NRL: Eels march into decider

Jarryd Hayne of the Eels is tackled during the first preliminary final match between the Bulldogs and the Parramatta Eels. Photo / Getty Images

SYDNEY - Cinderella got her ticket to the ball as Parramatta booked a grand final berth with a 22-12 preliminary final win over the Bulldogs on Friday night, though blue and gold celebrations were tempered by a likely judiciary charge hanging over talismanic fullback Jarryd Hayne.

Hayne and hooker Matt Keating put their grand final appearances in jeopardy after both were put on report in the four tries to two win, both now left to ponder their fate ahead of the findings of the match review committee.

The Eels only secured victory in front of a finals record crowd of 74,549 when five-eighth Daniel Mortimer - who had been in doubt right up until kick-off - finished off a brilliant movement nine minutes from time, to send the blue and gold army into raptures.

Hayne was put on report for collecting Bryson Goodwin with a knee to the head as the Bulldogs winger scored the opening try after four minutes, the prolific flyer the beneficiary of a brilliant bounce from a perfect Hazem El Masri grubber.

El Masri missed out on the possible eight-point try with his failed conversion from out wide, but he made no mistake from the follow-up from in front of the posts.

Goodwin shrugged off the effects of the head knock, which was more than could be said for teammate Luke Patten who failed to see out the second minute of the match when he fell victim to an accidental knee from Eels skipper Nathan Cayless.

But having dished out the punishment, Cayless soon joined Patten in making the slow walk up the tunnel as he hobbled off with a hamstring injury.

And the game was yet to reach its tenth minute.

The Eels regrouped after the loss of their skipper, with front row partner Fuifui Moimoi - who was hammered in his first two carries in the opening set of the match - leading the charge.

Even the calls started going Parramatta's way, with a dubious Hayne 40-20 and a crucial scrum feed going in their favour, but still they could find no way through the Bulldogs wall.

Something had to give, and as has been so often the case during Parramatta's stunning late season charge, Hayne did the giving as he swivelled through three defenders to lay it on a platter for Joe Galuvao and a 6-all scoreline just before the half hour.

Hayne appeared to be taken out as he chipped ahead on the halfway line, and all the momentum was going the Eels' way until Yileen Gordon streaked away down the right flank to give the Bulldogs some life.

A Ben Roberts grubber secured a repeat set of six but his second kick was even more profitable with Josh Morris touching down after Hayne had been cleaned bowled by a horrid bounce.

Keating found himself in trouble after wrenching the arm of Ben Hannant just out from the break, and the Bulldogs were again in pain after halftime when the Eels struck twice in a four minute ambush to claim a lead they would never relinquish.

Luke Burt scored the first after Krisnan Inu did well to juggle a ball from Feleti Mateo, though his missed conversion from wide out meant the Eels still trailed by two.

That wasn't for long however with Tim Mannah scoring shortly after, with Hayne again the architect before Mortimer capped the win.

- AAP