For the second year running our Harold Matthews squad have made an undefeated run to the Grand Final. You would be forgiven for not knowing about this rather amazing feat given we are surrounded by all the drama regarding the preliminary findings of the NRL in relation to salary cap cheating but I am here to remedy all that!

If you have followed along with the District Representative live blogs on TCT (and previously in 2015 on LU and 1EE) you might have an inkling as to how dominant the Eels have been in the Harold Matthews over the last two seasons. Coach Scott Jones has done an amazing job at nurturing and developing his young charges, instilling within them a gritty resolve and competitive edge that you usually associate with players well above this age grade. Coming into the Grand Final the Eels have the #1 ranked offence AND defence, a tremendous record by any reckoning and once again a reflection on the efforts on Scott Jones as well as a nod to the re-invigorated scouting program of the Eels.

Tomorrow’s showpiece event will also feature the Newcastle Knights, who along with our Eels and the Cronulla Sharks were part of a breakaway group at the top of the ladder that proved to be a cut above the remainder of the competition. The Knights finished the regulation season in third place and progressed to the Grand Final by defeating the Sharks and Bulldogs while Parramatta knocked over the Sea-Eagles and Panthers. The championship decider will be the first time these two teams meet in 2016 so there is an air of unpredictability about this fixture!

How They Will Win It – Parramatta

Last year the Eels entered the Grand Final as massive favourites and were swallowed up by the pressure. Finding himself in exactly the same situation in 2016 after piloting his team to another undefeated season, Coach Jones is forearmed with the knowledge of how to manage any potential nerves from his players come game day. Newcastle, while obviously a worthy foe, are there to be beaten if our team allows itself to play to the standard they have held throughout 2016.

Hooker and captain Kyle Schneider will be integral in holding the Eels to that aforementioned standard. Fiercely competitive and highly versatile, Schenider has anchored our Harold Matthews squad primarily at hooker while also covering lock and halfback when needed. Schneider is obviously well built for a hooker given his ability to cover lock but he has also proven himself to be quite a cerebral player, dictating the flow of the game through the ruck and mixing up his options from the play-the-ball (be it running or kicking) when the opportunity presents itself.

The big men I have singled out that will prove crucial in aiding their captain in winning up the middle are Stefano Utoikamanu and Uellington Seve. Stefano, younger brother of SG Ball talent Filia Utoikamanu, is a physical phenom that has struggled this year with an injury disrupted season. He recently returned to the field after recovering from a shoulder injury and his inclusion in the team provides a huge point of difference for the forward pack. Stefano demands the attention of the defensive line through his brutally damaging runs and committed decoy work, which in turn creates mismatches on the edges. A tireless trainer who is loathe to simply coast on his physical talents, Stefano may prove to be the difference between the two packs coming full time.

On the other hand were have Uellington Seve, who will be locking the scrum (well technically not really given how scrums are formed in the modern game!) for the Blue & Gold. Seve is a highly athletic, although not particularly huge, lock who is a red zone nightmare for opposition teams. That is not to say the Seve does not contribute to the team in general play but his skill set really shines once the Eels breach the 20m mark of their opposition. Possessing tackle busting upper body strength and explosive footwork, Seve has proven himself extremely adept at breaching goal line defences. Look for Seve to notch up another red zone try tomorrow.

Out-wide the Eels will be missing the attacking prowess of Wiliame Kei who ran away with the try scoring title this season after chalking up a ridiculous 19 tries. Kei was unable to beat the clock to be fit for the Grand Final and will be replaced by Dennis Mataia (a former charge of TCT’s own sixtiesboy!). While we may be slightly short on attacking flair with the exclusion of Kei, backrower Matt Doorey will be bringing the pain. Desperately unlucky not to have picked up representative honours for his stellar season, Doorey has proven himself to be a sledge hammer in defence and a hugely underrated attacking weapon. Doorey’s crisp line-running and massive motor has made him extremely difficult for teams to keep a lid on and hopefully that continues tomorrow.

Finally we come to John Paul Nohra, custodian of our Harold Matthews team. Nohra has gone from strength to strength as the season went on and now looms as one of the most important players for the Eels as they mount their final push to secure the title. Tall and powerful, Nohra dictates the pace of the game for the Eels with his outstanding kick returns which often leave defenders skittled. He has also proven himself skilled at both backing up his open-field runners and chiming in down either edge as the sweeping option. With Wiliam Kei riding the pine this week, Nohra is the man that will need to lift and create opportunities for his other backs.

How They Will Win It – Newcastle

Admittedly, I haven’t seen a great deal of the Knights this year – be it live or on tape. I have however asked around and poked through some numbers to ascertain as to who are the key players for our rivals. The Knights have thrown away size and power for speed this year and have gone the whole hog, dialing in the nitrous oxide. They will most certainly test the Eels on the flanks and will be looking to capitalise on any possible broken field settings. NSWRL.com has identified their lock Brock Gardner, five-eighth Jock Madden and fullback Matthew Smith as their danger men while Pheonix Crossland, Lachlan Pope, Logan Humphries and Joel Dark also earned selection in the NSW Pathways squad for their efforts in 2016.

Second phase play will likely prove crucial for the Knights as they look to crack the steely defensive structure of the Eels but you would be foolish to underestimate the Novocastrians. They will be primed for a big game after their run to the Grand Final and possess a defensive record that is only bettered by the Eels.

How You Can Follow The Action

TCT will have you covered for live updates in one of our regular live blogs but much like last year you can also catch the action on NSWRL.com via their live stream. For the more adventurous amongst you all you can also get out to Pepper Stadium to support the boys in person. Kick off is at 12:00PM.

I am tipping the Eels to go one better this year and put to rest the memories of the 2015 Grand Final!

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