The Eels set out to prove their premiership credentials after a shock defeat to the Bulldogs last weekend.
The task, not so simple; the Roosters having won the previous six out of seven matches between the two sides.
The Roosters jumped out of the blocks early with the right edge linking up for the first try of the night.
A confident flick pass by & Joseph Manu sent Joseph Suaalii through with just enough space to work his magic, the try ominously coming within four minutes of the kick off.
Parramatta answered back almost instantaneously through a great play by Clint Gutherson.
Shaun Lane throwing a sublime offload to assist Dylan Brown, sending him through untouched almost straight under the black dot.
The tone was set early in the match, both teams playing expansive football from the off with disruptive offloads the key to match, creating broken defensive lines which were easily attackable for the halfbacks.
Gutherson stood tall for Parramatta in the first half; firstly with a beautiful one on one try saver against Angus Crichton who looked almost certain to get to the line after he was sent through.
Only sixty seconds later, on the end of the next set, he forced a drop out after a Moses kick.
Gutherson was the only player in proximity to Manu with a great tackle to sling him back over to the in goal.
Leaving his mark early on the match as he so often does.
Offloads continued to kill the Roosters as Matterson got a late ball out, the broken defensive line being punished by Moses.
Moses passed back on the inside to find Isaiah Papali’i and his angled run to barge over the top of Tedesco to score.
The first half very much dominated by the team who held field position and momentum.
The Eels held that momentum in the back end of the first half making it a 14-point lead off the back of some Moses brilliance.
He orchestrated a beautifully deft try down the right edge, the ball changing hands between Moses, Maika Sivo, Gutherson and at last Reed Mahoney collected the honours.
The match was set up for a grandstand finish by Suaalii’s solo brilliance in the second half.
An abstract play that ended in him chipping and chasing the ball himself, getting the bounce of his dreams to gather the ball and score.
The second half was soured by a bad head knock as Egan Butcher went low for a tackle on Matterson and collected his hip in the attempted tackle.
He looked out cold and the medical cart was required for him to be taken from the field.
After Butcher’s head knock, mistakes l riddled the second half as they attempted to remain expansive in their play, with both packs tiring.
The Roosters had their opportunities in the second half with three sets on Parramatta’s line, but the Eels defensive efforts proved to be enough for them to close out the match.
The Eels came away victors with a score line of 26-16 on the night.
NRL News Player of the Game
3. Shaun Lane (PAR)
2. Joseph Suaalii (SYD)
1. Junior Paulo (PAR)