Finally. Parramatta's season from hell is over. And they finished in style, thumping the New Zealand Warriors 40-18.
A hat-trick to rookie fullback Bevan French showed Eels fans they have reason to hope going into the 2017 season as their side played with heart, pace and skill on a wet Auckland afternoon.
More Videos
- Video duration
- 01:30
Mitchell shines in Roosters victory
Mitchell shines in Roosters victory
Latrell Mitchell scored a hat-trick as the Sydney Roosters ran out to a comfortable 32-18 win over the Gold Coast Titans.
Up Next
Trump alleges wiretapping by Obama
- Video duration
- 00:50
- Video duration
- 00:50
Trump alleges wiretapping by Obama
Trump alleges wiretapping by Obama
Donald Trump accuses Barack Obama of wiretapping him during the late stages of the presidential election campaign, but offered no evidence to support the allegation.
Up Next
NSW's first virtual selective high school
- Video duration
- 01:09
- Video duration
- 01:09
NSW's first virtual selective high school
NSW's first virtual selective high school
Established just two years ago, Aurora College already has more than 200 students that log-in to Aurora's online conferencing system each day for lessons. Vision: Aurora College.
Up Next
Lyon spins India another web
- Video duration
- 01:29
- Video duration
- 01:29
Lyon spins India another web
Lyon spins India another web
Australia skittled India for 189 with Nathan Lyon claiming eight wickets, the visitors finished day one at 0/40, trailing by 149.
Up Next
United almost out after Wanderers draw
- Video duration
- 01:11
- Video duration
- 01:11
United almost out after Wanderers draw
United almost out after Wanderers draw
Adelaide's title defence is all but over, while Western Sydney are yet to claim a win at Spotless Stadium after a 0-0 draw.
Up Next
Adele Brisbane arrivals: time lapse
- Video duration
- 01:23
- Video duration
- 01:23
Adele Brisbane arrivals: time lapse
Adele Brisbane arrivals: time lapse
A bird's eye view of 60,000 people pouring into the Gabba to watch Adele perform on Saturday night.
Up Next
Sharks beat wasteful Brumbies
- Video duration
- 01:29
- Video duration
- 01:29
Sharks beat wasteful Brumbies
Sharks beat wasteful Brumbies
The Brumbies will be kicking themselves after letting in a try after the siren to surrender the match.
French show floors Warriors in Auckland
The Eels finish 2016 with a strong performance on the road as three Bevan French tries help Parramatta thrash the Warriors 40-18 in Auckland.
French wasn't the only Eel to bag multiple tries, hooker Isaac de Gois also got in on the act, scoring a double of his own.
Semi Radradra, Michael Jennings and French were simply too much for the Warriors to contain. They broke the defensive line almost at will as the Warriors compounded their problems with 15 errors to Parramatta's seven.
Related Content
But it didn't look like this would be the result early on.
The Warriors started hot and were out to a 12-0 lead after just seven minutes thanks to tries to Manu Vatuvei and Simon Mannering.
An Eels knock-on in a dangerous position gave departing Warriors five-eighth Thomas Leuluai the opportunity to slip a grubber into the corner, with which Vatuvei made no mistake.
The home side then extended its lead when stalwart Mannering got on the end of an Issac Luke inside ball to crash over near the posts.
The Warriors were also dominating ball possession. Then they lapsed and handling errors, a hallmark of their unsuccessful finals tilt, ushered the Eels back into the contest.
Makeshift fullback Tuimoala Lolohea knocked on in front of his tryline in the 17th minute, letting de Gois in to score before the Eels hooker grabbed a farcical second.
Luke dropped the ball attempting to collect his own 20th minute scrum feed, handing de Gois four points on a plate.
Parramatta then took the lead in the 28th minute when Radradra eased into the corner, before Mannering claimed the lead back for the Warriors after running into a defensive hole.
Eels fullback French capitalised on a Radradra gallop to reclaim the lead once again in a half that ended 22-18.
The second stanza started poorly for the Warriors, with French crossing for two simple tries.
The rookie fullback strolled through a hole from dummy-half for his second, before grabbing his third when centre David Fusitu'a spilled a potential intercept in the 46th minute.
A late disallowed try to rookie Nathaniel Roache, followed by a Michael Jennings try for the Eels made the damp afternoon truly miserable for the Warriors, who failed to make the finals for a fifth consecutive year.