Round 7, 2020: Parramatta 25 Canberra 24

NRL.com

Eels v Raiders: Brown suspended; Raiders unchanged

Two teams regarded as serious title contenders this year go head to head with the Eels and Raiders each coming off a tough loss in round six.

Despite sitting in fifth with four wins and two losses, the Raiders are ranked ninth for attack and has admitted their game plan needs a tweak after failing to score a try in the final 20 minutes in their three games since beating the Storm in round three.

Parramatta lost no admirers in a valiant three-tries-to-two loss to heavyweights the Roosters but still need to learn how to beat the best teams.

The rundown
Team news
Eels: Nathan Brown was named at lock on Tuesday before receiving a two-match suspension at the judiciary on Tuesday night. As he did when Brown was last banned, Marata Niukore is likely to replace him in the starting side.

Daniel Alvaro or David Gower are then likely to take an interchange spot. Brad Takairangi replaces Peni Terepo on the Parramatta bench. Kane Evans was set to return from suspension but has suffered a calf injury. Parramatta have won five of their past six games at Bankwest Stadium.

Raiders: Canberra are unchanged despite a last-start loss to an injury-hit Manly side. Coach Ricky Stuart remains in search of his 200th coaching victory in the NRL.

Key match-up
Ryan Matterson v Elliott Whitehead. The two hard-working back-rowers could each make a claim to being their team's best player in last week's losses. Matterson has added plenty to the Eels in both attack and defence since returning to his junior club, racking up 52 tackles and 146 metres last week with six busts and three offloads.

Whitehead scored his side's only try to go with his 44 tackles and 102 metres. As the respective right edge and left edge forwards for their teams, the pair will be facing off directly in this one.

NRL.com

Moses injured as Eels beat Raiders in golden thriller

Parramatta have overcome the loss of Mitchell Moses to hang on and beat the Raiders 25-24 in a golden point thriller at Bankwest Stadium.

Clint Gutherson proved the hero for the blue and gold, sinking an 87th-minute field goal after the Raiders were ruled to have knocked on in the lead-up on an emotionally-charged night.

A double to Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad levelled the scores at 24-24 and sent the game into extra time after the Eels had led by 12 with five minutes remaining in regular time.

Parramatta were forced to play without Moses from the 34th minute after he hobbled from the field with a suspected calf injury.

Moses immediately had ice the back of his lower left leg with scans to confirm the severity of the injury in the coming days.

The loss of Moses came just minutes after an emotionally charged incident that involved Raiders forward Corey Horsburgh, who left the field in distress with a knee complaint.

Horsburgh's departure left him in tears as he reacted to a barrage of boos from the crowd by raising a finger in return after initially reacting to the tackle on-field by trading barbs with Eels back-rower Ryan Matterson.

It was one of several contentious incidents to come out of the match with Raiders skipper Josh Hodgson on report for an effort in a tackle on Blake Ferguson, while Jordan Rapana may come under scrutiny from the match review committee for a shot on Maika Sivo.

The frustrations from both sides was evident from the start with three disallowed tries to the Eels shortly followed with a dubious Raiders pass in the lead-up to a try to Elliott Whitehead.

Whitehead's effort allowed the visitors to skip to a 12-6 lead after both sides traded tries in the opening quarter.

In-form Eels forward Matterson took just four minutes to cross the line when he was put through a gaping hole by Gutherson.

The Raiders struck back in similar vein through Josh Papalii before Whitehead's try extended the lead.

Canberra's six-point advantage barely lasted into the second half, however, with a penalty goal enabling Parramatta to bridge the gap to four before Reed Mahoney sent Ray Stone over from close range.

The Eels stormed home with a further two tries as their most experienced men –Gutherson and Michael Jennings – stood up in Moses' absence to play a steady hand.

A try to Jennings continued the flow of momentum before Gutherson delivered a cut-out pass for Sivo to cross in the corner.

Canberra set up a grandstand finish when George Williams placed a well-timed kick for Nicoll-Klokstad, before the Raiders went 100 metres in the ensuing send the game into a thriller.

Missed field goal attempts from Gutherson, Williams and Jack Wighton added to the drama-filled finishe, before the Eels fullback stood up with the clutch play late.