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Post by Electric Eel on Nov 19, 2020 13:25:29 GMT 10
SATURDAY 20th May: Parramatta Eels v Canberra Raiders at ANZ Stadium, 7.50pm
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Post by Electric Eel on Nov 19, 2020 13:26:52 GMT 10
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Post by Electric Eel on Nov 19, 2020 13:27:38 GMT 10
NRL.com
Schick Hydro Preview: Parramatta Eels v Canberra Raiders
ANZ Stadium
Saturday, 7.30pm
If these two clubs have one thing in common, it’s that both want to forget everything about Round 10 as quick as possible.
The good news for one club is that a win this weekend will ease those memories… for the other club their problems are about to seem even worse.
For Brad Arthur's Eels, the best news is they don't have to play at Allianz Stadium this week, a venue where they have now lost their past six straight, the past four of those all to the Roosters by a combined 182-32. Phew.
It's not all good news though, with star half Corey Norman sidelined for a month or so with a knee strain.
That loss is partially offset by the recruitment of playmaker Mitch Moses from the Wests Tigers ahead of schedule. We say partially because Moses will have only had a couple of field sessions at his new club, and his last-start performance was nothing short of diabolical. Admittedly the protracted contract dramas may have taken their toll on his mindset so it will be interesting to see if Brad Arthur can get the best out of him and if so, how long that will take.
The return of Bevan French from injury allows Gutherson to return to the halves where he is set to partner Moses (who has been named in the reserves initially though Will Smith is set to make way).
The Raiders have been one of the real disappointments of 2017. They were arguably the most entertaining team of last season with plenty of attacking flair but it just hasn't clicked this year.
The Green Machine's vaunted right edge has gone from dangerous to borderline non-existent (both in attack and defence) over the past three games while their once-dominant pack was out-enthused by a very inexperienced Knights pack last week.
Coach Ricky Stuart has stuck solid though; the return of Josh Papalii (disciplinary suspension) pushes Luke Bateman to the bench and Dunamis Lui to the reserves in the only team change.
Why Eels can win: Parramatta are a bit of an unknown quantity this week. Moses's arrival is timely given Norman's injury and while he missed a whopping nine tackles both a) last week and b) last time he played Canberra, he'll be hoping for better protection in the defensive line this week from Tepai Moeroa and Brad Takairangi (assuming he plays) than he got from Malakai Watene-Zelezniak and Josh Aloiai last week. His combination with impressive Mr Fix-it Clint Gutherson in the halves and returning whiz-kid Bevan French at fullback will be the absolute key to the Eels making and taking opportunities here.
Why Raiders can win: We said last week that Canberra are surely too good to put in another effort like their ones against Manly and Canterbury when they travelled to Newcastle. We may have missed the mark and after another disaster against Newcastle there are real questions around how and when (and if?) the Green Machine can rediscover their mojo. They won't get a much better chance than against a team coming off a 50-point hiding with a brand new halves combination but they need to lift their own game regardless of the opposition. We reckon that starts with the best players and English Test hooker Josh Hodgson fits the bill. Hodgson tried admirably in a beaten team last week with 54 tackles and a try assist and is the best hooker in the world not named Cameron Smith. Plenty falls to the halves, Blake Austin and Aidan Sezer, to create better chances in general play but Hodgson has the class and experience to lead them out of their current rut.
The history: Eels v Raiders: Played 54; Eels 26; Raiders 28. It's a very dominant recent record for the Green Machine with eight wins in the past 10 meetings. The Raiders' recent record at ANZ isn't great (two wins from their past seven trips) but they've actually never faced the Eels at this venue.
What are the odds: Another tight betting game according to Sportsbet punters with Canberra just shading Parramatta as far as support is concerned. Both sides have been backed to win 1-12 so it shapes as a tight game according to the betting market. Latest odds at sportsbet.com.au
Match officials: Referee: Ben Cummins. Assistant Referee: Chris Sutton. Touch judges: Chris Butler and Belinda Sleeman. Review Official: Bryan Norrie. Senior RO: Bernard Sutton.
Televised: Fox Sports – Live from 7.30pm.
NRL.com predicts: It's pretty tough to tip either side based on what they showed in Round 10. Eels losing their chief playmaker won't help (though the return of French and recruitment of Moses dulls the impact somewhat). This is a coin toss but we'll take Parramatta by four.
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Post by Electric Eel on Nov 19, 2020 13:27:57 GMT 10
Halftime: Parramatta Eels 10 Canberra Raiders 10
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Post by Electric Eel on Nov 19, 2020 13:28:12 GMT 10
Fulltime: Canberra Raiders 22 Parramatta Eels 16
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Post by Electric Eel on Nov 19, 2020 13:28:41 GMT 10
NRL.com
A mixed bag from club debutant Mitch Moses had some bright spots but it wasn't enough for the Eels in a tough 22-16 loss to Canberra at ANZ Stadium on Saturday night.
Injuries to lock Nathan Brown (ribs, 22nd minute) and Origin hopeful, centre Michael Jennings (quad, 67th minute) added to coach Brad Arthur's worries in a game that saw the Eels give up an early 10-0 deficit before claiming the lead early in the second half before getting run down.
Canberra back-rower Josh Papalii was licking his lips at the prospect of again lining up against Moses, who missed nine tackles in Round 3 as Papalii ran amok in a huge win over Wests Tigers.
Papalii was close to best on ground with 171 metres, three offloads, three tackle busts and 30 tackles in his return from a disciplinary suspension.
For his part Moses launched plenty of long probing kicks to the corners and forced a couple of repeat sets with grubbers but also gave away too many seven-tackle sets – a sin compounded by halves partner Clint Gutherson doing the same far too regularly.
Despite scoring three unanswered tries between the 34thh and 48th minute, Canberra were simply too strong at the start and end of the game for the undermanned Eels.
The early signs were poor for Parramatta as a regulation overlap helped boom rookie Nick Cotric step past Josh Hoffman to score in the left corner in just the fourth minute. The Raiders edged the midfield battle on the back of a Josh Hodgson masterclass and when the hooker's classy set-up put Joey Leilua over in the 20th minute the Eels were in trouble.
It got worse when lock Nathan Brown (ribs) was taken from the field shortly after but the blue and golds stuck to their task.
A miracle try six minutes from half time started and finished by back-rower Manu Ma'u got the Eels on the board before some amazing evasion from Semi Radradra right on the break put Michael Jennings over with Clint Gutherson's sideline conversion tying the scores at 10-apiece.
A pair of Jack Wighton errors piled the pressure on Canberra early in the second half and while they withstood a couple of raids the pressure eventually told when Kaysa Prichard's flat pass allowed Siosaia Vave to burst over the line.
A last-play penalty against the Eels shortly after piggy-backed Canberra into attacking range and they drew level through some wonderful work from 200-gamer, captain Jarrod Croker, who beat half the Eels team and offloaded for Blake Austin to score.
A spilled bomb from Radradra looked to have ended in a 68th minute Raiders try but the score was withdrawn when Hodgson was found to have influenced the play from an offside position.
A breakaway Michael Jennings grubbered ahead for French to almost score but the fullback couldn't ground the ball cleanly and worse still, Jennings was injured in the play and had to be taken from the field with what looked like a quadriceps injury.
A Raiders right-side shift was the match-winning play for the Green Machine seven minutes from time when Wighton's cut-out found Radradra out of position and despite a late scare when Suaia Matagi got into space close to the Raiders line, the Canberra defence held firm to cling on for a 22-16 victory.
Canberra Raiders 22 (Cotric, Leilua, Austin, Rapana tries; Croker 3 goals) defeated Parramatta Eels 16 (Ma'u, Jennings, Vave tries; Gutherson 2 goals) at ANZ Stadium. Halftime: 10-all. Crowd: 10,074.
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Post by Electric Eel on Nov 19, 2020 13:29:35 GMT 10
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Post by Electric Eel on Nov 19, 2020 13:30:12 GMT 10
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Post by Electric Eel on Nov 19, 2020 13:30:55 GMT 10
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Post by Electric Eel on Nov 19, 2020 13:31:29 GMT 10
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Post by Electric Eel on Nov 19, 2020 13:32:09 GMT 10
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Post by Electric Eel on Nov 19, 2020 13:32:47 GMT 10
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Post by Electric Eel on Nov 19, 2020 13:33:23 GMT 10
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Post by Electric Eel on Nov 19, 2020 13:33:56 GMT 10
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Post by Electric Eel on Nov 19, 2020 13:34:39 GMT 10
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