Round 14, 2018: Parramatta 20 North Queensland 14

NRL.com

Of all their heavy losses this season, Parramatta's thrashing from Newcastle last week ranks right up there among the worst, prompting coach Brad Arthur to question his team's desire and use words like "embarrassing" to describe his team's inept performance.

Making matters worse, Arthur will have to re-shuffle his line-up after key players suffered injuries in the 30-4 loss.

Parra fans had high hopes for 2018 but now they are just hoping the club avoids its 14th wooden spoon in its 72-year existence.

The Cowboys saved their 2018 campaign with last week's impressive road win over Manly, getting the job done with their weakest team (on paper) of the season.

They are still a fair way off being mentioned as a title contender but the Cows have four wins from 13 games and are the only team near the bottom of the ladder that seems capable of putting together a lengthy winning streak.

With Origin stars Gavin Cooper, Michael Morgan and Coen Hess back on deck, they should have little trouble against a side that is going nowhere fast.

Key match-up: Clint Gutherson has an important battle on his hands against future immortal Johnathan Thurston. Gutherson was one of Parramatta's best and most consistent players when they finished fourth last season but hasn't re-captured that form in 2018. JT is coming off a good performance against Manly and knows it's up to him to get his team firing.

For the Eels to win: With Mitch Moses out injured, coach Brad Arthur will have to entrust Corey Norman with the job of directing the Eels around the park, while Gutherson has to lift in the play-making department. The Eels have to find a way to play free-flowing footy to keep the Cowboys guessing in defence.

For the Cowboys to win: Can't wait to see if Jason Taumalolo's wrecking ball performance against Manly was a one-off or if he is definitely back to the form that makes his one of the most damaging players in the world. If their Origin trio returns injury-free the Cowboys will be confident of making it two straight wins for the first time this season.

Eels stat attack: The Eels have the worst attack in the NRL, averaging just 13.4 points per game and having scored just six tries in their past four games. They will be in for another rough night if they can't find a way to the tryline.

Cowboys stat attack: The Cowboys clearly enjoy the heat up in Darwin, as their defence and attack has proved to be lethal in the Northern Territory. The men from Townsville have scored 82 points and conceded just 18 in two games in Darwin.

And another thing: The Cowboys produced one of their best efforts of the season last week and did so without several key players. They have to continue to scrap for every win for the rest of the season if they want to play finals footy. Last-placed Parra didn't handle being favourites against Newcastle last week but they can rest assured they'll be back in the underdog's corner again this week.

Parramatta Eels v North Queensland Cowboys, Saturday 7pm (7.30pm AEST) at TIO Stadium, Darwin

Eels: 1 Bevan French, 2 Josh Hoffman, 3 Michael Jennings, 4 Jarryd Hayne, 5 George Jennings, 6 Clint Gutherson (c), 7 Corey Norman, 8 Daniel Alvaro, 9 Cameron King, 10 Peni Terepo, 11 Manu Ma'u, 12 Brad Takairangi, 13 Nathan Brown

Interchange: 14 Reed Mahoney, 15 Tim Mannah (c), 16 David Gower, 17 Marata Niukore

Reserves: 18 Siosaia Vave, 19 Suaia Matagi, 20 Jaeman Salmon, 21 Raymond Stone

Jarryd Hayne returns from a hip injury at centre with Brad Takairangi replacing the suspended Tepai Moeroa in the second row. Corey Norman (foot) returns at halfback for Mitch Moses (knee). Nathan Brown starts at lock, switching Peni Terepo to lock and David Gower to the bench. Tim Mannah (fractured eye socket) returns to replace Suai Matagi on the bench. Reed Mahoney has been named to make his NRL debut on the bench in place of Will Smith (hamstring).

Cowboys: 1 Michael Morgan, 2 Kyle Feldt, 3 Justin O'Neill, 4 Enari Tuala, 5 Antonio Winterstein, 6 Te Maire Martin, 7 Johnathan Thurston (c), 8 Matthew Scott (c), 9 Jake Granville, 10 Sam Hoare, 11 Gavin Cooper, 12 Coen Hess, 13 Jason Taumalolo

Interchange: 14 Shaun Fensom, 15 Kane Linnett, 16 Corey Jensen, 17 Ethan Lowe

Reserves: 18 Lachlan Coote, 19 Ben Hampton, 20 Mitchell Dunn, 21 Javid Bowen, 22 Francis Molo

Michael Morgan, Gavin Cooper and Coen Hess have all been named to back up from Origin. Matt Scott (suspension) returns at prop for Corey Jensen (bench). Last week's second row pair Shaun Fensom and Ethan Lowe drop to the bench with Ben Hampton and Mitchell Dunn to the reserves.

Head-to-head: Played 38; Eels 19 wins, Cowboys 18 wins, 1 draw
Matches at venue: Played 1, Cowboys 1 win
2017 results: Eels won 26-6 at 1300Smiles Stadium in round 9; Cowboys won 32-6 at TIO Stadium in round 14; Cowboys won 24-16 at ANZ Stadium in finals week 2
Points per game: Eels 13.4; Cowboys 16.4
Points conceded per game: Eels 22.9; Cowboys 20.1
Televised: Live on Fox League

Steve Turner's prediction: The Eels are in a hole and I don't see it getting any better this week. They have too many injuries and are a side that is extremely down on confidence. Brad Arthur needs a miracle from his men this weekend. The Cowboys were impressive last weekend thanks to Thurston and Taumalolo and once again Paul Green will be looking to both these players to inspire his side during the rep period to register another win.

Tip: Cowboys by 8

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Eels snap losing streak against Cowboys in Darwin

Jarryd Hayne has taken flight in Blue & Gold for the first time in almost four years, sparking a 20-14 win over the Cowboys and arresting Parramatta's slide toward the wooden spoons that featured all too often in his first Eels stint.

A Hayne double – his first for his junior club since round 26, 2014, some 1372 days ago – proved the difference in an error-strewn contest at Darwin's TIO Stadium.

Having last encountered North Queensland deep in the 2017 finals series, Parramatta's triumph snapped a five-game losing streak that had the pre-season finals fancies stuck on their lonesome at the bottom of the ladder, and pressure piling up on coach Brad Arthur as a result.

The Eels still remain two points adrift of their nearest rivals, which is now the Cowboys, whose fall from grace has mirrored that of their opponents.

For Hayne this was a welcome salvo in what has been a wretched homecoming to date, with tries in the 14th and 48th minutes capping a successful return from his ongoing hip injury.

For Johnathan Thurston – who shared that famed 2014 Dally M with Hayne – the frustration was palpable.

Three times the Cowboys skipper laid on tries for his teammates, only for a dubious forward pass call to deny Gavin Cooper, before Kyle Feldt and then Justin O'Neill spilling their lollies with four-pointers beckoning.

Opposing No.7 Corey Norman meanwhile came into the match still troubled by a foot injury.

His night off the boot produced an equal share of rocks and diamonds, with two kicks sailing out on the full, two more forcing drop-outs and another putting Hayne's second try on a platter.

It was Hayne who first troubled the scorers, earning a penalty 14 metres out from the line and then barging through a Cowboys defence asleep at the wheel from the resulting quick tap.

Feldt was over in the corner soon enough in response, only for Te Maire Martin's looping long ball to be controversially called forward and the try in turn called back.

Within moments though Martin was slicing through the Eels defence once more from a Lachlan Coote inside ball, only for the Kiwi playmaker's pass to again miss the mark and let the chance slip.

At the other end a Michael Jennings bobble cost him four points after winning the race to a Bevan French grubber.

After having his first attempt denied, the bunker came to Feldt's aid with his next crack in the 32nd minute.

Feldt looked to have bounced his put-down after tip-toeing down the right touchline and was referred upstairs as such, only for the video referee to find he kept his fingers on the ball, drawing North Queensland level at 4-all.

That stalemate lasted all of 80 seconds after the break. A dropped bomb by Coote gave Parramatta prime field position, and a Clint Gutherson long ball had George Jennings over in the corner on his 25th birthday.

Hayne's second for the evening – claiming Norman's cross-field kick to dot down under the posts – had the Eels on their way and out to a 14-4 lead.

With Thurston's best efforts going to waste and North Queensland's attacking woes going nowhere, another mistake under the high ball from Coote saw Michael Jennings streak away to seal it.

Two tries in the final minute to first Matt Scott and then rookie Enari Tuala shortened the end margin but did nothing in a loss needed like a hole in the head for the Cowboys, and a win just flat out needed by the Eels.

News and Notes: The crowd of 8393 is the smallest at Darwin's TIO Stadium since 2016… Parramatta's Siosaia Vave was placed on report for a cannon ball tackle on Antonio Winterstein… Kyle Feldt's mixed night at the office saw him nab a try, bomb another and have a third controversially denied among 16 runs for 221 metres… The Eels host South Sydney at ANZ Stadium next Thursday while the Cowboys back up at home on the Friday against the high-flying Warriors… Parramatta will return to Darwin in 2019 as per their agreement with the Northern Territory government, with an option to bring a home game north again in 2020.