Saturday second NRL Round 8 match is between Nth Queensland Cowboys and Parramatta Eels with the opening kick to commence at 5:30pm local time. The game is to be played at Townsville Stadium which see’s home team Nth Queensland Cowboys hold favouritism in the market. View our NRL live scores, odds and results for the game between Nth Queensland Cowboys and Parramatta Eels.
Where and when: Saturday, Apr 26, Townsville Stadium, FOX, 5:30pm
Odds Comparison:
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| Nth Queensland Cowboys | 1.51 | 1.50 | 1.51 | 1.50 | 1.51 | 1.50 |
| Parramatta Eels | 2.65 | 2.65 | 2.60 | 2.65 | 2.65 | 2.65 |
All odds are subject to change. Odds listed are correct at the time of the latest update.
Preview:
The Cowboys travelled to Sydney for the second week in a row in round 7, this time to Gosford where they took on Manly on Good Friday.
The Cowboys were looking for an improved effort after a disappointing loss to the West Tigers 16 – 4 and in the first half, produced just that, scoring three first half tries, one to Kyle Feldt and a double to Brett Tate, which enabled them to take a 14 – 6 lead into the break.
Scoring first when play resumed, the Cowboys established a comfortable lead but two quick tries to the home-side in the 67th and 71st minute, had the scores locked up and the Cowboys searching for the finishing line.
The Cowboys looked set to reach it when Thurston slotted a field goal with five minutes left to play but a controversially try to Manly’s Jamie Buhrer, handed the Cowboys an agonising 26 – 21 loss – their fifth of the season.
They’ll look forward to returning to Townsville for the first time in three weeks where their record reads two wins and a loss. The wins have come over the Newcaslte Knights and Canberra Raiders who sit 14th and 15th on the ladder respectively. The loss come against the struggling Warriors so the home-record probably reads a little better than it actually is.
This week they’ll face the Parramatta Eels who suffered a 21 – 18 loss to West Tigers on Easter Monday.
It was a game the Eels should’ve won. Two intercepts passes allowed the Tigers to run in two length-of-the-field tries and poor handling late in the game when scores were locked, gifted the Tigers the opportunity to slot a field goal which they capitalized on.
After wins against Brisbane and the Roosters, a win last week would’ve given the Eels a full head of steam heading into this clash and probably have seen them installed the favourites however, in early markets they are $2.50 despite having a better record than Cowboys this season.
What does tip the market in favour of the Cowboys is their recent record over the Eels. They’ve won the last three clashes between the two sides and by comfortably margins when playing at home.
The Eels of 2014 however are a completely different outfit to the Parramatta sides of recent years and on their efforts this season, the $2.50 head to head or even with the 5.5 start, should be given close consideration.
Teams:
Nth Queensland Cowboys:
Michael Morgan, Matthew Wright, Brent Tate, Kane Linnett, Curtis Rona, Johnathan Thurston, Ray Thompson, Matthew Scott, Rory Kostjasyn, James Tamou, Gavin Cooper, Jason Taumalolo, Tariq Sims. Interchange: Anthony Mitchell, Joel Riethmuller, Ashton Sims, Scott Bolton, Glenn Hall, Ethan Lowe
Ins: Kane Linnett, Anthony Mitchell, Joel Riethmuller, Ethan Lowe
Outs: Kyle Feldt, Robert Lui (both dropped)
Other unavailables: Antonio Winterstein (hamstring, round 10), Lachlan Coote (ACL, season), Hezron Murgha (knee, round 10), Patrick Kaufusi (pectoral, season)
Parramatta Eels:
Jarryd Hayne (c), Semi Radradra, Will Hopoate, Willie Tonga, Ken Sio, Corey Norman, Chris Sandow, Tim Mannah (c), Nathan Peats, Fuifui Moimoi, Pauli Pauli, Manu Ma’u, Joseph Paulo. Interchange: Darcy Lussick, Mitch Allgood, David Gower, Peni Terepo
Ins: Peni Terepo
Outs: Kenny Edwards (fractured hand, round 12)
Other unavailables: Ben Smith (finger, round nine), Jacob Loko (knee, indefinite), Lee Mossop (shoulder, mid-season)
News:
Parramatta and Wests Tigers will lobby the NRL to ensure their Easter Monday afternoon clash becomes a permanent fixture on the calendar.
A crowd of more than 50,000 poured into ANZ Stadium to witness the Tigers edge out the Eels 21-18 in a breathless encounter, rounding off a successful Easter weekend at the venue.
More than 43,000 attended the Good Friday clash between South Sydney and Canterbury with many supporters taking in a game and the Easter Show at the nearby Sydney Showgrounds.
That fixture has kicked-started the Easter weekend since 2012 and proved to be a resounding success and now the Eels and the Tigers want to lock in the Easter Monday slot.
“You have the Anzac Day game between the Roosters and the Dragons. The Good Friday game, I think it makes sense to lock in this Easter Monday game it would undoubtedly be a great fixture,” Tigers CEO Grant Mayer told AAP.
The two clubs are also drawing up a plan to share the gate from future fixtures, which would come into place once their current agreements with ANZ Stadium come up for renewal.
Unlike Souths and the Bulldogs, who are permanent residents at the stadium, the Eels and the Tigers do not take a full share of the gate takings.
“The difficult part is that both of us are on fixed guarantees out here, so no matter how big the crowd is we get what we get,” Mayer said.
“But the aim once we get off that is that we both drive the crowd and share the gate.”
Despite being local rivals, the Tigers and the Eels will meet only once this year but are hopeful that will change from 2015 and allow both clubs to work together to drive up crowd numbers.
“If we play each other twice, that gives you the ability to gate share,” Eels chief executive Scott Seaward told AAP.
“If one game is an Easter Monday when you get 50,000 and the other on a weekend where you may only get 20,000, then you get 35,000 each and share the marketing costs.”
The Tigers have four home games at ANZ this year in addition to hosting fixtures at Leichhardt and Campbelltown.
The Eels are on a flexible agreement where they can play a certain number of games in a season, if they believe the crowds can justify a switch from Parramatta Stadium.
With St George Illawarra now also playing two games at the venue this year, Mayer believes gate sharing with rival clubs to drive up attendances is the way forward.
“That’s the changing face of rugby league, sharing gates and both having clubs having a stake in the game,” Mayer said.
“But we’re not getting carried there is a lot of work to be done.”
