Finally, The Rock has come back……….. Oh wait, sorry lets start again.

FINALLY!!! THE EELS ARE HOME.

And what a game to start with at home. Against the Premiers in the Sharks no less.

After what has felt like as an eternity, the Eels play their first home game of the season and aren’t all the Blue and Gold fans excited about this game?

So lets have a look at the recent history between these two sides.

Last 10 Games

Over the last 10 games, nothing can split these two sides with a 5-all result.

In these past 10 games the Eels have compiled 258 points to the Sharks 215. So on average the Eels outscore the Sharks 26 to 22. Could this be another high scoring game?

Head to head The Eels and Sharks have played each other 82 times with the Sharks holding a slender 43 – 39 advantage.

A small bit of trivia for Saturday’s clash but this is the first time the Eels and Sharks have faced each other at ANZ Stadium.

Parramatta have played 61 times at ANZ with 26 wins and 34 losses. Our last 10 games at the same venue have been split right down the middle with 5 wins and 5 losses. The Sharks have played at ANZ 25 times for 9 wins and 16 losses. There last 10 games there sees them with 3 wins to 7 losses.

So even though this is a temporary home for the Eels, the Sharks don’t come into this game with a great relationship with ANZ.

Where its won and lost.

When you break the game in quarters the first 0-20 mins sees Parra with 3 wins from 3 and the Sharks with 0 wins. So again, the Eels can capitalise with a strong opening 20, whereas the Sharks are traditionally slow starters.

Minutes 20 – 40 sees Parra with 2 wins and 1 loss in that period with the Sharks 1 win and 2 losses.

After oranges, 40 – 60 minute period sees Parra with a 2 and 1 record, the Sharks 3 – 0. Minutes 60 – 80 sees Parra 0 – 3 and the Sharks 1 – 2.

No doubt the Sharks will look to reign in the Eels in the 2nd half and this where the Sharks could put points on a tiring Eels outfit.

However, now that we are a month into the competition and with more match fitness, hopefully the Eels will put an end to the how lax manner in which we finish off a match.

This game is shaping up to be a great encounter. Weather permitting, it should see plenty of ball movement and both forward packs ripping in and ball playing.

Both teams are looking to get back on the winner’s podium after poor last starts, but we Eels fans definitely want to see the Sharks 1 and 3 as their title defence hopefully starts (continues) to unravel.

Lets get out to ANZ and show our team we are 100% behind them and give them that lift they need.

Champion Data

Stats courtesy of Champion Data. All these stats and more can be viewed on our match centre at http://mc.championdata.com/nrl/ including live game stats.

– Colmac

Champion Data

Follow @championdatanrl

mc.championdata.com/nrl/

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