The Sydney Roosters have survived a Parramatta comeback to defeat the Eels 28-18 at Western Sydney Stadium.
The Roosters were in cruise control with a 16-0 lead, before a sin-bin to prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves for a high tackle turned the game on its head.
Parramatta scored three tries in nine minutes either side of half-time to level the game, followed by a Mitchell Moses penalty goal to give the Eels an unlikely 18-16 advantage.
Sydney was able to regroup and score the final two tries of the contest to secure their eighth win of the season.
Roosters captain James Tedesco gave NSW selectors a reminder of his talent by playing a role in three of his side's tries.
But Tedesco felt Dylan Edwards would likely claim the Blues' fullback position after the star Panther was forced out of State of Origin I due to injury.
"If Dyl is fit and plays, I think he goes back in," said Tedesco, who replaced Edwards in the series opener.
"That's the way I see it. But we saw in the first game anything can happen, so we'll see."
Earlier, Melbourne extended their winning streak over the New Zealand Warriors to 16 straight matches with a 38-24 triumph.
The Warriors stormed out of the blocks for a 14-0 lead early, before a four-try blitz gave the Storm a 20-14 half-time lead.
Second half sin-bins to Warriors wingers Marcelo Montoya and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak ended any Warriors' hopes of a comeback.
In the day's opening game, West Tigers lifted themselves off the bottom of the table with an 18-10 win over the Gold Coast Titans.
Look back at how the action unfolded in our blog below.
Key events
- That is all for the blog today
- Eels rue slow start against Roosters
- Could Connor Watson be selected for NSW?
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Saturday NRL scores
By Michael Doyle
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That is all for the blog today
By Michael Doyle
Thanks Mick for an entertaining afternoon and evening of football blogging, for me the Roosters - Eels game was probably a bit tighter than the score suggests - see you tomorrow
- Mike
We will close the blog there tonight.
Some really enjoyable rugby league to report on this afternoon/evening.
Wins for the Tigers, Storm and Roosters.
ABC Sport will be back tomorrow, where all the focus will be on the NSW Blues team selected for Game II.
I hope you join me then.
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Eels rue slow start against Roosters
By Michael Doyle
Parramatta captain Clint Gutherson has joined ABC Sport after his side's 10-point loss to the Roosters.
They fought back to hold an 18-16 lead midway through the second half.
But they had to claw back from 16-0 down.
"That's not how you want to start the game … You can't give teams like that a good start … Even with that, we took the lead, still had the lead with 15 minutes to go … It's another game where we were right in it, we probably should have finished the game off better … So frustrating."
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Could Connor Watson be selected for NSW?
By Michael Doyle
Connor Watson had a brilliant game for the Roosters.
He has been terrific all year.
Could he be in contention for a NSW Origin jumper?
This is what he told ABC Sport:
"Haven't really thought about it too much ... I just wanted to get through the game — I mean it'd be a dream come true if it happens."
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Luke Keary joins ABC Sport after 'a wild one'
By Michael Doyle
Roosters five-eighth Luke Keary has described his team's 28-18 win over the Eels has an odd game.
"It was a wild one, I'm happy that we fought back there, because I don't think we touched the ball there at the start of the second half ... Leaking too many points, gotta fix that up."
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FULL-TIME: Sydney Roosters 28 def. Parramatta Eels 18
By Michael Doyle
— reporting by AAP
James Tedesco has fired one last salvo in his bid to keep his NSW State of Origin jersey, leading the Sydney Roosters to a 28-18 win over Parramatta.
Less than 24 hours before Michael Maguire is set to pick his Blues side for Origin II, Tedesco was one of the Roosters' best at a wet Western Sydney Stadium on Saturday night.
The Roosters fullback was heavily involved as his team shot out to a 16-0 lead before the Eels fought back to hold an 18-16 advantage midway through the second half.
Ultimately the Roosters did enough to claim the win, with Daniel Tupou going over in the left corner with 15 minutes to play, before Angus Crichton sealed the victory.
Mitch Moses also made a case for his own Origin return in NSW's halves, scoring a try to begin the Eels' comeback late in the first half.
Moses had plenty of involvements, but for the second week in a row couldn't get Parramatta across the line in a close finish.
He is now locked in a battle with Nicho Hynes, Cody Walker and Jarome Luai for two halves spots.
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76' TRY: Crichton scores for the Roosters
By Michael Doyle
That should be game over.
Sam Walker puts in the perfect kick into the in-goal, and Angus Crichton wins the race to the footy.
The Eels gave away a needless offside penalty which put them on the back foot and gave the Roosters attacking field position.
69' Eels survive as the Roosters tighten the screws
By Michael Doyle
The Roosters are on top and look threatening.
But they are unable to get the try which would ice the game.
Angus Crichton threw a forward pass over the sideline, trying to get the ball to a wide open Daniel Tupou.
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65' TRY: THE ROOSTERS HIT THE FRONT
By Michael Doyle
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Daniel Tupou has a double and the Chooks are back in front.
The Roosters got a repeat set of six at the Eels' line after Parramatta failed to defuse a high kick on the goal line — that was an issue for them in the first half.
Angus Crichton drew in two Eels defenders, got the offload to Tupou, who is too strong and scored.
59' Game sitting on a knife's edge
By Michael Doyle
The game has turned into a back-and-forth battle.
The Roosters no longer look stunned and they are working their way back into the contest.
Two-time premiership winner Luke Lewis says the momentum feels back with the Chooks.
"I feel like the Roosters are starting to get back on top," he tells ABC Sport.
50' PENALTY GOAL: Eels lead after penalty for dissent
By Michael Doyle
The Eels have a two-point lead after Mitchell Moses kicks a simple penalty goal.
It came after Roosters prop Lindsay Collins was penalised for dissent against the ref.
Collins was deemed to have grounded the ball dead, leading to a goal line drop point.
He got up and gave the ref a gob-full, leading to the penalty.
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46' TRY: THE EELS ARE BACK
By Michael Doyle
What a fightback from the Parramatta Eels.
They were gone leading into half-time.
But they have scored three tries in nine minutes.
Blaize Talagi has scored in the right corner, after the Eels marched their way through the middle of the Roosters' defence.
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42' TRY: Brown scores for the Eels
By Michael Doyle
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Parramatta gets a try with the Roosters still down to 12 men.
Eels' five-eighth Dylan Brown receives the ball going down the short-side, the Roosters' defence is shot, and Brown is over.
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Second half is underway between the Eels and Roosters
By Michael Doyle
We are back underway at Western Sydney Stadium.
The Eels are running to the left of your screen.
Jokes from the audience
By Michael Doyle
Does that make Waerea-Hargeaves a bin chicken?
- Mike
Well done Mike.
You have got a giggle from the ABC Sport office.
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HT: Sydney Roosters 16 leading Parramatta Eels 6
By Michael Doyle
The Roosters dominated that half of footy, but a sin-bin to Jared Waerea-Hargreaves gave the Eels a boost.
They were able to score against the 12-man Chooks, and get themselves back into this contest.
40' Parramatta on the charge but cannot get a second try
By Michael Doyle
The Eels have finished this half as the dominate side.
They enjoyed another linebreak and only desperate Roosters' defence kept the score 16-6.
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37' TRY: Parramatta are over. Mithcell Moses scores
By Michael Doyle
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Mitchell Moses is over after propReagan Campbell-Gillard made a terrific linebreak.
Rooster Luke Keary came out of the defensive line, which created the gap Campbell-Gillard ran through.
I may be biased to props (reflecting on my childhood) but I reckon Reagan looked like Greg Inglis as he sprinted downfield, then drew in the fullback and gave Moses the perfect pass on his chest.
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35' NO TRY: Parrmatta drop the ball over the line
By Michael Doyle
The Eels have come so close.
Sean Russell dived in the air, but dropped the ball after RoosterVictor Radley made a desperate try-saving tackle.
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33' SIN-BIN: Jared Waerea-Hargreaves off for a high tackle
By Michael Doyle
The Roosters are down to 12-men, after Jared Waerea-Hargreaves was sent to the bin for a high tackle.
The Eels' ball carrier did dip slightly, but I think Jared was going to hit him high anyway.
The ref explains to Jared that he never made an attempt to lower his body height, which is why he is off.
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