Parramatta have made it back-to-back home wins to start 2014, powering their way to a 32-16 win over neighbourhood rivals Penrith on Saturday night.
Two moments of brilliance from Eels talisman Jarryd Hayne and a complete kicking game from recalled halfback Chris Sandow was the backbone of a strong performance in front of a raucous home crowd of 14,448.
But Moylan didn't have to wait long to produce a try for an actual teammate, making the most of a Dean Whare flick pass down the right to find a rampaging Isaac John on the inside eight minutes later. The Penrith fullback also added the extras, to lock the game up at 6-6.
After a period of dominance with the ball, a penalty against Penrith finally gave the home side an opportunity in the 27th minute and hooker Nathan Peats – who recorded a remarkable 30 tackles in the first half – took advantage, selling a big dummy to a gullible Nigel Plum at dummy-half to regain, with another Sandow conversion, Parramatta's six-point advantage.
The local derby descended into an arm wrestle again after that, with both sides having tries taken them off them, including a potential try of the year.
Eels centre Will Hopoate was robbed of a remarkable four-pointer in the 33rd, when he found himself on the end of a passage that included more than 10 passes, only for it to be denied by the video referee who found forward Peni Terepo offside from a Jarryd Hayne bomb earlier in the play. The replays weren't needed for Isaac John's no-try two minutes later, ruled the beneficiary of a forward pass in the lead-up.
But the Panthers did manage to grab one just before half-time through second-rower Lewis Brown, who took a leaf out of Peats' playbook and bullied himself over Hopoate to touch down. Moylan, who kicked a game-winner after the full-time siren against the Bulldogs last week, couldn't nail a similar attempt at half-time.
It was Penrith who burst out of the gates upon resumption, Moylan again playing distributor in the 43rd when he put Whare through a hole on a blind side shift.
But the Eels – as they had all night – answered quickly via a powerful charge from second-rower Manu Ma'u just four minutes later. Sandow's extras re-established his side's two-point lead.
The turning point came in the 57th when, with his side holding a slender two-point lead, Eels money man Hayne came up with a bullet cut-out pass for left winger Semi Radradra, who proved just too powerful for David Simmons.
The Eels co-captain turned it on the longer the game went, becoming the third player to score from dummy-half in the game when he powered his way over his opposite number in Moylan in the 68th minute.
And for the finishing touch, Hayne created a neat two-on-one for Hopoate to set up Sio for the final try of the match.
Parramatta 32 (Tonga, Peats, Ma'u, Radradra, Hayne, Sio tries; Sandow 4 goals) defeated Penrith 16 (John, Brown, Whare tries; Moylan 2 goals). Crowd: 14,448.
Two moments of brilliance from Eels talisman Jarryd Hayne and a complete kicking game from recalled halfback Chris Sandow was the backbone of a strong performance in front of a raucous home crowd of 14,448.
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- Our worst game of 2014 so far: Cleary
- WATCH: Full match highlights
- WATCH: Tonga's runaway intercept try
- Full match stats
- Relive our live commentary
But Moylan didn't have to wait long to produce a try for an actual teammate, making the most of a Dean Whare flick pass down the right to find a rampaging Isaac John on the inside eight minutes later. The Penrith fullback also added the extras, to lock the game up at 6-6.
After a period of dominance with the ball, a penalty against Penrith finally gave the home side an opportunity in the 27th minute and hooker Nathan Peats – who recorded a remarkable 30 tackles in the first half – took advantage, selling a big dummy to a gullible Nigel Plum at dummy-half to regain, with another Sandow conversion, Parramatta's six-point advantage.
The local derby descended into an arm wrestle again after that, with both sides having tries taken them off them, including a potential try of the year.
Eels centre Will Hopoate was robbed of a remarkable four-pointer in the 33rd, when he found himself on the end of a passage that included more than 10 passes, only for it to be denied by the video referee who found forward Peni Terepo offside from a Jarryd Hayne bomb earlier in the play. The replays weren't needed for Isaac John's no-try two minutes later, ruled the beneficiary of a forward pass in the lead-up.
But the Panthers did manage to grab one just before half-time through second-rower Lewis Brown, who took a leaf out of Peats' playbook and bullied himself over Hopoate to touch down. Moylan, who kicked a game-winner after the full-time siren against the Bulldogs last week, couldn't nail a similar attempt at half-time.
It was Penrith who burst out of the gates upon resumption, Moylan again playing distributor in the 43rd when he put Whare through a hole on a blind side shift.
But the Eels – as they had all night – answered quickly via a powerful charge from second-rower Manu Ma'u just four minutes later. Sandow's extras re-established his side's two-point lead.
The turning point came in the 57th when, with his side holding a slender two-point lead, Eels money man Hayne came up with a bullet cut-out pass for left winger Semi Radradra, who proved just too powerful for David Simmons.
The Eels co-captain turned it on the longer the game went, becoming the third player to score from dummy-half in the game when he powered his way over his opposite number in Moylan in the 68th minute.
And for the finishing touch, Hayne created a neat two-on-one for Hopoate to set up Sio for the final try of the match.
Parramatta 32 (Tonga, Peats, Ma'u, Radradra, Hayne, Sio tries; Sandow 4 goals) defeated Penrith 16 (John, Brown, Whare tries; Moylan 2 goals). Crowd: 14,448.
