Project Darwin.

It’s hot, it’s sticky and it’s just plain hard to play rugby league in.

For the past couple of years now, the Parramatta Eels have enjoyed a very positive sponsorship arrangement with Northern Territory tourism that has culminated with two wins from as many games from the round fixtures we’ve taken to the NT.

If one thing can be said about these games however, they have been some of the ugliest wins we’ve ever produced and I expect today’s match to unfold in a very similar manner.

By the time the Eels kick off their Round 14 match this afternoon, they will be playing in 33 degree temperatures, with an anticipated humidity of 40% at 5.00pm and sunset not expected until around 6.30pm (well into the match).

Simply put ladies and gentlemen; it’s going to be hot, sticky and just plain hard to play rugby league in.

The good news?

After a couple of years up here, we should be more acclimatized to the conditions than what are opposition are.

The bad news?

The Gold Coast are on a roll and a player pivotal to their success was our first choice hooker only a month ago. With a former player in form, who knows our structures and team dynamics inside out, is there anyone better than Nathan Peats to provide his new team with insider knowledge when it comes to the Titan’s video work?

Add to the equation that they’re traditionally a bogey side for us and that we’ve been hit with a mammoth injury toll that’s left us having to play a backrower at five-eighth, suddenly this looks as though it may be an overwhelming challenge for our boys.

However fear not Eels fans. There is a way to expose this Titans side, regardless of our circumstances. Let’s take a closer look at our opposition and find out how.

New Five-Eighth: Kenny Edwards has been forced to wear the Eels no. 6 due to severe injury toll

Ashley Taylor: One of the brightest young prospects in the NRL and almost an Eel last year, Ashley Taylor’s efforts this year have left many of the Titan’s faithful saying “Daly Who?” When you have talent like Taylor locked into a modest contract the way the Titans have, coupled with another fantastic prospect in Kane Elgey, a seasoned player like Tyrone Roberts and Taylor himself consistently improving his  game management skills ever week, you have reason to feel optimistic about your growing fortunes. With Taylor already demonstrating some of his prowess this year, in his first full season of NRL and the cap space the Gold Coast have after the Cherry-Evans deal fell south, you have the luxury to stock up on other positions and pick up opportunist buys.

Because of a player like Ash Taylor and the release of many other under-performing players off their books in more recent seasons, the Titans are one of the best placed club’s in terms of salary cap management in 2016 and beyond.

He is pivotal to the way they play and it’s his rising status in the game that’s going to position the Titans with a lot of market power when it comes to player recruitment and retention.

Throw into the mix that the team in more recent weeks is starting to find a bit of form and continuity in their play and it’s hard not to see the potential of this side, particularly when you compare that to what they looked like for 2016 only six months ago.

A half with silky skills and the ability to play direct and create space, a lot of what the Titans do today will stem from Ashley Taylor’s talent. Short balls for the likes of McQueen and Taia have come up trumps for the Titans and we must shut him down so that the burden of responsibility shifts onto the likes of Tyrone Roberts, who isn’t the best game manager when called upon to conduct the bulk of the playmaking duties.

Ryan James: Ryan James is finally starting to fulfill the potential he’s had for years. A forward never short of skill or power, it’s consistency that has stalled his career in more recent seasons. With the addition of players like David Shillington, the ever-reliable Luke Douglas and the emergence of Agnatius Paasi, James has finally found his own in a very strong and consistent prop rotation that’s now allowing the other elements of his game to shine. If he is allowed free metres up the middle, the Titans will go a long way to shutting out this match and similar could be said of the next individual.

Forward Threat: The dynamic Agnatius Paasi provides the Titans with plenty of power and flair off the bench

Agnatius Paasi: Agnatius is one of those forwards I absolutely love. If I had the freedom to select and create my own NRL squad within the guidelines of the salary cap, I’d be making room for a player as dynamic as Agnatius Paasi.

He offers the perfect point of difference to the classic toiler and hard-running forwards, simply because he can do both of those things and has some skill to boot. Add into the mix that he’s at a point in his career where he himself is finding consistency with his performances, yet hasn’t quite established himself as a top tier forward. It’s that perfect stage of any first graders development where from a salary cap perspective that aren’t costing you a lot, but performance wise you get a lot of value out of them. We’ve been fortunate enough to do the same with the likes of Manu Ma’u and Kenny Edwards and I see this kid’s career ascending in a similar way, if he maintains that level of consistency.

His ability to pop a short ball at or before the line makes him a troubling prospect for the middle third because the defender has to balance between committing to the Paasi run or the Paasi pass. The edge defenders of the middle third will have to be incredibly switched on, because Paasi is the type of player who can expose us by creating both opportunities and gaining cheap metres. Similarly however, we can expose him if he has to defend long minutes.

Konrad Hurrell: A shrewd mid-season investment for the Titans, former Warriors centre Konrad Hurrell is set to play his first game for the Titans this afternoon. When switched on, he is a devastating power runner that can make even the strongest of defenders look pedestrian by trampling them in the process.

Fortunately, from our perspective, Hurrell is the classic diamond-and-rocks player who can be equally as off his game, as he is on it.

I worry that if he plays this afternoon that he may be playing opposite the Gutherson-French edge combination, which would be particularly worrying given the disparity in weight-class between Hurrell and those players. It could prove particularly opportunist if the Titans go down this path and expose both the inexperience of defending in the line and the size difference of both Gutherson and French.

Similarly however, Konrad isn’t known for being the most well-conditioned player and having to play his first game in the Darwin weather could be the perfect catalyst for fatigue for the new Titans recruit. Add in the fact that he isn’t renowned for being a strong defensive player and he could prove to be a weak point in the Titans line.

Conversely, if he happens to be playing opposite Semi and Jennings, I know exactly where I’ll be directing the attack every time we’re inside the Titans 20 metres.

Nathan Peats: Will anyone be more fired up this afternoon than the tenacious former Eels rake? As I alluded to before, there is no one who is going to know our structures better than Peatsy and he will have been in his new teammates ears all week about what to expect.

We all know what Nathan can do and nothing will burn more than seeing him crash over from dummy half. Some may view it as poetic justice and deep down I’d be happy for him, but at the same time, I love my Eels way too much and my competitiveness wants us to smack everyone who doesn’t wear the blue and gold of Parramatta!

Heart-breaking: Most Eels fans aren’t looking forward to former Hooker Nathan Peats lining up against them this afternoon

No doubt, as early stated, the conditions will play a major role in today’s game and in my opinion, even the ledger out somewhat.

Given our current circumstances and injury crisis across key positions (and their backups), the best type of game for us to be involved in, is an ugly one.

The conditions will make it so.

The ball will be harder to handle which will constitute more errors from both sides.

Additionally, and most notably, our defensive line, despite being weakened in more recent weeks, is more resolute than the Titans line when it comes to withstanding consecutive defensive sets.

This means the winner of this game will come down to field position and whoever controls it best.

On the one hand we’re disadvantaged here because our forward pack is weakened and we only have one recognised general play kicker in our spine following a successive injury toll to our halves.

18th Man: 9’s hero and fan favourite Cody Nelson has traveled with the side and may be a late call-up

On the other however, is where the conditions play into our favour. If we can force mistakes and turnovers from the Gold Coast in critical positions, then our fabled left edge can do some damage against a relatively inexperienced Titans right edge, particularly if the enigmatic Konrad Hurrell plays there and is off his game.

So long as we position ourselves to force the error and capitalise on the Titans mistakes, we can come away with this one. However, if we spend large parts of the game rucking it out of our red zone and not getting over the advantage or halfway mark, with Corey Norman repeatedly kicking from behind our 40m, then the Titans will eventually wear us down. It won’t be a blow-out score line, but they’ll look comfortable and in control of the match.

Our prop rotation have to be on-song today. Their metres gained, ball-handling and line speed will be the difference between victory and defeat.

A strong start is key. If we jag a couple of early tries and force the Titans to play catch-up footy, the conditions will play into our hands and we can grind the rest of the game out. However, if the opposite is to happen, we ourselves may struggle.

Either way, it’s going to be hot, sticky and just plain hard to play rugby league in.

Clint

All images courtesy of the Parramatta Eels, NRL.com and Getty Images.

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