Sizzling Sandow and Semi blunt Tigers

Parramatta survived a first-half flurry to leave the Wests Tigers in last with a 28-16 victory in front of 15,347 fans at ANZ Stadium.

Two teams that were at the wrong side of the table, met in a barren ANZ Stadium for a clash that was important for several reasons. For the Eels, to continue their rise up the table. For Wests it was imperative to avoid the ignominy of being last.

Parramatta continued where they left off - last weekend against St George, with the opening points of the game, Tim Mannah crossing after twelve minutes to get his first score since 2012. They added a long range effort started from a Corey Norman run that found it's way to five-eighth Luke Kelly for an even dozen.

The Eels need to address their fading in and out of halves though, as fast as they raced into the lead it was pulled back. Mitchell Moses created an opening down the left, stretching the Eels which left Kevin Naiqama room after a Drinkwater floater to power past Semi Radradra and dive over.

James Tedesco was at his damaging run best tonight - splitting the Eels open two minutes after the first try and spied winger Naiqama in the open again and placed a kick for the winger to make it a brace, dragging it back to 12-8.

Momentum was with the home side, as Tedesco once again evaded several defenders, found an open Pat Richards who danced down the sideline to plant down adjacent to the sticks to gift the Tigers the lead, going into the break. Richards added a 38th minute penalty goal to stretch the lead to 16-12 at half-time.

It took the Semi-trailer a while to get started but it reached full speed in the 51st minute. The fan-favourite winger watched the Tigers playes dawdle around a Norman bomb, waltzed in and Sandow's conversion gave the Eels the lead once again.

This time they weren't surrendering it either - Sandow and Radradra combined to put away the Tigers who spent most of the second half defending their line. Radradra was the provider in the 67th minute after once again, waltzing in for a bomb and swung it back to the halfback to stroll in.

Radradra added one more try - to give him five double-try performances in a row and break a 60-year old record in the process. This one was more classical Sandow, as he drifted across the park and put the ball right onto the chest of Semi, who completed the 28-16 victory.

Next week the Tigers and Eels have their second byes before each side returns for Heritage Round - the Tigers set to visit ladder leaders Brisbane on Sunday afternoon, while Parramatta face the Bulldogs at ANZ on Friday night.

Match Details

Wests Tigers 16 Parramatta Eels 28
Venue: ANZ Stadium
Crowd: 15347
Halftime Score: Wests Tigers 16 Parramatta Eels 12

WESTS TIGERS (16)
Tries: Kevin Naiqama (2), Pat Richards
Conversions: Pat Richards (1/3)
Penalty Goals: Pat Richards (1/1)

PARRAMATTA EELS (28)
Tries: Tim Mannah, Chris Sandow, Luke Kelly, Semi Radradra (2)
Conversions: Chris Sandow (4/5)

LeagueUnlimited.com Players of the Match:

3 points - Chris Sandow
2 points - Semi Radradra
1 point - James Tedesco

LeagueUnlimited.com Live Commentary

Welcome to Monday Night Football, out at ANZ Stadium where we have the Wests Tigers hosting the Parramatta Eels. Wests have hit the skids after their huge victory over South Sydney, a few weeks ago and sit stone motherless after Manly were victorious yesterday afternoon and will be missing Luke Brooks through injury. It is the opposite for the Eels, coming off a strong defensive display at home against St George and sit in a much more luxurious 13th position and rising quicker than the tv audience for origin. Join us NEXT for kick-off!

TEAM CHANGES:

WST: The big change for the home side, as mentioned in the opener - Josh Drinkwater is IN for Luke Brooks after the latter had a shoulder injury. The other change is Jack Buchanan onto the bench in #18.

PAR: Two changes for the visitors. The experienced Isaac De Gois comes in for Cody Nelson alongside Darcy Lussick being elevated to starting minutes for Junior Paulo.

1: Both teams are out onto the ANZ paddock, and it does resemble a cow paddock. Wests are lined up on halfway and kick us off!

2: PENALTY Eels Jeez you wouldn't want Ma'u taking a bomb, he took the Naiqama error and had it stripped.

5: UNFORCED ERROR PARRAMATTA EELS
Bureta Faraimo makes an unforced error.
Sloppy play-the-ball from the US rep player and a golden opportunity for the Tigers now.

5: UNFORCED ERROR WESTS TIGERS
Martin Taupau makes an unforced error.
Tapau went wah-wow unable to take a crash ball. Big let off for the Eels.

7: VIDEO REFEREE: Whoops, Isaac De Gois throws it out the back and Tedesco might have scored.

7: RED LIGHTS.. NO TRY! Judged that Tedesco had knocked on. Blushes saved.

9: PENALTY Eels - Farimo squirms around to earn them their second.

10: PENALTY Eels - Lovett holding the ball, to slow down Ma'u.

11: TRY PARRAMATTA EELS
Scored by Tim Mannah. Kick to come.
A nice set play there! Lussick drew in the defenders and was caught. Mannah flew into the gap and planted it down.

12: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION PARRAMATTA EELS
Conversion attempt by Chris Sandow successful.
Sandow hooked his conversion over to complete the six.

14: TRY PARRAMATTA EELS
Scored by Luke Kelly. Kick to come.
Some more razzle dazzle from the Eels there. It started from Corey Norman sneaking under a Moses tackle, linked with Sandow who eventually from a deflection found Kelly to cross.

15: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION PARRAMATTA EELS
Conversion attempt by Chris Sandow successful.
A much easier attempt this time for Chris, and no dramas either.

19: PENALTY Tigers. Their first of the game after Moses parted the seas in the defensive line.

20: TRY WESTS TIGERS
Scored by Kevin Naiqama. Kick to come.
Tigers on the board! A looping pass found Naiqama in space, he beat Semi all ends up and dives over.

21: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION WESTS TIGERS
Conversion attempt by Pat Richards unsuccessful.
Pat 'Man of Steel' Richards steps up for his first conversion tonight. He swings it wide.

26: TRY WESTS TIGERS
Scored by Kevin Naiqama. Kick to come.
Bang, Bang try-time again! James Tedesco just broke through with the greatest of ease and stabbed a kick for Naiqama to coddle over the try-line.

27: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION WESTS TIGERS
Conversion attempt by Pat Richards unsuccessful.
A slightly easier task for Richards here. Can he readjust his radar? Nope, faded wide again.

28: PENALTY Eels! Norman taken in the air.. just by Richards.

31: UNFORCED ERROR PARRAMATTA EELS
Corey Norman makes an unforced error.
Eels try the outside-inside ball but Norman drops it.

32: UNFORCED ERROR PARRAMATTA EELS
Pauli Pauli makes an unforced error.
Crash ball for Pauli Pauli was suitably, by name, dropped.

33: VIDEO REFEREE: Just checking if Richards went outside before catching the ball, looks all good. Tedesco was at his evasive best in the build-up.

33: TRY WESTS TIGERS
Scored by Pat Richards. Kick to come.
GREEN LIGHTS.. TRY! Richards was fine, and ran it closer to make his own conversion easier.

35: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION WESTS TIGERS
Conversion attempt by Pat Richards successful.
Closer to the sticks and Richards nails it to give Wests, an improbable lead after the opening quarter.

36: It's all unraveling from the Eels, Takairangi dropped to ball-play and sent it forward to Sandow.

38: PENALTY Tigers - Junior Paulo took out the kicker.

38: SUCCESSFUL PENALTY GOAL WESTS TIGERS
Penalty goal attempt by Pat Richards successful.
They elect for two. Richards will duly slot it. and does.

38: A side note during that conversion. Brad Takairangi was put ON REPORT for a shoulder charge on James Tedesco.

41: We're back on the paddock for the second half, Eels down four and will kick-off! Here we go.

41: PENALTY Tigers! They will get a chance to add to their points tally.

43: VIDEO REFEREE: Kevin Naiqama might have danced over here.

43: RED LIGHTS.. NO TRY! He lost it trying to go for the try-line but some twinkle toes to get there.

44: PENALTY Eels! Buchanan worked him like a girl at the nightclub, so the Eels will get some sustained possession.

44: PENALTY Eels, they will keep the pressure on after a strip.

45: UNFORCED ERROR PARRAMATTA EELS
Bureta Faraimo makes an unforced error.
They tried some quick hands to get Farimo one-on-one but the winger couldn't hold the ball.

46: PENALTY Eels! Semi got lucky, as his loose carry is called a penalty.

50: Sandow elects to kick, and forces Naiqama to send it dead.

52: Whistle blows again, Tigers inside the ten. A whole set incoming here.

53: SIX MORE as Milone tries to get fancy on a simple dropped ball.

56: TRY PARRAMATTA EELS
Scored by Semi Radradra. Kick to come.
There's the customary Semi try. Norman chipped it, as the Tigers waited like Sydney buses allowing Radradra to steal in.

57: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION PARRAMATTA EELS
Conversion attempt by Chris Sandow successful.
Close to the sticks, and easily converted by Sandow.

58: A lucky call there for the Eels, as Mannah had the ball dislodged again. PENALTY.

61: PENALTY Tigers, all started from a good run from Tedesco. Tapped and go.

62: FORWARD! Lawrence was wrestling to the line, but the pass from Drinkwater was forward.

63: UNFORCED ERROR PARRAMATTA EELS
David Gower makes an unforced error.
Gower tried forcing the pass and knocked on.

65: UNFORCED ERROR WESTS TIGERS
Delouise Hoeter makes an unforced error.
Some strength to almost get the line from Hoeter but he spilled it.

65: PENALTY Eels. High tackle, and an easy piggyback.

67: TRY PARRAMATTA EELS
Scored by Chris Sandow. Kick to come.
Another towering kick wasn't taken the Tigers. They watched Radradra take it again and swing it back to Sandow to cross.

69: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION PARRAMATTA EELS
Conversion attempt by Chris Sandow successful.
Chris lining up to convert his own kick, steps in and swings it in.

69: PENALTY Eels for.. something. A strip it seems, on review. He looked like he lost it.

70: PENALTY Eels! For a blocking play.

72: TRY PARRAMATTA EELS
Scored by Semi Radradra. Kick to come.
A lovely cut-out and Semi has a double! Sandow laid it on a platter.

74: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION PARRAMATTA EELS
Conversion attempt by Chris Sandow unsuccessful.
Sandow looking to put it out 14, misses.

75: Forward pass to Pauli Pauli. A chance for the Tigers maybe?

79: UNFORCED ERROR PARRAMATTA EELS
Semi Radradra makes an unforced error.
Semi lost it trying to brute force his way over.

80: Lost and that should be full-time. Eels weather a first-half storm to win.