The Eels won their fourth game from their past five outings with a comfortable 22 – 12 win over Canterbury last weekend at ANZ Stadium.
Canterbury’s Origin commitments and injury tolls gave Parramatta the opportunity to post an important win. It was only their second away win from their past twenty-five games and it was also without star fullback Jarryd Hayne.
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The Eels were always travelling the better of the two sides and their defensive pressure led to Canterbury turning over ball from which Parramatta capitalised on with a couple of long-distance tries.
One of which, and the first try of the match, went to winger Semi Radradra, the leagues top try-scorer with a total of twelve four-pointers.
Also impressing were young forward Pauli Pauli, who proved a handful for the Dogs in defence, and recent addition to the club hooker Issac De Grois, who slotted in as though part of the side all year.
The only downside out of the game for the Eels was the news that Manu M’au, the damaging ball runner, left the field in the first half with a suspected fracture to his arm.
STORM
Coming off two losses to North Queensland (Away) and the Roosters (Home), the Storm headed to the Gold Coast minus their Origin stars and their regular halfback Cooper Cronk missing due to injury.
They started the outsiders but showed what a professional side they are by overcoming the challenges with a committed display and claimed the competition points 24 – 20.
The win saved the Storm from dropping to twelfth spot on the ladder and kept them in touch with the top eight in ninth spot.
A return to their home ground and each of their Origin representatives being named in the starting line up for this clash will see the Storm a hard nut for Parramatta to crack.
Although not travelling at their absolute best this season, the Storm are never beaten and showed last week how a winning culture at a club can be the difference when the game is in the balance.
HEAD TO HEAD
Parramatta has managed to take two games off the Storm from the five they’ve played since 2010.
Each of those wins has come at Parramatta’s home ground however and the last time the Eels recorded a victory in Melbourne was back 2005!
Combined with the Eels away record of the past few seasons, it’s no surprise to see the market favour the home-side slightly despite being below their opponents on the ladder.
Parramatta will give this a shake though with Melbourne on the quick back-up from Monday night and a stab at the Eels 1 – 12 (if Hayne lines up) is worth a go.
Teams:
STORM: 1. Billy Slater 2. Sisa Waqa 3. Will Chambers 4. Mahe Fonua 5. Young Tonumaipea 6. Ben Hampton 7. Ben Roberts 8. Jesse Bromwich 9. Cameron Smith 10. Bryan Norrie 11. Kevin Proctor 12. Ryan Hoffman 13. Ryan Hinchcliffe 14. Kenneath Bromwich 15. Tohu Harris 16. Junior Moors 17. Jordan McLean 18. Tim Glasby 19. Joel Romelo 20. Kurt Mann
EELS: 1. Jarryd Hayne 2. Semi Radradra 3. William Hopoate 4. Willie Tonga 5. Vai Toutai 6. Corey Norman 7. Chris Sandow 8. Tim Mannah 9. Isaac De Gois 10. Junior Paulo 11. Ken Edwards 12. Pauli Pauli 13. Joseph Paulo 14. David Gower 15. Lee Mossop 16. Peni Terepo 17. Luke Kelly
