Eagles defeat Dons in pre-season finale

30/01/2023

SHEFFIELD EAGLES 36

DONCASTER 24

Dan Fowler for League Express, Olympic Legacy Park, Sunday

SHEFFIELD EAGLES ended their pre-season schedule with a derby day victory over South Yorkshire rivals Doncaster.

Overall, an entertaining game for both sets of fans and any neutrals in attendance as the teams showed glimpses of what they’re capable of as preparations continue for a big campaign.

A topsy-turvy first period ended with the Eagles eight points up. A spell of 12 minutes and three tries turned the tide in the hosts’ favour, but they did open the scoring in the early going courtesy of Vila Halafihi.

Doncaster’s riposte was clinical as Brad Hey and Sam Smeaton finished fine moves that were very easy on the eye.

But with the introduction of Lewis Peachey, Blake Broadbent and Titus Gwaze from the bench - the momentum seemed to shift as quick as the play-the-balls they were getting away.

Broadbent was on the scoresheet and soon followed by Matty Chrimes and Bayley Liu.

Chrimes’ effort had a touch of fortune considering it came just moments after Elliot Hall broke through the Eagles’ defence but could only find the Sheffield winger in support.

A few tackles later and Chrimes was the ultimate beneficiary by touching down from dummy-half.

Sheffield upped the ante in the opening stages of the second period, ultimately stretching their lead to four scores with a Jason Bass double and Bayley Liu single.

Doncaster kept plugging away and got their reward with scores in the final quarter from Jack Sanderson and Ben Johnston.

The Dons arrived in Sheffield with a 19-man squad, seven of those were ex-Eagles including the Grand Final winning Misi Taulapapa and Wembley star Brad Knowles.

As for the Eagles, it was another chance for Mark Aston to narrow down his selection for next weekend’s league opener against Halifax.

The return of Halafihi will be key and the hooker was first on the scoreboard after six minutes. Cory Aston couldn’t convert.

Richard Horne’s side were keen to use the wide Olympic Legacy Park pitch to their advantage and they did cause some issues to the Eagles.

Consecutive tries from Hey and Smeaton were both down to expansive play and hard running. Connor Robinson converted both.

Sheffield fought back and led at the interval, Broadbent powered over from close range before Chrimes’ dummy-half effort put the Eagles ahead once more.

Liu, arguably the Eagles’ Player of the Match, muscled his way to a four-pointer before the break as Aston’s men looked to take control of proceedings.

The second half couldn’t have started in better fashion for the Eagles as they got the ball back from kickoff and subsequently scored with Bass getting his first of two.

Liu and Bass again completed their braces before Doncaster came back with two more bites of the cherry, which would have pleased coach Horne.

Johnston ducked under a challenge to notch for the League 1 club before the scoring was rounded off by Sanderson’s brilliant effort.

Evan Hodgson was sin-binned with two minutes remaining for a dust-up in the middle of the field in what was the final action of note.

MATCHFACTS

EAGLES

  2 Ben Jones-Bishop

22 Matty Chrimes

  3 Kris Welham

  4 Ross Oakes

28 Matty Dawson-Jones

32 Cory Aston

19 Jack Hansen

  8 Brandon Douglas

  9 Vila Halafihi

10 Tyler Dickinson

15 Mikey Wood

12 Joel Farrell

13 Evan Hodgson

Subs (all used)

  5 Jason Bass

14 Titus Gwaze

16 Blake Broadbent

20 Lewis Peachey

21 Ryan Johnson

23 Bayley Liu

25 Joe Hird

26 Ben Sheils

30 Mekhi Bridgeman-Reaney

31 Donald Kudangirana

Tries: Halafihi (6), Broadbent (24), Chrimes (27), Liu (36, 50’), Bass (42, 56)

Goals: Aston 1/3, Hansen 3/4

Sinbin - Hodgson (78) - fighting

DONCASTER

  1 Elliot Hall

  2 Tom Halliday

  3 Brad Hey

  4 Jack Sanderson

  5 Travis Corion

  6 Ben Johnston

  7 Connor Robinson

  8 Keelan Foster

  9 Greg Burns

19 Jose Kenga

11 Aaron Ollett-Hobson

12 Sam Smeaton

14 Brad Knowles

Subs (all used)

13 Loui McConnell

15 Ross Whitmore

16 Alex Holdstock

17 Dean Roberts

18 Misi Taulapapa

20 Dave Petersen

Tries: Hey (10), Smeaton (21), Johnston (68), Sanderson (73)

Goals: Robinson 3/3

GAMEBREAKER: Jason Bass’s second try on 56 minutes put too much daylight between the teams.

GAMESTAR: Bayley Liu was a menace to the Dons’ defence and has certainly put his name in the hat for a place in the Eagles pack against Halifax.

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match

Eagles: Bayley Liu Doncaster: Sam Smeaton

Penalty count: 3-4

Half-time: 20-12

Referee: Aaryn Belafonte

Attendance: 721

SCORING SEQUENCE: 4-0, 4-6. 4-12, 10-12, 14-12, 20-12; 24-12, 30-12, 36-12, 36-18, 36-24