By Adrian Proszenko
You can’t script this stuff.
Playing against his former club, in a golden-point game, in which his coach could have been in the other coach’s box, after Clint Gutherson scored tries against Parramatta, Zac Lomax proved the difference.
Lomax’s first trick was nailing a 43-metre penalty goal to level the scores and send a game the Eels seemed destined to lose to extra time.
And then he did it again, this time from a field goal that split the posts and then the teams. On both occasions, the Steeden didn’t look like missing its intended target.
“I just had to get the job done,” said Lomax, who was close to tears at full-time.
“The worst thing is, you go for a field goal and miss and it’s a 20-metre restart. I had to get it done and thank God we did, we were due for a win.”
The Eels celebrate Zac Lomax’s match-winning field goal.Credit: Getty Images
Ryles’ short career as a head coach has already been filled with drama, so this was an appropriate manner to win his first game. With his side down by 12 points, it looked like the search for that first, elusive win would continue for another week.
Particularly when Gutherson carved through a Parramatta defence that he had held together for so long to score, on two separate occasions. Thankfully, he didn’t bring out the ‘Guther-ino’.
Like Christian Tuipulotu, who showed remarkable restraint after crossing for a try of his own, Gutherson didn’t want to rub it in the faces of Eels fans.
Upon touching the ball for the first time, both Gutherson and Lomax were met with a chorus of boos around CommBank Stadium. Both gave a crowd of 19,302 plenty of reasons to cheer as well.
Clint Gutherson scores for the Dragons.Credit: Getty Images
For long periods, it appeared Gutherson would prove the difference. However, the man replacing him in the blue-and-gold No.1 jersey, Isaiah Iongi, also had his moments. The former Panther set up his side’s first try, with a jink and a cut-out pass. And then he scored the second, a solo effort showcasing his speed and evasion.
It seemed appropriate, when scores were level, that when Gutherson hit open space, it was Iongi who came up with the try-saver.
It may come to pass that all parties may ultimately benefit from Parramatta’s decision to let Gutherson go.
“Honestly, it’s relief,” Ryles said of his emotions after his first win with the clipboard.
“I see how hard the players have worked, what they have put into it … To see them finally get what they deserved, it was relieving more than exciting.”
Lomax’s levelling penalty goal cancelled out a contentious penalty goal that referee Gerard Sutton handed the Dragons for a non-contestable dropout. This match had it all.
There was even a return to form for Dylan Brown. The decision to run first paid off, resulting in his best game since committing to Newcastle.
A week after upsetting the premiership favourites, the Red V lost to the wooden spoon fancies.
“I don’t think it was a big step back, but we didn’t move forward, I know that much,” Dragons coach Shane Flanagan said.
“There was a lot of effort there, we just didn’t execute properly at important times …
“We led by 12, same as we did against South Sydney, and couldn’t nail it.”
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