Round 4, 2021: Parramatta 36 Wests Tigers 22

NRL.com

Wests Tigers v Eels: Perfect derby lead-up; Matterson, Cartwright named

Wests Tigers gave themselves a timely boost with their surprise win over Newcastle ahead of their local derby against the undefeated Eels in KFC Monday Football.

Newcastle had form and emotion on their side on Sunday but the under-pressure Tigers spoiled halfback Mitchell Pearce's party with a 24-20 win.

Rookie fullback Daine Laurie starred once again while fellow young gun Stefano Utoikamanu scored the first try of his career in the upset victory.

They will need all the confidence they can muster when they confront a Parramatta side that has swept all before it in 2021 and is sitting pretty in second place on points difference behind the Panthers.

The rundown
Team news
Wests Tigers: Coach Michael Maguire has named an unchanged squad for the local derby after a morale-boosting weekend saw the team not only pick up two points but also avoid the injury carnage that battered so many sides.

The club's only absentees, Shawn Blore (wrist) and Billy Walters (knee), are both at least two weeks away from a return to action.

Eels: Ryan Matterson (concussion) returns after a precautionary week off with Isaiah Papali'i moving back to the interchange and Keegan Hipgrave relegated to the reserves.

Halfback Mitchell Moses (head knock) is named but must pass the concussion protocols after failing a first-half HIA against Cronulla.

Back-rower Bryce Cartwright has been included among the reserves after recovering from a broken jaw suffered in a pre-season training accident.

Backs Michael Oldfield (knee) and Waqa Blake (calf) are a week or two away.

Key match-up
David Nofoaluma v Maika Sivo: Two of the NRL's best flankers go head-to-head in a mouth-watering clash of skill and power. Sivo has scored three tries in his past two outings, including a double in Parramatta's incredible win over the Storm, while Nofoaluma crossed in rounds one and three.

Sivo's Eels partner Blake Ferguson also bears mentioning after his double against Cronulla took his tally to three in three games after a difficult 2020.

Stat attack
Offload masters Parramatta (No.1 in 2020 and again so far in 2021) have also got Wests Tigers well covered when it comes to making forward progress.

They lead the NRL with 5845 run metres already in 2021, more than 300 meters ahead of the next-best Panthers, while Wests Tigers languish in 15th place on the table more than 1500 metres adrift.

NRL.com

Unbeaten Eels overcome slip-ups to topple Tigers

Parramatta have fought off a late Wests Tigers resurgence to win their third Easter Monday game in a row with a thrilling 36-22 victory at Stadium Australia.

The Eels looked in cruise control to lead by 14 midway through the second half but the home side enjoyed a weight of possession to storm home with two tries and set up a grandstand finish.

Tries to Adam Doueihi and Jacob Liddle made it a two-point ball game with seven minutes remaining until Blake Ferguson and Clint Gutherson crossed late to secure the win.

It capped an eventful day for the Eels pair, who struggled under the high ball with Doueihi peppering them with torpedo kicks all afternoon before guiding the blue and gold home.

The Eels skipped to a 16-0 lead early with tries to big men Marata Niukore and Isaiah Papali'i breaking the spirit of the pro-Tigers crowd of 29,056 at Stadium Australia early.

Some dazzling footwork before a deft kick from Mitchell Moses set up Niukore on the right edge, before Papali'i took advantage of a two-man overlap to barge his way over the line.

A double to Tom Opacic before halftime put the visitors further in front until Wests Tigers young gun Daine Laurie crossed for the first try of his NRL career to narrow the lead.

Ferguson was having an afternoon to forget with three errors – one of which led to Stefano Utoikamanu crossing the line for a consecutive week.

Doueihi's boot was proving hard to handle for the Eels with Gutherson the next to spill a floating high ball courtesy of the Tigers playmaker.

Ferguson hit back later in the second half with a try of his own to extend Parramatta's lead to 24-10 as Gutherson clicked into gear to set up his winger on the right side.

A 40/20 to Reed Mahoney continued the visitors' momentum midway through the second half but the Eels began to fall away with their completion rates, which won't impress Brad Arthur despite the result.

Doueihi gave the Wests Tigers a chance with 15 minutes to play with a weaving effort near the line after Gutherson was penalised for an obstruction against the run of play in the set earlier.

The grandstand finish was complete when a hard-running Luciano Leilua sent Brooks into space with a late offload and the Wests Tigers halfback finding Jacob Liddle in support.

However, Leilua went from hero to villain after points with a simple error relieving the pressure – the Tigers left to rue another defeat on the Easter long weekend.