Tim Mannah has drilled into NRL strugglers Parramatta the need to start strongly against a disciplined Canterbury side, saying they can’t expect to pile on quick points as they did against Wests Tigers.
The Eels finished with a wet sail on Sunday, running in five tries in 13 minutes as they stormed home to lose by one point at Parramatta Stadium.
But NSW State of Origin hopeful Mannah was quick to remind his team that the defensive-minded Bulldogs won’t be as easy to run roughshod over.
“We can’t afford to give them a 31-point headstart, that’s for sure,” Mannah said.
The Bulldogs come into the clash at ANZ Stadium on Friday night with just one win from their past five matches, but their past two have been narrow defeats to competition heavyweights Manly and Melbourne.
And in both clashes, Des Hasler’s men conceded just two tries.
“They’ve played against some quality opposition as well. And that’s been the biggest thing for the Dogs,” Mannah said.
“They may have lost those games but I think they can take a lot of positives from that.
“They’re definitely going to be a tough team.
“Des Hasler has done a great job in making them a tough side and building a really strong team.
“It’s going to be important that we aim up the best we can and put in a strong performance on Friday night.”
Bulldogs utility back Jonathan Wright has declared the match a must-win for the club who are desperate to end a three-game losing skid.
Wright, who moves to the wing to cover the loss of Steve Turner (knee) in a reshuffled backline that welcomes Tim Lafai from NSW Cup, said they need to defeat the Eels to kick-start their season after a promising opening.
“Definitely – this is like a grand final for us,” Wright said.
“We don’t like losing two games in a row, let alone three. This is must-win for us to get our season rolling again.
“… Parramatta’s a team that can sting you.
“The way they finished on the weekend, they’ve got points to score, they’re a dangerous team, so they’ll be very desperate and we’ll have to be on our toes.”
Meanwhile, Mannah says he is not concerned that Parramatta’s horrendous record will hinder his chances of retaining his Blues spot ahead of the State of Origin opener against Queensland on May 23.
“When you’re in a team that’s not going so well, it’s really important you focus on making sure you can do everything best by the team,” he said.
“It’s a matter of me performing the best I can and showing Ricky Stuart that I am keen to be a part of this side and I’ll be doing everything I can on the field to show him that.”