Featured Bookmakers:

Parramatta Eels $2.95 vs North Queensland Cowboys $1.42 at Sportsbet Australia get a $500 FREE BET on this match

Parramatta Eels $3.05 vs North Queensland Cowboys $1.39 at Luxbet Australia get a $500 FREE BET on this match

Odds Comparison by NRL Odds:

Parramatta Eels	2.95	3.00	3.05	3.00	2.95	3.00
Nth Queensland Cowboys	1.42	1.41	1.39	1.41	1.42	1.42

Preview:

Parramatta will need to provide a quick – and big – form reversal here given their poor performance against the Panthers on Monday night where they were defeated 44-12.

The heavy loss means that Parramatta now have the worse defensive record in the competition, having leaked 189 points this season at an average of 27 per game.

With a full roster at his disposal, it appears Ricky Stuart’s first year at Parramatta will be long one in their current form.

The only positive one can find for the Eels heading into this match, is that they return to their home ground where they’ve won both games this season (Warriors and Sharks).

The Cowboys record of 3-4 thus far this season, consists of some indifferent performances however, the last three weeks’ performances indicate that they are building to a level that is expected of a team that consists of several international players.

They beat Penrith three weeks ago, arguably should have beaten the Broncos (lost 12-10) and last week accounted for the Raiders (30-12).

The last two encounters between the two sides have resulted in big wins to the Cowboys who recorded in excess of 40 points on each occasion.

If Penrith were able to score 44 points on Monday, the Cowboys with their attacking ability combined with Parramatta’s defensive record, should also register points in the same region.

Teams:

Parramatta Eels:
Jarryd Hayne (c), Ken Sio, Ryan Morgan, Api Pewhairangi, Vai Toutai, Luke Kelly, Chris Sandow, Mitch Allgood, Matt Keating, Fuifui Moimoi, Reni Maitua (c), Kelepi Tanginoa, Joseph Paulo Interchange: Kaysa Pritchard, Darcy Lussick, Peni Terepo, Matthew Ryan

Nth Queensland Cowboys:
Matthew Bowen, Ashley Graham, Brent Tate, Kane Linnett, Kalifa Faifai Loa, Johnathan Thurston (c), Michael Morgan, Matt Scott (c), Rory Kostjasyn, James Tamou, Tariq Sims, Glenn Hall, Dallas Johnson
Interchange: Ray Thompson, Gavin Cooper, Scott Bolton, Joel Riethmuller, Ashton Sims, Jason Taumalolo (two to be omitted)

In The News:

Eels making progress, says Stuart

Ricky Stuart has vowed to bring more new faces to Parramatta and insists the club’s rebuilding progress is going to plan despite another dismal start to the NRL season.

Stuart warned Eels fans earlier this year to expect some difficult days, but his patience was pushed to breaking point after Monday’s 42-12 hammering by an under-strength Penrith.

The former NSW coach responded by axing experienced duo Ben Roberts and Ben Smith for Saturday’s clash with North Queensland.

The Eels received some positive news this week when exciting young centre Jacob Loko re-signed with the club until the end of 2015.

It follows Jarryd Hayne’s decision to recommit for two more years last month and the acquisition of four new players for 2014.

English pair Gareth Hock and Lee Mossop will join Corey Norman and Will Hopoate next season and Stuart said more players will follow.

“There will be more hopefully, that is the plan,” Stuart said.

“We just have to keep rebuilding. It’s a mammoth job.”

The Eels have missed out on a number of big-name targets including North Queensland pair Matt Scott and James Tamou, who will face the Eels on Saturday at Parramatta Stadium.

Josh Papalii and Israel Folau had looked set to join only to change their minds.

“I hope I have players that are as respectful to this club as James and Matt were (to the Cowboys),” he said.

“They were long shots to get, but if you don’t throw a punch you are not going to win the fight.

“But I am really happy with the four boys we have signed and I am over the moon with the loyalty and genuine respect shown to the club by Jarryd Hayne and Jacob Loko.”

Loko was actively chased by at least two other NRL teams and Eels chief executive Ken Edwards said it was a huge boon for the club to keep a talented youngster.

Parramatta’s retention policy has been seriously flawed over the last 10 years with a staggering number of local juniors such as Tony Williams, Jorge Taufua, David Williams, David Klemmer and Paul Gallen slipping out of the net.

Edwards refused to put the boot into the club’s former regimes, but said things had to change with seven full-time members of staff added to the club’s youth development and recruitment programs.

“It’s a bit of a myth that we lose so many of our good young players but there’s also some truth in there as well,” Edwards told AAP.

“If you put us and Penrith together we have 30 per cent of juniors in the country so of course you are going to lose some.

“What we have to get better at is having a system in place where we make more objective decisions.

“We have bolstered our systems and our personnel significantly since I came on board.

“We spend $1.2 million on junior rugby league at the participation level.

“At the moment 50 per cent of a our top-25 can be classified as local juniors. At the end of this current five-year plan we aim to have that at 85.

“It’s a big investment but we are doing it different to how it was done in the past.”