NRL: Finchless Eels outgunned by Dragons

SYDNEY - Parramatta responded to Brett Finch's exit with plenty of aggro, but they couldn't cover for his class as St George Illawarra notched a hard fought 22-8 victory in the NRL clash at Parramatta Stadium on Friday night.

The Dragons absorbed a bruising assault from the fired-up Eels, showing greater composure and superior ball control to notch a up a three-tries-to-one win in front of 19,017 fans.

The win was only the second in eight trips to Parramatta from the joint venture.

Captain Ben Hornby scored an amazing four-pointer, which included a bone-rattling collision with a goalpost, while Neville Costigan and Wendell Sailor bagged tries and Jamie Soward booted five goals from five attempts.

Luke Burt scored a late consolation try for the Eels and booted two goals.

Up 14-2 at halftime, the Dragons had scored only two points in the second through a Soward penalty goal in the 54th minute until Sailor pounced in the final minute.

Finch's absence was everywhere to be seen for the Eels, from their turnaround in attitude from last week's insipid loss to the Sydney Roosters, to the poor execution of their attacking plays.

As expected, Eels coach Daniel Anderson reshuffled his side in the wake of his No.7 walking out.

Jeff Robson replaced Finch at halfback, Jarryd Hayne moved from five-eighth to the centres and Feleti Mateo from lock back to pivot, where he excelled last year.

Regular centre Ben Smith packed down in the second row.

The forwards ripped into each other but tensions boiled over out wide when Eels winger Eric Grothe and Dragons centre Neville Costigan stood toe-to-toe in the 14th minute and traded punches.

It took 21 minutes for any points to be scored, Soward booting a penalty goal before Burt replied in the 29th minute.

Not content with the bruising early exchanges, Hornby grabbed a Soward chip kick one-handed in the 33rd minute, rebounded off the right upright and touched down as the Dragons went out to an 8-2 lead.

Hornby's four-pointer perfectly illustrated the Dragons' new-found ability to soak up pressure under Wayne Bennett's regime and they hurt the Eels again two minutes before the break when, after two kicks and several Parramatta fumbles, Costigan crashed over.

St George Illawarra prop Michael Weyman was placed on report for a 13th-minute high shot on Fuifui Moimoi, while lock Jeremy Smith was sin-binned in 67th for a hold-down as the Eels briefly threatened to come back.

- AAP