The Eels have kept their finals hopes alive with an edge-of-the-seat 18-16 victory over the Raiders in Canberra, which sees them draw even with the fourth-placed Knights on 10 competition points with a week to go in the regular season.
Facing what was effectively a must-win game at GIO Stadium given Newcastle's significant points differential advantage over them, Parramatta got the job done despite a sloppy second-half showing in which they allowed their opponents back into the game after leading 12-0 at half-time.
They'll now rely on the Knights not beating the Cowboys in Round 9, while they'll need to beat, or potentially just draw with, the ladder leading Roosters as well.
It was a pair of booming 40/30 kicks from halfback Rachael Pearson that were ultimately the difference between the two teams, with each kick leading directly to a try on the next set and completely changing momentum of the contest.
Skipper Mahalia Murphy took full advantage of the first one to drag several defenders over the line and score, before Rory Owen crossed seconds after Pearson's next one with five to play.
Pearson nails a massive 40/30
While the Raiders defended their line admirably over the 20 minutes which followed Murphy's opener, eventually the pressure of having just 40 percent of the ball, compounded by giving away four unanswered penalties, told and Tyla Amiatu crashed over.
While the Green Machine fought back to create a couple of chances, they went to the sheds trailing by 12, which given the way the contest had gone could almost be seen as a positive.
The Raiders executed this with style
The script flipped in the second half though, as the Eels came up with a glut of errors and completed just one set through the next 20 minutes.
If not for some spectacular goal-line defence they would have likely found themselves behind on the scoreboard, but as it was the hosts wrestled their way back into the contest.
The Eels save another one and what about the comms
Prolific winger Madison Bartlett was first, scoring her eighth try in as many games, although with the kick Zahara Temara off target the gap remained two scores.
But captain Simaima Taufa's effort under the sticks with 12 to play set up a thrilling finish, as the Green Machine continued to grow in confidence and assert themselves on the contest.
Enter Pearson and her booming right boot again, with a second 40/30 earning a repeat set which was quickly followed by Owen scoring in the corner.
Rory Owen Try
Pearson pushed the ensuing conversion wide to leave the contest open, but made no mistake minutes later when presented with a penalty in front of the sticks to make the lead eight.
They needed it too after Shakiah Tungai crossed with seconds left, only for the Raiders to opt against declining a conversion attempt, meaning the clock kept running and the game ended without them getting a final chance to score a winner.
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Match Snapshot
- The victory keeps Parramatta in contention for a finals spot with one game to go in the regular season, after they finished dead last in 2023,
- The Raiders have now lost six consecutive games at GIO Stadium.
- Halfback Rachael Pearson was immense for the Eels, booting two 40/30 kicks and managing the game well in general play.
- Raiders winger Madison Bartlett's second half try means she now has scored eight in as many games this year.
Madison Bartlett Try
- The Raiders came up with 12 offloads to Parramatta's one.
- Captain Simaima Taufa made a huge impact for Canberra in her return, topping both the metre count and tackle count for the match.
Play of the Game
The kick that changed the game. With her side struggling big time against a Raiders side who had all the momentum, Rachael Pearson kicked her second 40/30 of the day and Parramatta scored on the very next set.
Another superb 40/30 by Pearson
What They Said
Eels: Round 8
Raiders: Round 8