Exhale Blue and Gold Army, our team is in the winner’s circle again, albeit for now.
Following a come from behind victory over the under siege Wests Tigers are boys enter the Penrith game this afternoon with a bit of confidence after a dominating finish that saw the side demonstrate some of its early season form.
I referenced in my Wests Tigers Analysis that the team who wants it more would win. I turned out we did, just. If last week was a case of who wanted it more, today will be about who wants it EVEN more.
Our opponents, the Penrith Panthers started the season as premiership favourites, however on the back of three losses and a 2-5 record, the find themselves, like our Eels, in a less than ideal position coming into round eight of the season proper.
Today shapes as a game for who wants it even more because today could very well be the type of game that at the end of the year dictates whether one team plays in the finals and the other doesn’t.
You know, those opportunistic games where fans say at the end of the year “Had we just won that game at that time…” type of games?
Having already thrown a game away against the Titans in round three the Eels can ill afford to have any of those type of games again, if they intend on playing September footy. So too the Panthers, who after missing a very opportune victory at home against South Sydney on the back of some player misdemeanours, will also be weary that their chances, even in the first third of the competition, are quickly evaporating.
Forwards battle: The middle third of both sides will have a strong say in the outcome of the game
With a dry Saturday afternoon track expected, both sides will be looking to shift the footy and test each other on the fringes, and it’s exactly the type of conditions and occasion that can help play the Riff boys back into form, however it’s also the type of conditions and occasion that can help launch the Parramatta season back on track.
I have the expectation both sides will throw everything at each other, but whoever’s attitude is most positive will take this one out. For us it will be about building on our last 20-25 minutes against the Tigers and playing simple, percentage based footy with aggressive defence. For the Panthers, they will be looking to exploit weaknesses the Eels showed over their four game losing streak to help redirect the course of their season.
I expect the Panthers to try and play as much of this match through the middle as possible, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have threats elsewhere. Despite their recent form, this is still very much a team that can punish their opposition and we’ll have to manage the following threats today with an especially keen eye if we are to walk away with ‘the W’ today.
Matt Moylan: He’s been in the spotlight for a few wrong reasons recently, but Panthers captain Matt Moylan will be keen to come out and make a point this afternoon. Penrith’s chief playmaker has the ability to play before, at and after the line. He is a huge threat in the scheme of this game for our team, a side that has been struggling with its defensive cohesion. If he decides today’s the day he’s going to put the least few weeks behind him, we’re going to be in trouble. The more we force him to do they donkey work of a fullback and limit his impact through containing their forwards, the closer we step towards victory.
Creative: Matt Moylan is one of the best in the business at creating holes and overlaps
Waqa Blake: With his long loping strides, Waqa Blake has the ability to break even the best defensive lines. Great upper body strength and incredibly difficult to tackle down low, he gets the Panthers sets on a role early and can bust the game wide open. I strongly advise kicking away from this man otherwise he may enjoy some of the broken field play that James Tedesco had last week. If we can’t be confident in a strong kick chase, then put it over the sideline if the play is going down his side on the last.
Tyrone Peachey & Dallin Watene-Zelezniak: I’ve included these two together because they’re big bodied humans that will be coming up against our struggling right edge. Tyrone Peachey is one of the most dynamic runners in the game and someone who has caused many a headache for our defensive line in recent encounters. For those of you who were at the Panthers-Eels trial back in February, this guy had a man of the match performance where he regularly made 15m a run and had more than a handful of tackle breaks to his name. Kirisome Auva’a faces a genuine test this week on the back of his two try performance on Monday. If he Moeroa, Takairangi and Hoffman don’t get it right then the combination of Moylan, Yeo, Peachey and Watene-Zelezniak will have a field day – we must stand resolute on this edge in particular.
Impact: Tyrone Peachey has always troubled the Eels defensive line
Nathan Cleary: Who would want to try and take one of the towering spiral bombs Nathan Cleary has been putting up recently? That’s the assignment that awaits Gutherson, Hoffman and Radradra this afternoon and while I have every bit of confidence they’re up to the task, it doesn’t mean it will be easy. I saw him lay on a nice try for Te Maire Martin in our February trial with some nice direct play around our middle third and when Cleary straightens the attack, he and his outside men become incredibly dangerous. No room for he or Moylan means little to no points for Penrith.
James Tamou & Trent Merrin: These two middle men can get the Panthers set firing with some bruising carries and generate second phase play with selective offloads. In order to nullify the Panthers I believe limiting the metres and second phase play these two create is where it all starts. Both are NSW and International representative forwards, and will be out to make amends for their last start against Cronulla. If we fail to replicate the line speed we showed in the opening couple of weeks and the last 20 minutes of our Easter Monday clash, then these guys will roll us through the middle. I hope that Mannah, Matagi and Brown have their angry faces on ready to belt these mountain men!
Bryce Cartwright & Isaah Yeo: Like Peachey, Bryce Cartwright has been incredibly damaging in our last few encounters with the Panthers and returns from an injury lay off this afternoon to take his place on the Panthers right edge. With some personal issues likely affecting his form prior to the injury, there’s nothing like a local derby to re-energize a player. On his day his offloading can rip teams to shreds, but can also be a pressure point. This has lost as many games for Penrith as it has won them and I’m sure the likes of Kenny Edwards wouldn’t be adverse to getting in the ear of the young second-rower. The form of his backrow partner on the right edge however has been exemplary. I’m pretty certain Isaah Yeo went to the same hole-running and line-running school as the Roosters Mitchell Aubusson. He has been getting through a lot of work and regularly getting over the advantage line. This is an opportunity for Tepai Moeroa to really step up and dictate terms to both his opposite man and to the Panthers left edge.
Confidence player: Bryce Cartwright is another player who has enjoyed plenty of success against the Eels
Peter Wallace: Peter Wallace has been strong so far in 2017, and he will be anxious to get out and take advantage of what the Parramatta defensive line have been serving up over their month of losses. A good hooker will absolutely destroy a side up the middle both with their running game and by getting their forwards over the advantage line. Wallace ladies and gentlemen, is a good hooker. Provided we can win the wrestle we can prevent him from working his magic, but only so long as the Eels of the last 20-25 minutes are out there for the full 80 today.
On the back of three consecutive losses the Panthers have quickly lost their competition favourites tag, but that doesn’t make them any less dangerous or any less potent. They are still a great attacking side, despite having not crossed the line against the Sharks last week.
Their structure is centralized around a forward pack that gets over the advantage line in the middle third and Captain Matt Moylan dictating terms out on the fringes, and even though he, along with the Panthers team, have had a forgettable few weeks, there’s nothing like the Western Sydney derby to bring out his or the Panthers best.
The return of Kenny Edwards is very welcomed and with his inclusion in the 17, comes not only a lift in spirits for the Eels, but a game changer with a great attitude who can dictate play either side of the ball. Following a 7 week suspension you could imagine Kenny will be keen to come out and play his part and his enthusiasm could help provide our boys the lift they’ll need to bring down the Panthers.
Impact: The Eels are happy to see the return of Club favourite, Kenny Edwards
If we are to go on and win today, we have to do it with our line speed and first up contact, something that the likes of Kenny Edwards excels at. The Panthers are one of the bigger forward packs in the NRL. If they get a roll on, we will be punished up the middle third and play the Panthers back into form. However if we get numbers in the tackle and win the wrestle, we will frustrate a team that is currently out of form and they will throw risky passes to chance their hand which will lend itself to incomplete sets and the opportunity for us to pile on some quick points.
Our last 20-25 minutes against the Wests Tigers should be enough to remind our Eels boys that this is something that they can still do and still do very well, but prior to this, had been absent from our team for the last 4.5 games. I’m expecting a better attitude defensively this week from our team and our attack to straighten back up akin to the way Brad Takairangi and Clint Gutherson lead in the final quarter on Monday.
If we can maintain these two facets of our game, we can continue the rot for Penrith. It’s certainly not a question of ability for us to do this, we know we can, but it will be a question of our attitude. We won’t waltz past the Panthers on the back of 20 good minutes, it will require a much more concentrated and complete performance in which we will have to want it even more than we did last start.
Inhale and suck in the big ones Blue and Gold Army, it all starts again today.
Clint
All images courtesy of the Parramatta Eels, NRL.com and Getty Images
