (10. Chris Camilleri 80?) 4. Daniel Fogarty (19. James Stubbs-Mills 72?) 11. Kutaiba Elrich.
Subs not used: 12. Thomas Wilson 40. Oliver Lovell.
Coach: Brian Dene
Northern Tigers v Central Coast
Northern Tigers leapfrogged St George to take second spot on the table, after a 2-0 defeat of Central Coast Lightning.
It was an essential win for the Tigers who now have the advantage in the competition for the all important second position. With just three games to play, Northern Tigers have a two point buffer over third placed St George.
It was their leading scorer, Tom Spencer, who put them in front, with his tenth of the season. Good lead up work by Brendan Salameh saw the ball worked out to Paul Davies, whose cross from the right was neatly headed home by Spencer.
There was no change in the scoreline until thirteen minutes from time when Max Glanville became the welcome recipient of a long throw, and put away for number two.
?It wasn?t a classic game?, admitted Jason Eager after the match. ?We didn?t play our best but improved in the second half. We gave the ball away a bit in the first half when we had the wind with us, but controlled it a lot better in the second.?
It will be a tough couple of days for the Tigers who face a trip to Spirit FC on Tuesday evening in a rescheduled Round 17 clash.
Northern Tigers 2 (Tom Spencer 8?, Max Glanville 77?) v Central Coast 0
Washed Out
Dulwich Hill                   v          Spirit FC                                   TBA
Granville Rage   v          Fraser Park                               TBA
Mount Druitt                  v          FC Bossy Liverpool                   TBA
St George                     v          Macarthur Rams                        3 Aug 6.30 and 8.15
Top Goalscorers
19 –       Sam Messam (Macarthur Rams)
13 –       Christian Soares (Sydney University)
11 –       Shayne Ardle (Parramatta Eagles)
10 –       Ben Gough (Spirit FC), Tom Spencer (Northern Tigers)
9 –        Pat Cappuccio (Granville Rage)
8 –        Nenos Bobo (Granville Rage), Tony Faria (Dulwich Hill
7 –        Kris Holbrook (Granville Rage), Alex Smith (Fraser Park)
-By Peter Rowney