Eels v Bulldogs: Round 19 preview
Tue 17 Jul 2018, 09:01 AM
It was already the season from hell for Parramatta before last week's 18-16 road loss to Newcastle.
The last-placed Eels jumped out of the gate and looked set to post a cricket score on the Knights, only to stop playing and crashing to their 14th loss in 17 games.
Parra can't seem to play from in front or behind and it's anyone's guess how they will perform when they kick off round 19 against the Bulldogs on Thursday night.
The Doggies are also languishing near the bottom of the ladder and will boost their chances of avoiding the wooden spoon if they can win this one. Coming off last week's loss to Souths, Canterbury got the better of the Eels in round 10, winning 20-12.
Key match-up: Josh Jackson was an Origin player and wants to get back there, while Nathan Brown has never played Origin and is dying for a chance. But they might be waiting a while given the Blues' embarrassment of back-row riches and the fact they are coming off a series win. Jackson and Brown don't play the same game but neither takes a backward step and their respective performances could have a big influence on the result.
For the Eels to win: After blowing a strong start last week, Parra need their playmakers to take charge when things get tight and keep the team on an even keel. They had 10 points in 10 minutes and just six over the final 70 minutes against the Knights and have to find some consistency in their attack.
For the Bulldogs to win: With his team light on experience for the rest of the season, first-year Dogs coach Dean Pay has to rely largely on youthful enthusiasm over the final seven rounds. If they keep their errors down and limit penalties, the Doggies should take care of a team playing with zero confidence.
Eels Stat Attack: Parramatta's recent form may be poor but their recent record against Canterbury is excellent, winning four of their past five games. The Bulldogs also have a poor record in Thursday night contests this year, losing all three matches.
Bulldogs Stat Attack: Rhyse Martin produced a wow of a game a fortnight ago with 24 points including a hat-trick and six goals and his goal-kicking has been a standout since taking over from Moses Mbye after his exit to the Tigers. Martin has kicked 13 goals from 14 attempts at a strike rate of 93% – better than any other regular goal-kicker in the league this season.
