The Dragons took down the Eels 24-18 in their Week 1 finals clash at Jubilee Stadium on Saturday night.
The win sees the Red V march through to the second week of the postseason and set up a first-versus-second clash against the Warriors.
It was largely the work of Jonah Glover which spurred the Dragons to a key postseason win with the Dragons five-eighth notching a second half double.
Willie Talau’s squad consisted of eight Jersey Flegg eligible players, but the side’s inexperience mattered little with the Red V holding on for a nice win on home soil.
Parramatta opened the scoring through Joey Lussick who burrowed his way over out of dummy-half under the sticks to make it 6-0 just seven minutes in.
Araz Nanva went through a gap for the Eels again soon after, but play was pulled up with officials ruling a forward pass in the lead-up.
Nick Tsougranis made his presence felt upon his return to the field pouring through a hole from inside his own half before handing it off to a supporting Nathan Lawson.
Lawson went to ground as he took the ball in however and left the field in the aftermath with an apparent leg issue.
Haele Finau came onto the field as a result of Lawson’s departure lining up on the right wing – an unfamiliar position for the utility.
The Dragons managed a response 25 minutes in with Jonah Glover sending Raymond Faitala-Mariner through on a nice, angled run down the right-hand corridor.
Glover knocked over the extras from a short distance inside the right touchline to tie proceedings at six-apiece.
The Eels threatened to hit back prior to the break down the right flank only for a desperate Tyler Peckham-Harris cover effort to put an end to the raid.
Glover put the Dragons ahead just shy of the break knocking over a gift penalty goal from in front to make it an 8-6 Red V advantage.
Parramatta added a penalty goal of their own off the back of a high tackle ruling as the half-time siren sounded to lock things up heading into the intermission.
The first points of the second forty belonged to the Red V with Glover cutting off the right foot to slam the ball down before converting his own try to push the side’s edge out to 14-8.
The Dragons surged further ahead moments later with Cody Ramsey sweeping around off a right-side shift and putting Tsougranis through a hole to score and make it a double-digit difference.
Glover went within inches of a second as the clash approached the hour-mark after forcing an error of a Lachlan Ilias kick but was ruled to have knocked the ball on.
He secured his try double moments later however slicing into space down the right-hand corridor and burning the cover to dive over and make it 24-8.
Parramatta found a needed four-pointer entering the final 10 minutes with Samuel Loizou the beneficiary of a spilt Ronald Volkman bomb to cut the deficit back to 10 for the visitors.
An ill-timed Dragons yardage error handed the Eels another opportunity and they took full advantage off the scrum win with Volkman sending halves partner Lorenzo Talataina over off a neat inside ball.
Te Hurinui Twidle’s conversion attempt was waved away however as the scoreline remained 24-18 the way of the Dragons.
Connor Muhleisen came up with a key effort play as time ticked away taking advantage of a piece of Parramatta absentmindedness to dive on a loose ball which sat unattended at dummy-half.
The Dragons found a way to hold Parramatta out and advance to a huge Week 2 clash against the minor premier Warriors.