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Craig HillRound 12 preview - Tigers vs Eels
June 4th 2007 04:17
Round 12 preview – Tigers vs Eels
VENUE and TIME: Telstra Stadium, Monday 7pm
HEAD TO HEAD: Played 15, Tigers 4, Eels 10, drawn 1
COVERAGE: Fox Sports (live), Triple M (radio)
LAST CLASH: Eels 22-20, Parramatta Stadium, 2007
MEDICAL ROOM:
Given their current injury toll, the Tigers are doing extremely well considering the talent sitting on the sidelines. With key playmaker Benji Marshall unlikely to return again this season due to a serious shoulder injury, Wests are also without the services of Paul Whatuira (ankle), Ryan O’Hara (jaw) and Tevita Metuisela (knee) for the coming weeks.
Parramatta coach Michael Hagan has only Ian Hindmarsh (eye) and Timana Tahu (hamstring) unavailable for selection over the next fortnight, with the Eels mentor realising that there is no better time than present to make a charge up the premiership ladder.
FORM:
The Tigers have easily been the form team over the past two months, stringing together six comprehensive victories to entrench themselves firmly inside the top four. What has been most impressive for Wests coach Tim Sheens is that his young charges have easily accounted for a number of the 2007 premiership heavyweights throughout that period.
The Eels are starting to hit their straps after a slow start to the season, having won three of their past four encounters by hefty margins. The signs are there for coach Hagan that combinations are just starting to gel, with the ball playing Eels forwards starting to create some second phase play for their talented outside supports.
KEY MATCH-UPS:
John Morris vs Tim Smith
The apprentice meets his former halves tutor this Monday night, with Morris sure to have a few tricks up his sleeve for his former Eels team mate.
After a slow start to season ’07, Wests new halfback Morris has only just began to find his feet in his new play making role at the Tigers, with the scheming number seven forced to be more influential given the injury to Marshall. At his most lethal when accompanied with an attacking foil inside him, Morris will look to frustrate his former protégé into error, thus stifling the confidence of his exuberant Eels opponent.
Smith is just starting to run into the form that saw him receive the majority of rookie awards in season 2005, with his short attacking kicks for his rampant supports keeping many a defence honest. Much maligned before the season, Smith’s combination with new five-eight Brett Finch is just starting to come together. If Smith and Finch fire, than it could be a long evening for the Tigers!
Brett Hodgson vs Luke Burt
If this is close as the experts predict, than the form of both sides goal kickers could prove to be the difference.
The Tigers skipper has inherited the goal kicking duties due to the season ending injury to first choice kicker Marshall, with the diminutive custodian currently kicking at a solid 78% success. Unfortunately for the makeshift kicker, the majority of the Tigers four pointers have been scored wide out, so Hodgson will have been putting extra practice into his sideline accuracy in a bid to gain those two crucial extra points.
Surprisingly, Burt is the NRL’s leading point scorer heading into this round eleven clash, with the flashy Parramatta number one currently possessing a brilliant 90% success rate. Having trained under goal kicking geniuses Jason Taylor and Daryl Halligan over the past two years, Burt’s accuracy has improved markedly under their expert tutelage.
VERDICT:
With both teams currently in great form, this battle at Telstra is sure to go down to the wire. The mobile Tigers forward pack have dominated their larger rivals over the past six weeks, but the ball playing Eels pack will provide a different challenge for the high flying Tigers. Parramatta are seemingly in a purple patch at present, with both their halves and hookers currently carving up all and sundry. Expect Parramatta to end the Tigers golden run at Telstra Stadium on Monday night, on the back of an Eels backline bursting with speed and creativity.
Eels by 12
Wests Tigers -Brett Hodgson (c), Daniel Fitzhenry, Dean Collis, Chris Lawrence, Taniela Tuiaki, Liam Fulton, John Morris, Todd Payten, Robbie Farah, Bryce Gibbs, Ben Galea, Chris Heighington, Dene Halatau
Interchange -
Danny Galea, Shannon McDonnell, Bronson Harrison, Ben Te'o, Jarrod Saffy
Parramatta Eels -
Luke Burt, Jarryd Hayne, Ben Smith, Krisnan Inu, Eric Grothe, Brett Finch, Tim Smith, Nathan Cayless (c), PJ Marsh, Aaron Cannings, Nathan Hindmarsh, Feleti Mateo, Daniel Wagon
Interchange -Mark Riddell, Josh Cordoba, Chad Robinson, Fuifui Moimoi
Referee: Ben Cummins
VENUE and TIME: Telstra Stadium, Monday 7pm
HEAD TO HEAD: Played 15, Tigers 4, Eels 10, drawn 1
COVERAGE: Fox Sports (live), Triple M (radio)
LAST CLASH: Eels 22-20, Parramatta Stadium, 2007
MEDICAL ROOM:
Given their current injury toll, the Tigers are doing extremely well considering the talent sitting on the sidelines. With key playmaker Benji Marshall unlikely to return again this season due to a serious shoulder injury, Wests are also without the services of Paul Whatuira (ankle), Ryan O’Hara (jaw) and Tevita Metuisela (knee) for the coming weeks.
Parramatta coach Michael Hagan has only Ian Hindmarsh (eye) and Timana Tahu (hamstring) unavailable for selection over the next fortnight, with the Eels mentor realising that there is no better time than present to make a charge up the premiership ladder.
FORM:
The Tigers have easily been the form team over the past two months, stringing together six comprehensive victories to entrench themselves firmly inside the top four. What has been most impressive for Wests coach Tim Sheens is that his young charges have easily accounted for a number of the 2007 premiership heavyweights throughout that period.
The Eels are starting to hit their straps after a slow start to the season, having won three of their past four encounters by hefty margins. The signs are there for coach Hagan that combinations are just starting to gel, with the ball playing Eels forwards starting to create some second phase play for their talented outside supports.
KEY MATCH-UPS:
John Morris vs Tim Smith
The apprentice meets his former halves tutor this Monday night, with Morris sure to have a few tricks up his sleeve for his former Eels team mate.
After a slow start to season ’07, Wests new halfback Morris has only just began to find his feet in his new play making role at the Tigers, with the scheming number seven forced to be more influential given the injury to Marshall. At his most lethal when accompanied with an attacking foil inside him, Morris will look to frustrate his former protégé into error, thus stifling the confidence of his exuberant Eels opponent.
Smith is just starting to run into the form that saw him receive the majority of rookie awards in season 2005, with his short attacking kicks for his rampant supports keeping many a defence honest. Much maligned before the season, Smith’s combination with new five-eight Brett Finch is just starting to come together. If Smith and Finch fire, than it could be a long evening for the Tigers!
Brett Hodgson vs Luke Burt
If this is close as the experts predict, than the form of both sides goal kickers could prove to be the difference.
The Tigers skipper has inherited the goal kicking duties due to the season ending injury to first choice kicker Marshall, with the diminutive custodian currently kicking at a solid 78% success. Unfortunately for the makeshift kicker, the majority of the Tigers four pointers have been scored wide out, so Hodgson will have been putting extra practice into his sideline accuracy in a bid to gain those two crucial extra points.
Surprisingly, Burt is the NRL’s leading point scorer heading into this round eleven clash, with the flashy Parramatta number one currently possessing a brilliant 90% success rate. Having trained under goal kicking geniuses Jason Taylor and Daryl Halligan over the past two years, Burt’s accuracy has improved markedly under their expert tutelage.
VERDICT:
With both teams currently in great form, this battle at Telstra is sure to go down to the wire. The mobile Tigers forward pack have dominated their larger rivals over the past six weeks, but the ball playing Eels pack will provide a different challenge for the high flying Tigers. Parramatta are seemingly in a purple patch at present, with both their halves and hookers currently carving up all and sundry. Expect Parramatta to end the Tigers golden run at Telstra Stadium on Monday night, on the back of an Eels backline bursting with speed and creativity.
Eels by 12
Wests Tigers -Brett Hodgson (c), Daniel Fitzhenry, Dean Collis, Chris Lawrence, Taniela Tuiaki, Liam Fulton, John Morris, Todd Payten, Robbie Farah, Bryce Gibbs, Ben Galea, Chris Heighington, Dene Halatau
Interchange -
Danny Galea, Shannon McDonnell, Bronson Harrison, Ben Te'o, Jarrod Saffy
Parramatta Eels -
Luke Burt, Jarryd Hayne, Ben Smith, Krisnan Inu, Eric Grothe, Brett Finch, Tim Smith, Nathan Cayless (c), PJ Marsh, Aaron Cannings, Nathan Hindmarsh, Feleti Mateo, Daniel Wagon
Interchange -Mark Riddell, Josh Cordoba, Chad Robinson, Fuifui Moimoi
Referee: Ben Cummins
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