Date: Thursday 14^th of April

Venue: Brookvale Oval

Gates Open: 5:15pm

Kick off: 7:50pm (NYC U20s 5:30pm)

Head Referee: Ben Cummins

Assistant Referee: Adam Devcich

Head to head: Played 134, Sea Eagles 82, Eels 48, drawn 4

Head to head odds: Eels ($ 1.80), Sea Eagles ($ 2.05)

Broadcast: Live and televised 7:30pm, Channel 9.

 

Last four encounters:

 

1. Eels 20, Sea Eagles 16 at Brookvale Oval (2015)
2. Eels 42, Sea Eagles 12 at Pirtek Stadium (2015)
3. Eels 22, Sea Eagles 12 at Pirtek Stadium (2014)
4. Sea Eagles 22, Eels 18 at Brookvale Oval (2014)

 

Preview:

This week’s round seven encounter will feature a battle between fierce rivals as the 10^th placed Manly Warringah Sea Eagles square off against the 3^rd placed Parramatta Eels. Both teams enter this match off the back of wins. The Eels strong showing against the Canberra Raiders saw the blue and golds run out 36 points to 6 winners whilst the Sea Eagles defeated competition dark horses, the New Zealand Warriors, 34 points to 18.

The Eels and Sea Eagles have a very rich history spiced up by the fact that they simply don’t get along. The rivalry began well over 30 years ago and has continued up until today where the fires of bitterness between the two clubs still burn. Just this season the Eels poached star players Kieran Foran and Clinton Gutherson from the Sea Eagles whereas Manly were able to nab Darcy Lussick in return. With no love lost between these two teams, I encourage and expect the fans to flock to Brookvale Oval this Thursday.

 

Value Bet:

My value bet for this one is for an Eels victory by a margin of 1 to 12 points at $3.10. As for the first try favourites, the Sea Eagles have Tom Trbojevic at $10 and Brett Stewart at $11 whilst the Eels have Semi Radradra at $6 and Clinton Gutherson out at $11.

 

Interesting fact: This week Eels centre Michael Jennings will play his 200^th NRL game.

  

It will be a big week for: Kieran Foran

This match marks the first time that Kieran Foran will square off against his former club, and with the venue being Brookvale Oval, a place he called home for many years, it’s a challenging scenario for the talented half. It’s not an ideal outcome to lose a high caliber player to a rival NRL club, but for any Sea Eagles fan, losing this player to the Eels would make you furious.

For the Sea Eagles it was never going to be easy to fill the boots of someone like Foran. After last week’s game, the Eels marquee signing seems to have really clicked into gear. Next to his partner in crime, Corey Norman, Foran was amongst the very best players on the field against the Raiders. He had a hand in a number of tries and scored a remarkable one himself. His solo try set the fans alight as he spilt the Raiders defensive line with a great step, then beat Raiders fullback Jack Wighton with what could be an early contender for sidestep of the season. That move drew comparisons with Brad Fitler, possibly one of the best running five eighths in NRL history.

Foran is starting to well and truly find his feet running around in what has become the infamous Eels number seven jersey – a jersey not many of late have been able to feel or look at ease in. Thursday will well and truly be a big day for Foran and I’m sure he’d love nothing more than to walk onto Brookvale a former player and come off a winner.

 

 

Danger man: Martin Taupau

This week’s danger man is the Sea Eagles recently recruited powerhouse back rower Martin Taupau. Seen by many last year as a Tigers mainstay, he was sensationally cut loose by the club but quickly found himself a new home at Manly. Taupau has rapidly created a fierce reputation for himself, and is regarded as one of the toughest men in the game, one of the hardest hitters in the game and also one of the hardest ball runners in the game.

Whilst Taupau has had a pretty good season thus far, it’s safe to say his form is yet to reach the heights it was at the Wests Tigers. Still, Taupau has always been a fairly aggressive sort of player and this season has enhanced that reputation. Some say Taupau is too aggressive and may need to tone down his game a little if he wants to stay on the park. However, Taupau recently quashed suggestions that he would be toning down his aggressiveness, declaring he will be focusing his aggression and eliminating errors such as high tackles that give away crucial penalties. For Manly to secure a victory, they will need Taupau to be at his focussed best.

 

 

Manly Warringah Sea Eagles (10^th coming into the round)

 

1. Brett Stewart
2. Jorge Taufua
3. Jamie Lyon
4. Steve Matai
5. Tom Trbojevic
6. Dylan Walker
7. Apisai Koroisau
8. Darcy Lussick
9. Matt Parcell
10. Nate Myles
11. Tom Symonds
12. Martin Taupau
13. Jake Trbojevic

 

14. Lewis Brown
15. Brenton Lawrence
16. Josh Starling
17. Siosaia Vave

 

Coach: Trent Barrett

 

Late mail:

Daly Cherry Evans is a very slim chance of returning from injury although it’s likely he won’t play. Without the inclusion of Cherry Evans expect the Sea Eagles to be as per program.

  

Parramatta Eels (3^rd coming into the round)

 

1. Michael Gordon
2. Semi Radradra
3. Michael Jennings
4. Brad Takairangi
5. Clint Gutherson
6. Corey Norman
7. Kieran Foran (C)
8. Junior Paulo
9. Nathan Peats
10. Daniel Alvaro
11. Manu Ma’u
12. Beau Scott
13. Tepai Moeroa

 

14. Issac De Gois
15. Peni Terepo
16. Danny Wicks
17. Kenny Edwards

 

Coach: Brad Arthur

 

Late mail: No late changes expected for the Eels. Tim Mannah is still at least another week away from his return from injury.

  

• Two key match ups:

 

Matt Parcell vs Nathan Peats:

The first key match up is a battle of the dummy halves, as the Sea Eagles livewire number nine squares off against the Eels NSW origin contender Nathan Peats.

Matt Parcell, the grandson of former Australian international Gary Parcell, only made his debut for the Broncos last season. At 23 years of age he is considered a late bloomer in terms of breaking through to the NRL. Parcell has participated in every game for the Sea Eagles so far this season and has not looked out of place in the slightest. After making his name in QLD cup as lightning fast dummy half that cut teams to pieces with his speed and ball playing ability, he seems to be now carving a similar reputation at the elite level.

Whilst Parcell seems to be a pretty well rounded dummy half it’s his speed that presents the greatest risk to opposition teams. With most forwards getting through a lot of work in an NRL game, when they tire the speedy hookers like Parcell are in a great position to take advantage of the middle ruck area. If the Eels aren’t on their game in the middle of the field, the Manly rake has the ability to make them pay.

Last week, Eels hooker Nathan Peats successfully returned from a nasty elbow injury suffered against the Cowboys in round two. Peats’ inclusion against the Raiders was very noticeable. The workaholic dummy half gives the Eels an element of class around the ruck area and organizes the Eels forwards very efficiently. Whilst Peats is an effective attacking player, his defence is outstanding. He almost always leads the Eels line in defence and is very quick off the line, meaning the Eels are able to execute a rushing defensive line game plan. This tactic has worked well for the Eels and certainly bore fruit against the Canberra Raiders last week.

Making Peats a crucial addition to the Eels line up is the fact that he can play both hooker and lock forward. This means that the Eels can run with two dummy halves on the field at once as they just rotate a centre forward off and shift Peats to lock forward. This is a luxury not all teams have but it is a very nice luxury for the Eels nonetheless.

 

 

 

 

Darcy Lussick vs Junior Paulo:

The second key match up is a battle between the front rowers, as the Sea Eagles former Eel Darcy Lussick squares off against the Eels monster prop forward Junior Paulo.

Darcy Lussick started his career at the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles in 2011 but departed to join archrivals the Parramatta Eels in 2013. Departing the Eels at the end of 2015 he then took up a deal at his former club. Darcy Lussick has created an impact in the front row this season with his size and strength, delivering many strong runs. In one memorable run, Lussick began a stock standard hit up off the kick off against the Sydney Roosters only to explode through the first line of defence and make nearly 60 metres.

Often criticised in the past for being a lacklustre ball runner, Lussick now seems to have found his untapped potential as part of the Sea Eagles front row. Nonetheless, consistency still shapes as the biggest factor for Lussick. In his time at the Eels, the big prop would deliver a quality game one week followed by an average game the next week where he would give away multiple penalties. His volatile temper on the NRL field must be kept in check for his team to succeed against the Parramatta Eels.

Eels front rower Junior Paulo currently shapes as one of the best props in the game. At only 22 years of age he is a monster of a human being, tipping the scales at 120kgs and standing 188cm tall. He has delivered many highlights for Eels fans this season in both attack and defence. As I have mentioned in the past, Paulo has an uncanny ability to grab a try when close to the try line. This ability is rare amongst most props in today’s modern game.

On top of being a devastating ball runner, Paulo is also a bone crunching defender. Last weekend against the Raiders he delivered arguably the hit of the round on the Raiders lock forward Shaun Fensom (whom to his credit shock off the hit fairly well). And if all that wasn’t enough, Paulo also has a great ball playing ability, delivering a crucial offload when the time calls for it. In today’s modern game, Paulo is your ideal front rower and for Eels fans it’s a shame he will not be in blue and gold colours next season.

 

 

 

My Tip:

My tip for this one is pretty simple. I believe the Eels will win this one by a margin of one to twelve points. My reason for tipping this outcome is based on the fact the Eels are playing noticeably better football than the Sea Eagles as evidenced by a better record in 2016. The Sea Eagles have the home ground advantage and its never easy to travel to Brookvale Oval and claim the two points. However, despite that I’m going to tip the Eels to come away with the victory, Eels 22, Sea Eagles 10.

 

Man of the match: Kieran Foran / Corey Norman

 

Enjoy the game, GO THE EELS !!!

Nathan