Date: Saturday July 23^rd

Venue: Cbus Super Stadium

Gates Open: 3:10pm

Kick off:  5:30pm (NYC U20s 1:30pm Pizzey Park)

Head Referee: Grant Atkins  

Assistant Referee: Chris Sutton

Head to head: Played 14, Titans 9, Eels 5

Head to head odds: Titans ($1.45), Eels ($ 2.75)

Broadcast: Live Fox Sports one: 5:30

 

Last four encounters:

 

1. Eels 22, Titans 12 at TIO Stadium (2016)
2. Titans 24, Eels 14 at Cbus Super Stadium (2015)
3. Titans 38, Eels 16 at Pirtek Stadium (2015)
4. Eels 24, Titans 18 at Cbus Super Stadium (2014)

 

Preview:

This Round 20 encounter between the Eels and the Titans shapes as a crucial one for the Gold Coast who are currently sitting in 7^th place on the edge of the top eight. At this point in the season a loss could be devastating for a team’s hopes to make the finals.

As for the Eels, their finals hopes seem just about dead and buried. It’s still mathematically possible for the Eels to make the top eight and I’m sure Brad Arthur and his Eels players won’t give up in any way shape or form, so this is sure to be an interesting encounter. I encourage fans of both teams to tune in.

Value Bet:

This week’s value bet is for Eels rookie sensation Bevan French to claim the first try at $7.

In the first try market, the Titans have both Nene Macdonald and Anthony Don at $8.50 whereas the Eels have Bevan French as $7 and Bureta Faraimo at $12.

 

Interesting fact:

Eels rookie sensation Bevan French has already amassed an impressive try-scoring tally. French has scored nine tries from only six NRL games.

  

It will be a big game for:

This game shapes as a big one for Eels makeshift centre Manu Ma’u. Usually an edge running back rower for the Eels, he will this week be lining up in the centres. Ma’u possesses a lot of speed and the ability to deliver a nice pass here and there so the fact he has moved to centres will not be that big of a hassle for him, especially with him having played in the centres a number of times this season.

The down side is that the Eels are in turn without star centre Michael Jennings who had an amazing game last weekend until he was forced to leave the field due to a hamstring injury. Making the injury to Jennings even worse was the withdrawal of Takairangi which ultimately resulted in Scott joining Ma’u in the centres. Unfortunately some defensive errors from Scott in this unfamiliar position led to Panthers tries.

Hopefully the great short passing game of Ma’u will come in handy when he attempts to put the likes of Bureta Faraimo or Bevan French down the sideline.

 

 

Danger man:

This week’s danger man is Titans centre Konrad Hurrell. Hurrell is one of the most enigmatic players in the NRL. On his day he can be unstoppable – a man mountain capable of pummeling his way through any opposition defensive line.

Hurrell started the season with the Warriors yet was eventually released as he was considered surplus to requirements. Admittedly in his time at the Warriors he had some great games here and there but it seemed he was always in and out of first grade and could never really nail down a permanent spot. Some have suspected that it was an attitude problem with him at the Warriors as it was noted that coach Andrew McFadden and Hurrell did not always see eye to eye.

With his Warriors days behind him he can now kick start his career at the Gold Coast Titans. Hurrell has looked very much at home in his new team environment and has even claimed his preferred starting centre position.

Hurrell is a danger man for the Eels in every sense of the word. Any player that has the ability to bust three or four tackles with ease and still not look like being stopped is well and truly worthy of being highlighted in match previews and tip sheets.

 

 

Gold Coast Titans (7^th coming into the round)

 

1. David Mead
2. Anthony Don
3. Josh Hoffman
4. Konrad Hurrell
5. Nene Macdonald
6. Tyrone Roberts
7. Ashley Taylor
8. Luke Douglas
9. Nathan Peats
10. Ryan James
11. Zeb Taia
12. Chris McQueen
13. Agnatius Paasi

 

14. Eddy Pettybourne
15. Leivaha Pulu
16. Nathaniel Peteru
17. Nathan Friend

 

Coach: Neil Henry

 

Late mail: No changes expected for the Titans, they are expected to be 1 to 17.

  

Parramatta Eels (14^th coming into the round *12 points deducted)

 

1. Michael Gordon
2. Bureta Faraimo
3. Manu Ma’u
4. Brad Takairangi
5. Bevan French
6. Clint Gutherson
7. Jeff Robson
8. Danny Wicks
9. Issac De Gois
10. Tim Mannah
11. Kenny Edwards
12. Tepai Moeroa
13. Beau Scott (C)

 

14. Rory O’ Brien
15. Peni Terepo
16. David Gower
17. Daniel Alvaro

 

Coach: Brad Arthur

 

Late mail: Brad Takairangi is expected to make his return from injury after a four-week stint on the sidelines. Clint Gutherson is still expected to play five eighth even with the inclusion of Takairangi.

 

Two Key Match Ups

 

Tyrone Roberts vs Clint Gutherson:

The first key match up is a battle between the five eighths as Titans enigma Tyrone Roberts squares off against Eels makeshift five eighth Clint Gutherson.

Gutherson has been called upon by Eels coach Brad Arthur to play in the halves with regular five eighth Corey Norman suspended for the balance of the 2016 NRL season. Norman is expected to re sign with the Eels in the very near future and with Kieran Foran all but gone from the Eels, Gutherson may be able to secure a halves position in the Eels backline.

The idea that Gutherson could potentially be a long term option for the Eels in the halves may not be such a farfetched idea if you had seen the way he played at five eighth against the Panthers last Sunday afternoon. Gutherson was arguably the best player on the park or at least the best Eels player on the park. He looked comfortable at five eighth and controlled the game well alongside Eels veteran Jeff Robson.

Whilst Gutherson isn’t the strongest kicker of the ball he does possess a nice passing game and the ability to know when or when not to run the ball. A halves paring of Corey Norman and Clint Gutherson in the future may not be such a bad idea as Norman possesses what Gutherson does not have as a half.

Not many punters are willing to give the Eels a chance in this one but if you go on how Gutherson was directing the Eels last week they may just have be wrong Only injury to Michael Jennings last Sunday afternoon shifted the Eels from being in control to under the pump in defence and had this injury not occurred there might have been a decent chance that Gutherson could have led the Eels to an unlikely victory.

In contrast to Gutherson, experienced Titans five eighth Tyrone Roberts could be described as a very enigmatic player. He has the ability to deliver a man of the match performance at any point in the season, yet this is matched by his ability to deliver some pretty poor football when he’s off his game.

Roberts is almost a flashback to the likes of Chris Sandow, a player Eels fans know very well. On his day Roberts is capable of tearing opposition defensive lines to pieces with great ball play, tactical kicking and perfect timing of when to run the ball. Given that last sentiment, the most impressive part of Roberts game has to be his running game. A key component of this is his ability to throw a very nice dummy which often instigates a line break, a try or try assist.

Eels coach Brad Arthur would have likely made sure that his players are aware of a potential Tyrone Roberts dummy at any point in the game. If the Eels are to upset the Titans in this one they would do well to shut Roberts down as he has the potential to be one of the real danger men.

 

 

Nathan Peats vs Issac De Gois:

The second key match up is a battle between hookers, as the Titans potential future Blue Nathan Peats squares off against Eels Mr. Consistent in Issac De Gois.

Nathan Peats started the season playing for the Parramatta Eels and was classed as one of their best players after each and every win. However, midway through the Eels year Peats was forced to leave the Parramatta club due to salary cap restrictions. With Peats’s departure from the club, De Gois was quickly seen as the Eels new number one hooker and he has certainly done an admirable job in stepping up from the understudy role.

The loss of Nathan Peats for the Eels was one that would still hurt today after Kieran Foran recently cut ties with the club. It may have been possible for the Eels to have retained Nathan Peats if this event transpired earlier. Such has been the fate of the Eels in 2016!

When it comes to Nathan Peats, Brad Arthur and his Eels would know exactly what to expect. The rugged dummy half seems to be the heir apparent to Robbie Farah as the next NSW hooker, and with qualities like his it’s easy to see why.

Peats is just about as tough as they come and he gets through a mountain of work each and every game. He tackles like a machine and is always willing to put his body on the line for his team. Peats also can be quite an impressive ball player when given the opportunity which is just another reason why Peats could be classified as one of the games best hookers. After starting his Titans career from the bench he has since been promoted to the starting line up and doesn’t look like taking a backward step.

Whilst Nathan Peats’ career is just starting to fire up, Isaac De Gois is coming to the latter stages of his career. De Gois has done nothing but make Eels supporters proud, playing eighty minutes a game and being one of the Eels best throughout the second half of the NRL season.

Just like Peats, De Gois is a very tough player and a very capable defender to boot. There aren’t many players that are capable of running through Issac De Gois one on one. In the absence of Corey Norman I expect De Gois to shoulder a little bit more of a playmaking role. It may not be too drastic, but don’t be surprised to see De Gois putting in the odd kick every now or then, or even showing up in a set play like Peats often used to do.

 

 

 

My Tip:

I am going to tip with my head in this one. This means I’m tipping the Titans to defeat the Eels.

It’s not that I think the Eels will perform poorly, but I have to acknowledge that they are severely undermanned and it would take one hell of an effort to come away with a victory away from home.

I’m happy to be proven wrong, but put me down for a Titans victory 22 points to 18.

 

Man of the match: Nathan Peats, Ashley Taylor or Clint Gutherson.

 

Enjoy the game, GO THE EELS !!!

Nathan