Wests Tigers brushed off the cobwebs and Parramatta, as Tim Sheens’ men gave a glimpse of why they’re considered NRL premiership favourites with a 20-12 trial win in Gosford.

The Tigers’ new halves combination of Benji Marshall and Tim Moltzen produced a superb opening 40 minutes to have the black and gold faithful salivating ahead of the season, while there was enough from Eels’ new boy Chris Sandow to suggest brighter times ahead for Parramatta.

Marshall and Moltzen laid on three of the Tigers’ four first-half tries – each coming up with a crisp cut-out pass to set up four-pointers before working together to send Matt Utai over for his second of the night.

The 20-6 halftime scoreline wasn’t added to until just before the fulltime siren when Vai Toutai scored for the Eels, the standard falling away as both coaches emptied their benches.

There was no Jarryd Hayne, Nathan Hindmarsh, Reni Maitua or recruit Willie Tonga for the Eels, but it was Parramatta’s $550,000 man Sandow that the blue and gold fans among the 13,622 crowd were most interested in seeing.

The former Souths man was busy without being spectacular in 54 minutes on the paddock, a neat cross-field kick for Esi Tonga to score being his highlight of the night.

It was countered by an intercept from near his own line which he butchered when he ignored flying winger Ken Sio in support, only to be run down 10 metres out from the Tigers line.

Sandow never returned after that effort, the nuggety halfback taking a few minutes to regain his breath before taking a seat on the bench.

The Tigers lost Liam Fulton with a nasty cut under the left eye while Eels prop Mitchell Allgood lasted just three minutes before leaving the field with concussion.