Sunday’s only NRL Round 14 match is between Canterbury Bulldogs and Parramatta Eels with the opening kick to commence at 15:05 local time. The game is to be played at ANZ Stadium which see’s home team Canterbury Bulldogs hold favouritism in the market. View our NRL live scores, odds and results for the game between Canterbury Bulldogs and Parramatta Eels.

Where and when: 15:05 | Sunday 15/06/2014 @ ANZ Stadium

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Odds Comparison:

Canterbury Bulldogs	1.50	1.52	1.49	1.52	1.50	1.53
Parramatta Eels	2.68	2.60	2.65	2.60	2.68	2.60

All odds are subject to change. Odds listed are correct at the time of the latest update.

Preview:

EELS
The Parramatta Eels kept their perfect home ground record this season intact last week with an 18 – 16 win over a full strength Cowboys outfit.

The Eels had their noses in front for the entire match and the return of Jarryd Hayne, who was missing from their previous week’s poor loss to Penrith, was invaluable as the star fullback scored a try and played a significant role in two others.

He, along with Will Hopoate and possibly Willie Tonga, will be missing for this week’s clash due to the second State Of Origin and will leave big gaps in the Parramatta back-line to fill.

Parramatta is in eighth spot on the competition ladder on sixteen points, only two points of the leaders and level with four other sides.

If they are to maintain this position, one aspect of their game they’ll need to work on, and that will be vital this weekend against a generally ruthless Bulldogs side, is their ability to close out a game.

Some silly mistakes late in the game last week, when in possession and leading, almost invited the Cowboys back into the game and cost them victory, as it did in round 7 against the Tigers.

The halves of Sandow and Norman have to step up in this regard when the fate of the game is on the line.

CANTERBURY
For the second week in a row the Bulldogs were defeated by 20 points or more, firstly to the Roosters and then last week, Manly.

The Roosters loss (32 – 12) was when Canterbury, who had won their previous seven games straight, were missing several key players for the first State Of Origin whilst last week’s loss was in trying conditions against a Manly side out to redeem themselves in front of their home crowd after suffering heavily to the Broncos in round 12.

Origin and the draw have combined to make this a trying time for the Bulldogs who will again this week be without regular halves pairing, Hodkinson and Reynolds. Also missing are Chase Stanley and Aidan Tolman with injury.

Debutante Damien Cook and former Parramatta Eel Reni Matui, who has played one game this year, come into the halves.

HEAD TO HEAD
One positive the Bulldogs do have going for them this week though, is their comprehensive record over the Eels in recent years.

They’ve won the last six matches between the two sides, five by margins of 13+.

In most of those games the Bulldogs, unlike they will be on Sunday, have fielded a full strength side whilst Parramatta had been hopelessly out of form.

With a few things changing in both regards this Sunday, this game might be closer than the current market suggests and if the Eels can play some smart football when it has to be played, might be able to give the Bulldogs a run for the money.

Either side under 6.5 @ $2.79 or something small on the Eels 1 – 12.

Teams:

Bulldogs: Sam Perrett, Mitch Brown, Josh Jackson, Tim Lafai, Krisnan Inu, Reni Maitua, Damien Cook, Sam Kasiano, Michael Ennis (c), James Graham, Greg Eastwood, Tony Williams, Dale Finucane
Interchange: Pat O’Hanlon, Tim Browne, David Klemmer, Corey Thompson, Lloyd Perrett (one to be omitted).

Eels: Ken Sio, Semi Radradra, Ryan Morgan, Willie Tonga, Vai Toutai, Corey Norman, Chris Sandow, Tim Mannah (c), Isaac De Gois, Junior Paulo, Kenny Edwards, Manu Ma’u, Joseph Paulo.
Interchange: David Gower, Peni Terepo, Lee Mossop, Pauli Pauli.

News: Parramatta are one of a number of NRL clubs who have expressed an interest in signing Danny Wicks for the 2015 season.

Wicks is set to return to the rugby league next year, after serving a four-year WADA ban and an 18-month prison sentence for drug supply.

The former Newcastle and St George Illawarra forward was released from jail in March, after being found guilty of drug dealing.

On a contract worth around $300,000 a year before his arrest, the 28-year-old is unlikely to command anywhere near that sort of money as he seeks a second chance in rugby league.

Wicks met Eels officials on Tuesday but the club stressed negotiations were at an early stage.

“We have had preliminary discussions with him, but we are aware a number of other clubs have as well,” an Eels spokesman told AAP on Wednesday.

“There has been nothing further than that. Any discussions we have had have been at an initial stage.”

Wicks manager Steve Gillis confirmed to Triple M that Wicks had been shopped around to a number of NRL clubs, but that no offers had been officially tabled.

“Danny has no offers from any clubs … there is preliminary interest from a few clubs,” Gillis said.

“Danny remains banned from playing footy, Grafton or otherwise, until late September.”

Given their struggles up front this season, the Dragons are another club who have been linked to Wicks, as have the Knights who are also struggling for forward depth.

Wicks played 69 NRL games for the Dragons and the Knights before being found guilty of three counts of supplying drugs in 2011 and served his sentence at Glen Innes Correctional Centre, expressing his desire to return to the NRL when he was released on parole.

Wicks’ four-year World Anti-Doping Authority ban ends in September, which means he won’t be eligible to join a new NRL club until the 2015 season.