Tahu inspires Eels victory - NRL Premiership - Fox Sports

Parramatta celebrate Nathan Hindmarsh milestone in style with win over Souths

April 18, 2010

Parramatta have used the occasion of Nathan Hindmarsh's record-breaking 266th game to get their season back on track with a 22-8 victory over South Sydney at ANZ Stadium.

The Eels overcame a woeful first half of their own and an 8-2 deficit at the break to finally find some form in the second 40, reportedly after coach Daniel Anderson left the dressing sheds early to let the players speak among themselves.

Co-captain Hindmarsh passed Eels great Brett Kenny's record of 265 games for Parramatta.

Hindmarsh was planning to celebrate, albeit heading out for dinner to his mother Fiona's 60th birthday party with the large contingent of his family among the crowd of 25,152 .

"I love having him in the team,'' Eels coach Daniel Anderson said of Hindmarsh, who he said would be considered for the co-captaincy with Nathan Cayless again next week.

"I've coached him when he was a young kid and I am very fortunate to have him now as an old kid.

"He is the ultimate competitor.''

Centre Timana Tahu was inspirational, scoring the Eels' first try four minutes after the break and forcing the ball loose in a bone-rattling tackle on Jamie Simpson which led to the second.

A minute later a lackadaisical Rhys Wesser was beaten to a Daniel Mortimer kick by a flying Luke Burt and Parramatta hit the lead for the first time in the match at 14-8.

Mortimer sealed the deal with a 70th-minute effort which he had started with a popped pass, the conversion making it 22-8.

Burt converted all three and also booted two penalty goals in front of 25,152 fans.

A ludicrous second half sideshow of sin-binnings resulted in Eels co-captain Nathan Cayless being sent to the sidelines for repeated stripping infringements and, two minutes later, Souths centre Beau Champion copping 10 for a high shot.

The binnings followed repeated lectures from referees Ben Cummins and Gerrard Sutton that had commentators fuming.

''(It was) a bit harsh but he squared it up when he sent one of theirs for something they probably didn't need to be sent for,'' Hindmarsh said.

"It was a bit of a surprise to everyone. I think Souths were a bit surprised as well when it happened.''

Souths coach John Lang was also mystified.



"I don't even know what their bloke got sin-binned for to be perfectly honest and ours was for a high tackle,'' he said.

"I didn't think you could get sin-binned for a high tackle.''

In an error-strewn first half, the Eels managed a woeful 44 per cent completion rate but Souths' handling wasn't much better and there had been 20 mistakes by the break.

Two well-executed backline plays in the fourth and 22nd minutes resulted in tries to Souths winger Fetuli Talanoa and centre Colin Best.

The Eels got within a blade of grass twice in the final two minutes of the half but had to be content with a Burt penalty goal after the siren.

Souths went into the match minus six first grade forwards after captain Roy Asotasi and Michael Crocker were both ruled out before kick-off.