Sydney Roosters utility back Brett Morris

Both teams will feature in the finals and the Parramatta Eels and Sydney Roosters gave us a preview of the finals intensity.

Although the scoreline may not reflect the defensive nature and physicality of the game itself, it has many calling it the game of the season.

Both teams came prepared to play but it was the Roosters with all the early running.

Enjoying a string of possession to start, the pressure eventually saw the Roosters capitalise.

Veteran winger Brett Morris finished off a backline movement, evading Eels defenders to score.

Dual penalty goals to Kyle Flanagan put the Roosters up 8-0 after a bruising first half and the second was not much different.

Though the Eels, looking to go 6-0, came out of the blocks with renewed fire in the belly.

Their fire resulted in points, with Michael Jennings showing his pace at 33 to fly by Roosters centre Joey Manu.

The Eels onslaught continued as their renewed vigour saw Maika Sivo score a try in the left corner.

A brutish hit and fend on James Tedesco left the Roosters fullback motionless temporarily before he later moved to the sheds and sidelines.

Sivo would score and the Eels would hit the lead.

Though, any Roosters side is never down and out, and they hit back relatively quickly as Luke Keary bust through the line.

It was there that he found Boyd Cordner on his outside who scored a simple try.

Try as they might, the final execution lacked slightly for the Eels, despite some entertaining play.

It proved telling as a final Roosters try, this time to Josh Morris, put the icing on the cake.

The overlap on the left edge was made that much easier with the Eels down to twelve men with Michael Jennings sin-binned.

The bruising contest illustrated that the Eels, despite the loss, are no pushovers in 2020.

They still remain top of the table unless the Raiders pull off a big win over Manly.

Professionalism and momentum; they were the two aspects that Eels coach Brad Arthur believes cost his side the game.

“I think they were too professional for us at the end,” Eels coach Brad Arthur said.

“It was one set, we had all the momentum, it was one set there and we went outside our systems in defence.

“They went straight through and scored, and from there they just starved us of possession.”

With the forced reshuffle after Tedesco’s departure, Trent Robinson praised his Roosters side for adjusting.

“I thought after Teddy went off we adjusted there and came up with some critical plays.

“We had to dig in tonight for longer periods, we haven’t had as much as practice as [Parramatta].

“They’ve had some really tough games… we haven’t had a tight one since Souths so that was a good response.”

NRL News Player of the Game

3. Brett Morris

2. Nathan Brown

  1. Luke Keary
Parramatta Eels forward Nathan Brown

By ricky

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